Outrageous Malfunction

Video, transcript here

There are conflicting reports today in the shooting death of an 80-year-old man. Isaac Singletary died Saturday after a gun battle with undercover officers involved in a drug sting in front of his home. Police say they’re not sure who fired first, but Singletary was hit several times. Witnesses say the officers never told Singletary they were undercover and that he never should have been killed. Mike Tolbert reports from Jacksonville, Florida.

Reporter: The folks on Westmont Street may not have known the name of the man who lived in this house, but they knew what he would not tolerate.
“Pops says whatever you do out in the street or over on the side of the fence, that is your business, but you’re not going to bring it in this yard.”
Reporter: So when Issac Singletary saw a drug deal going on in front of his house, he wanted them gone and took action.
“The man didn’t know that they were actually police officers because this man is like this about the whole neighborhood. He do not like people in his yard.”
Reporter: Police are still trying to figure out if the officers told Singletary they were cops. Right now, they just don’t know.
“If you have the opportunity to identify yourself we will identify yourself but if you got and individual that’s got a firearm then you have to do what you have to do based on your training and try to protect your life and the life of others.”
Reporter: After several recent shootings by JSO, many in the community are fed up.
“We are tired of what happened at emerson arms and then it comes down here to southside.”
Reporter: It’s why cops made a special effort to show that Singletary was armed, showing the tree in his yard hit by bullets from his gun. But on Westmont Street, emotions are still raw after a man who had the respect of those on the street was gunned down doing what they say he always did — protecting his property.
“It’s like I see him because I looked in his eyes. I see how his pain. I felt the pain for him.”
Reporter: Gary Evans says his uncle Isaac had grown tired of the drug dealing around his house and wanted cops to come and clean it up.
“He would call me and say yeah, Gary some undercover officer was out here today. Picking up the boys around here. He would welcome that and those were the very same ones that took his life.”

in a comment on the post below, Bovine pointed out a video from the ACLU that you should watch.

it has a running time of 46 minutes; well worth it. The original source has tshirts and the like for sale.

Partial transcript of audio; video you may watch yourself.

Officer #1: I was trying to have a conversation.
Brett: I didn’t want to have a conversation. You stopped me officer in the middle of the road.

Here we have the story of a suspected armed robber meeting a violent end. Feel free to read the bit about his dog and how his family can’t imagine why he got shot. Here’s a clue: he may have beat some guy and stole that guy’s playstations. The
police may respond with a more aggressive profile if you’ve got an armed robbery warrant than if you have outstanding parking tickets. Why did they dog get shot? It’s doctrine that police kill dogs when serving warrants. Police can’t cuff and stuff a dog like a human; the dog won’t allow the indignity.

Four former Campbell County Sheriff’s Deputies were sentenced
to prison Wednesday.
Five deputies pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the abuse of Lester Siler in June of
2004. The deputies went to Siler’s Campbell County home because they suspected drug
activity.

Their assault of the suspect led to their firings and charges against them. They were
accused of violating Siler’s constitutional rights.
Siler’s wife secretly taped the deputies while they were in the Siler home.

In one excerpt of the tape, Deputy David Webber is heard saying to Siler:
“Let me tell you something. We’re gonna know everybody that’s supplying you. We’re
gonna know everything about your business today. And you’re gonna take us and where
you got your money, we’re gonna take every dime you have today, and if we don’t walk
out of here with every piece of dope you got and every dime you got your (expletive)
(expletive) is not going to make it to jail. And if you think we’re joking, we’re
not.”
Before sentencing on Wednesday, the deputies’ attorneys painted a very different picture
of the men facing the judge.
“Sammy has a history of good deeds, not only in the community but nationally. He served
in the military for years, he served on the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department for
17 years. He truly has never had a single complaint filed against him,” said former
Deputy Samuel Franklin’s attorney, Andrew Roskind.
Friends and family accompanied the men to the Howard Baker Federal Courthouse for
their sentencing, and the deputies had hundreds of letters of support from family,
friends and community members.
The judge took this all into consideration, but
David Webber was sentenced to 57 months in jail; Samuel Franklin and Shayne Green
received sentences of four and a-half years each, while William Carroll will spend
four years and three months behind bars.
That is too much time, according to family members.
“I can’t describe it, it seems unfair, he did wrong, but it just don’t seem right,”
said Shayne Green’s brother, Gary Green.
But Lester Siler’s family says they are satisfied.
“Mr. Siler and his family respect the judgment that was handed down by the court today,
and they look forward to moving on with their lives,” said Siler’s attorney, Kristie
Anderson.
On Tuesday, another of the five deputies, Joshua Monday, received a sentence of six
years.
Herryn Riendeau , Reporter

Katie Allison Granju , Producer