Salt Lake City Police interrupted an ass whooping in progress.  Two young black males were beating on a third male with broom sticks, when police arrived on the scene.  They suggested that the pair drop their weapons, one did not, so they insisted more strongly.  They shot him twice, he got the message, possibly the last one he’ll ever receive.  He is in a coma.

It was only a broom stick!  Tell that to Abner Louima who was brutally assaulted by NYPD officers with a broom.  Funny thing about the law, once an object is used as a deadly weapon, it isn’t necessary to prove it is a deadly weapon the next time somebody decides to use it in a manner not intended by the manufacturer.  So the issue of whether he was armed is settled, yup.

Rhodes scholar? Nope, Possible candidate for sainthood? Nope.  Never been in trouble? Nope. Going to school and turning his life around? Nope. Quick, we need a shopworn narrative.

Cue Narrative #2 with a sideshow Narrative #3 the attacker is a Muslim and we all know Muslims are peaceful.  He is from war torn Somalia.  Somalia has been fighting for twenty years, good thing they’re a peaceful people or they would be up around a 100 years war by now.  He suffered such deprivations in Somalia that the jails and juvenile facilities he has stayed at in Utah would be four star hotels in Somalia. Although only seventeen he has a rap sheet going back to when he was twelve.

Well maybe they will have better luck blaming the police.  There are videos of the shooting.  The source is not revealed, I suspect they are either body cams or patrol car videos, because they have not been leaked.

The District Attorney has refused to release the videos. I am not an attorney. However, I know that information in a criminal case is subject to release under certain rules.  The basic police report, filed by the responding officer is subject to release. The supplemental reports regarding the incident that same officer writes are not. Investigative work product is shielded from release. Release of investigative work product is at the District Attorney’s discretion subject to the rules of discovery. Some DA’s maintain an open file policy and others adhere to the letter of the law.  So it will vary from DA to DA.

The Salt Lake District Attorney has declined to release the video saying in effect, it is part of the overall investigation and releasing it too soon puts it out of context.  Good on ya, Mr. Gill.

I understand that the family is upset, they lost a breadwinner. Look on the bright side, at least they know where he is and what he is doing at night.