PA cop charged with homicide after she shoots man, 59, laying face down on the ground

She incapicated him with a stun gun, claimed she saw him reach into his jacket, then shot him twice into his back.

A police officer was charged Tuesday with criminal homicide after investigators concluded she shot an unarmed motorist in the back as he lay facedown after a traffic stop over an expired inspection sticker.

Authorities accused Hummelstown police Officer Lisa J. Mearkle of shooting David Kassick, 59, twice February 2 without legal justification. She was jailed without bail.

She had incapacitated him with a stun gun and he was on the ground when she shot him twice in the back, police said.

Mearkle was released this afternoon on $250,000 bond and will have to wear an ankle monitoring device at home.

Now curious, how many of us, after shooting someone would be out on bond and at home. For me, this is in cold blood, she should be in JIAL, not at home sitting comfy cozy watching HBO and being able to order delivery, but that just my take. Enough of this crap! Here they charge her with a crime, and they practically let her go. How many more people must die before we, as a country, say, that is ENOUGH!

This mess is enough to seriously depress you. We need to clean out every department and seriously start fresh.

If a citizen did what this officer did, and an officer was present, the citizen would be executed on the spot.

a reply to: Anyafaj

I'm actually from the area in Lebanon Pa which is 15 min east of Hummelstown, Believe it or not there is support for the officer in the area.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Remember, kids....there is nothing, repeat NOTHING in the Constitution calling for armed police. Just let that sink in...

originally posted by: Ironhawke
a reply to: Anyafaj

Remember, kids....there is nothing, repeat NOTHING in the Constitution calling for armed police. Just let that sink in...

LMFAO. ewe can't be serious.

a reply to: highfromphoenix

As a heart attack. Where do they draw their power? Implied consent. Scrap 'em, start over. Wwe have to do something to curb the badge-heavy Gestapo tactics being used. Also, I am not a sheep, so "ewe" can knock that Bravo Sierra off, too

While it won't bring this man back, I hope the family sues her for everything she has. I never see reason for deadly force however its safe to assume to LEO was wearing protective gear and the citizen wasn't. Seems like a chase of being angry there was a chase.

Well considering the fact that the hiring standards are getting lower and lower, because people don't want to become cops, what can we expect? If you have a green card you can be a cop now. Don't even have to be a citizen.

Some, like the Chicago and Hawaii police departments, allow any immigrant with a work authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become an officer. That means people in the country on temporary visas or are applying for green cards can join.

link

a reply to: Ironhawke

They have a right to protect themselves. (period)

Edit - I'm not here to be popular. Common sense should be a factor. If you honestly don't believe a police officer should carry a weapon then you my friend are a moron.

a reply to: Ironhawke

I was once arrested in Lebanon walking home from work with a public drunkeness because I didn't want to show ID or answer questions to 5 officers that boxed me into an alley way in 3 seperate vehicles like a sting operation. When I plead not guilty the court I went into was filled with armed officers, I was allowed 0 witnesses and the judge told me that I was guilty even though I wasn't drunk citing that PA law states "Public Drunkeness" is at the officers discretion meaning all the cop had to do was say so and I was a danger to the public because he discerned I was drunk. I would have probably been more apt to cooperate but I was afraid they were going to beat me or worse with the way they rolled on me so I just kept my mouth shut and didn't do or say anything except ask if I was under arrest or being detained. I was accused of everything from prowling, potential burglar, soliciting a prostitute, to selling drugs before I got cited for public drunkeness. It cost me more then $500

a reply to: highfromphoenix

Yes, I agree. protect themselves from an unarmed man selling loose cigarettes. Protect themselves from a man talking on the phone casually holding a toy gun. Protect themselves from a kid playing with a toy in the park. And definitely protect themselves from a mentally ill man holding a screwdriver in his own home.

