North Carolina detective Bryon Vassey indicted for killing mentally ill teenager

The only other thread I found is from January 2014 where the officers involved were cleared. I decided to create a new thread about their indictment. If it needs to be merged with the other thread, so be it.

The North Carolina detective who shot and killed a mentally ill teenager has been indicted by a grand jury on one count of voluntary manslaughter, the Brunswick County District Attorney's office said in a news release.

"After I reviewed the case I found that a crime almost certainly did take place," District Attorney Jon David told reporters Tuesday. "It was a 'bad shoot.' A grand jury has agreed."

Link

So, it appears that some of us didn't jump to the "too quick blame the cops" opinion, because here we have both a grand jury AND the DA deciding that the shooting WAS UNJUSTIFIED to the extent that is is VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.

Now, said detective has been on paid leave—ahem, vacation—since this. And now:

Bryon Vassey of the Southport Police Department was given until noon Wednesday to surrender. A judge set bail Monday night at $50,000.

Whether there is a conviction is a different matter. Even if there is, it would probably get commuted or overturned.

Keith Vidal, 18, was killed January 5 at his family's home in the eastern North Carolina town of Boiling Springs Lakes. Three law enforcement officers from three different agencies answered a 911 call asking for police to help in dealing with a schizophrenic man armed with a screwdriver and asking to fight his mother.

Details, for those unfamiliar:

Vidal's stepfather, Mark Wilsey, said that officers used a Taser on his son several times before one of the officers said, "We don't have time for this," and shot between the two officers holding the teen down.

A police report seen by WCET recorded that the Southport officer arrived at the home 14 minutes minutes after the first of three Boiling Springs Lake officers and a sheriff's deputy arrived and told dispatchers that matters had settled down after an initial confrontation with the teen. Seventy seconds after the Southport officer arrived, the report says, he radioed that he had fired shots at the teen in self-defense.

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reply to post by Liquesence


Although it is surprising that it has gotten this far....I have no faith at all in the US Justice system when it comes to the following

A) Police
B) Politicians
C) CEO's and Banking executives.

Too many crimes, such as the one cited here...have been allowed to happen with no recourse for the victims. I expect a not guilty verdict.

Indictment is good, but a conviction would set the precedent and they don't want that.