Is St Louis set to burn with acquittal of ex-cop Jason Stockley?

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Jason Stockley has been found not guilty in the death of a citizen with his own personal gun. Protesting has already begun.

Hundreds of protesters poured into St. Louis' streets and some scuffles broke out as they voiced their anger after a Missouri judge on Friday ruled a white former St. Louis police officer was not guilty of murder in the 2011 shooting of a black man. With the National Guard on standby in case of violence, authorities appealed to protesters to march peacefully in a state where racially charged clashes in the nearby city of Ferguson spawned the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014.

Police said a few protesters threw rocks and water bottles, while witnesses and video showed officers used pepper spray on at least five people about a block from the courthouse. About 50 riot police were on hand, blocking a ramp to a nearby highway. Jason Stockley, 36, was acquitted of first-degree murder for killing Anthony Lamar Smith, 24.

The former policeman, who was arrested in May 2016, was accused of planting a gun in Smith's car but testified he acted in self-defense. After the verdict, more than 500 protesters marched in downtown St. Louis, chanting "No justice, no peace" and "Shut it down." Some held "Black Lives Matter" signs.

There is no way that this can end good. I am not here to debate the action but the consequence of this judgement. There will be rioting and looting and for what? It will not bring anyone back. It will not change any outcomes. What it does do is further spread hate and division.

Are there bad cops? Yes
Are there criminals? Yes
Are there good cops? Yes

There is no reason to riot. BLM has said that they will burn St Louis to the ground so how far will this go tonight?

a reply to: matafuchs

I love how they release the verdict on a Friday.

More proof they want to divide the people.

a reply to: matafuchs

There will be rioting and looting and for what? It will not bring anyone back.

It will not bring anyone back.

It will not change any outcomes.

As far as the rioting, it will injure, possibly kill some people.
Looting? Well, that will get some people some new kicks, smokes, liquor and TVs.

a reply to: matafuchs

It's just St. Louis.

Maybe they shouldn't have gone for 1st degree murder? Another case of prosecutorial over-reach.

a reply to: matafuchs

Until something is done to address the problem with police shootings in this country, cities are going to burn.

Do you expect the people who have to worry about things like this daily to just sit at home and do nothing?

a reply to: matafuchs

With the National Guard on standby in case of violence, authorities appealed to protesters to march peacefully in a state where racially charged clashes in the nearby city of Ferguson spawned the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014.

BLM began the day Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin in Fla. But what the hell, it happens everywhere. Eric Garner Freddie Grey, Rodney King, to name a few.

Yah, call out the guard repress the people some more. Damn control freaks.

Wait a moment, everything I'm seeing on this says the verdict came from a judge. Is this accurate? Why was this case not decided by a jury? I thought that was mandatory in murder cases. If this is accurate and this guy was tried purely in front of a judge, then I certainly have concerns over the system failing here.

2nd degree murder would have been a better charge to prove here.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
Wait a moment, everything I'm seeing on this says the verdict came from a judge. Is this accurate? Why was this case not decided by a jury? I thought that was mandatory in murder cases. If this is accurate and this guy was tried purely in front of a judge, then I certainly have concerns over the system failing here.

The right to jury trial was waived.

let's not call these fools protestors, let's address them as criminal rioters getting ready to senselessly damage a city...

peaceful protestors for just and right and sensible causes have been highjacked by mentalists and monsters whom often don't even know what they are "protesting" for and thrown under the same umbrella...

why not think about actions for once...

Five fast facts about Judge Timothy Wilson: Heavy.com

The court documents are posted in the linked article.

They mention the fact that the police car was rammed forcefully twice by the man. That is attempted murder of a police officer.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: matafuchs

With the National Guard on standby in case of violence, authorities appealed to protesters to march peacefully in a state where racially charged clashes in the nearby city of Ferguson spawned the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014.

BLM began the day Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin in Fla. But what the hell, it happens everywhere. Eric Garner Freddie Grey, Rodney King, to name a few.

Yah, call out the guard repress the people some more. Damn control freaks.

Personally, I think acquittals by jury aren't something protesters should be targeting. While it is everyone's right to disagree with the decisions of a jury, rioting and chaos ensuing from those trials flies in the face of our Constitution, since trial by jury is a Constitutional issue.

Acquittal by a judge, however, seems to be a different type of animal and is absolutely a potential for abuse of power and protection of state interests.

a reply to: ketsuko

That's a major problem, then.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Few officers have been convicted for killing suspects while on duty. Stockley requested the case be heard by a judge rather than a jury despite objections from prosecutors.

Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson, who oversaw the bench trial, said prosecutors also asked the court to consider a lesser degree of homicide. But Wilson said prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt the officer’s use of deadly force was not justified in self-defense.

Source: St. Louis ex-officer Jason Stockley acquitted in killing of black man, city braces for protests

originally posted by: underwerks
a reply to: matafuchs

Until something is done to address the problem with police shootings in this country, cities are going to burn.

Do you expect the people who have to worry about things like this daily to just sit at home and do nothing?

Police shooting is just a symptom of a deeper problem. The local administration has been fleecing people with fines behind menial crimes for a long time. They recently dropped minimum wage from 10 to 7.70 an hour...

Tribune

I wonder if the stores will be handing out free tv's and shoes to the protesters as they always do in these situations.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Acquittal by a judge, however, seems to be a different type of animal and is absolutely a potential for abuse of power and protection of state interests.

Like in Ferguson, Eric Brown case never went to trial. Then we find out he didn't steal the cigars after all. If there is seething resentment behind issue of police killings this just adds to the flames.

I think the prosecutions tied all their hopes on this statement in an attempt to get 1st degree (premeditated) murder.

Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this [expletive], don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer fatally shot Smith. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" amid a dangerous police pursuit.

They also did not prove that the gun found in the suspects vehicle was actually planted there by Shockley. It might have been, but it was not proven in court it seems. All this said, I think a 1st degree conviction needs more actual evidence than a single statement in the heat of the moment. Killing of a police suspect is definitely not something I take lightly or condone. But, if it was self-defense and the suspect did have a weapon, then perhaps looking at both the suspect's legal background as well ass the LEO's past behavior and police record is due here?

a reply to: intrptr

Again, though, a grand jury reached a verdict that no crime had been committed in the shooting of Brown. The verdict wasn't reached by an individual judge.