Jury Gives BLM their two--er, four--cents worth

[Doc Safari]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nati...212324564.html

In 2014, two officers with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office in Florida went to Gregory Vaughn Hill Jr.'s home for a noise complaint.

Hill, a 30-year-old black man, had been blasting an expletive-laden song by Drake, according to court testimony reviewed by CNN, and an unhappy woman who heard the song called officers to complain. The two deputies, including Christopher Newman, arrived to the house and knocked on the garage door, which Hill opened.

The officers exclaimed that the man had a gun, according to a lawsuit from Hill's family, and so the 30-year-old closed his door. Newman fired bullets through the garage door, hitting Hill once in the head and twice in the chest.

Hill, a father of three, died of those injuries.

Hill's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in 2016 after a jury didn't indict Newman. They hoped to receive compensation for their suffering and wanted a jury to determine whether any of the deceased man's rights had been violated, according to The New York Times.


Police say Hill brandished a handgun and refused to drop it when ordered, according to The New York Times, but his family disagrees.

A jury just handed down its decision. It led John Phillips, the family's attorney, to issue a bold proclamation: "Black lives don't matter."

At first, the jury gave the man's family $4. That includes a single dollar for each of Hill's children — aged 7, 10 and 13 — and another dollar for the man's funeral expenses, NBC reported. But the jury found that Hill, who had been drinking at the time, was 99 percent at fault for his own death.

So that $4 was then reduced to just four cents.

Monique Davis, the fiancee of Hill, told NBC that the decision left her feeling shocked.

"My heart just dropped," she said.. "It was like, are y'all serious?"

Phillips lamented that the jury sent the message that they "viewed these childrens' pain as virtually worthless."

"I'd have rather seen a zero," he told NBC, "than have to tell the children that their pain and suffering for losing their father is only a dollar."

Sheriff Ken J. Mascara praised the jury's decision, writing "we are pleased to see this difficult and tragic incident come to a conclusion."

“Deputy Newman was placed in a very difficult situation, and like so many fellow law enforcement officers must do every day, he made the best decision he could for the safety of his partner, himself, and the public given the circumstances he faced,” he wrote. “We appreciate the jury’s time and understanding.”

My take: I hate to make light of a wrecked family's plight, but next time TURN THE DAMN STEREO DOWN.

[26 Inf]

I think they should have awarded nothing, rather then slap 7,10, and 13 year-old kids in the face like that. Last I knew we didn't get to choose our parents.

Overall, the story leaves a lot to be questioned: 1) was there anyone else in the garage; 2) Did the officer fire through the door blindly, or have sights on the guy and firing as the door closed?

[Straight Shooter]

IM LOVIN IT. Hope they dont spend it all in one place.

[gaijin]

A hearty “well done!” To the jury.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Perfect way to deal with a frivolous lawsuit. Hope they paid them out in pennies.

[Coal Dragger]

There’s no reason this should have ever gained traction in court to make it to trial.

I feel really sorry for those kids, even if their dad was still alive it’s pretty evident that they’re going to have a hard time in life. Bad parents will be a huge hurdle to overcome.

[flenna]

I think they should have awarded nothing, rather then slap 7,10, and 13 year-old kids in the face like that. Last I knew we didn't get to choose our parents.

Overall, the story leaves a lot to be questioned: 1) was there anyone else in the garage; 2) Did the officer fire through the door blindly, or have sights on the guy and firing as the door closed?

I think giving them 4 cents is a bigger slap in the face then giving them nothing. Kind of like giving a crappy waiter a 25 cent tip. If you leave nothing they will think you may have just forgot but a quarter tip tells them their service stinks.

[SIGguy229]

Then there was the part where he was on probation...likely not lawfully permitted to own or possess a firearm. But why gloss of the little details.

[pinzgauer]

And then there is the double jeopardy part where a civil "rights" suit is filed after a jury already acquitted the LEO.

[kwelz]

And then there is the double jeopardy part where a civil "rights" suit is filed after a jury already acquitted the LEO.

There is no double jeopardy here. That is for Criminal cases in the same court with the same charges. Someone being found not guilty of a crime can still be at fault for a death or injury, which is why they are kept seperate.

Obviously the officer did right here. But making a civil suit contingent upon a criminal case would take away the rights of many injured parties.