Yeah, restart, give real training and get these psychos away from our familes.

a reply to: highfromphoenix

not saying they shouldn't be armed. I am saying that EVERY. LAST. ONE. should have mandatory psych evals and the jocks with ssues weeded out before ANOTHER kid is killed because Officer McFriendly "feared for his life." And please, cease to use pejoratives in reference to me.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Two things, I'll play both sides. In the cops defense, do you do nothing and get shot if you have unconfirmed suspicions or do something and get charged because of your suspicions (plus there was possibly some anger/retaliation involved here as well)? Of course that's a subjective judgement call, but the guy was laying on his stomach. Which brings me to my second point, if he reached for something inside his jacket and it was a gun, he would have still to remove it and turn over and aim before he could pull the trigger. There's plenty reaction time for the cop. So, another senseless death by cop.

Cheers - Dave

Can't wait for the marches on police stations.

It's not a question of "Where are the good cops?" anymore. The entire policing system/DA setup is rapidly losing its legitimacy, and it seems to be doing everything in its power to accelerate this descent.

Enforcing garbage mopery laws, literally stealing money, locking up innocent people and throwing out the key, forgetting about people in cells, and straight up unjustified homicide stories are coming out every week.

It doesn't matter if it's worse now or if we just know about it now. We know about it. And it isn't right.

Why would this investigation take months?

I can save them time and thousands of tax dollars.

"After reviewing the case we found that the officer was in danger and acted accordingly."

Of course there is a .00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% chance that this officer MIGHT be found guilty of manslaughter but I'll wait until after the victoria secret swimsuit team hand delivers my winning jackpot lottery ticket before I watch for that verdict.

originally posted by: Ironhawke
a reply to: highfromphoenix

not saying they shouldn't be armed. I am saying that EVERY. LAST. ONE. should have mandatory psych evals and the jocks with ssues weeded out before ANOTHER kid is killed because Officer McFriendly "feared for his life." And please, cease to use pejoratives in reference to me.

Fine. In my opinion you are "hopping on the latest bandwagon" against the government.

First it was the "we are 99" thing now it's cool to hate cops.

Grow up. (rolling my eyes).

a reply to: Anyafaj

This is not the first time either. Well not for your case here. Just a few years back. In the Township of Millvale ( Pittsburgh pa ).. a similar case. But no one died. This case got a little personal for me. I had some friends in that department. Not anymore.

This one is before the verdict. With video of teaser event.

m.wtae.com...

Here's the results.

triblive.com...

I have to run but thought I'd share.


Edit: my links are mobile format. If you want to look farther .. it's officer Nichole Murphy. Of Millvale police department. Tasering a mentally ill man.

a reply to: highfromphoenix

No, I've severely disliked cops since 1989. They are a bigger threat than the 'Mooslim Badguys", IMO

a reply to: highfromphoenix

Don't Post And Run guy. She killed the man in cold blood.

They have a right to protect themselves. (period)" - Yeah, you are right....

Was she well trained? How many years on the force has she been? And you think she is capable of making correct decision with a gun?...in your only defense...she did use the stun gun first....but im sure she thought about the House Arrest and thought that was better than jail for killing someone FOR EXAMPLE possibly sexism? (she's has the gun, and no man is gonna tell her whats whats) or She was in the wrong to begin with and killing him makes it easier to tell a one-sided-story.

............. But Clearly, you have been stun-gunned and still felt like......idk killing the officer that stunned you? Yes!!??? Really!!!??? You got up after a Stun Gun with energy left to attack? or give a threatening poster of attack? OMG uR FreAKiN Amazing!!! (Please Confirm)
Oh... you haven't? Then Please S.T.F.U.

I did ask you Not to Post and Run, but you do not have a valid argument.

No Respect to you

originally posted by: highfromphoenix

originally posted by: Ironhawke
a reply to: Anyafaj

Remember, kids....there is nothing, repeat NOTHING in the Constitution calling for armed police. Just let that sink in...

LMFAO. ewe can't be serious.

Actually, there is nothing in the constitution that calls for police. We are not supposed to have a national police force, what we think of as law enforcement falls under state and local jurisdiction.