I hope the Jefferson Davis County municipal government gets sued into the ground for this. Not that that’d give the man back his decade spent in hell, or his children back their father, but just maybe it would make the local government think twice before sending the Prentiss Police on Gestapo-esque raids.

From the sounds of the article, though, he’s practically being run out of town. Just remember, Mississippians, any one of you could be next. You don’t back up Maye and you might as well invite the government to smash down your door as well.

For the record, I don’t see the cops as the problem here; Officer Jones’ death was a tragedy. I see the so-called “justice” system as the problem, and particularly the unconstitutional tactics stomping on the liberties of Americans in the name of morality enforcement. Cory Maye may have pulled the trigger, but the War on Drugs killed Ron Jones, Jr.

Half a century of Cold War spent fighting the Soviets so we could wind up emulating them! Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev are laughing their ass off in hell over a bottle of vodka.

The justice system actually works extremely well, we need to tweak quite a few things to destroy the elitist/classist concessions it makes though. We are not sheep, police are not our masters.

Fight for your rights people, donate to the EFF, go out and Activate and Advocate. Don’t throw the Bill of Rights under the bus as an “out-dated” document – it is literally where we get most of our protections in the justice system.

What makes you pro-death penalty is the belief that we have the ability to accurately assign guilt.

Speak for yourself, please.

I am in favor of the death penalty because I feel that imprisonment is crueler than death, and because I would much rather die than live in prison.

What is death, that you should fear it so? Do you believe you are bound for eternal torment, or that the world ends when you die? Death is the Gift of Man, the final comfort that awaits us all when our time is through.

I have some small experience of imprisonment and restriction. Please, give me death first. Don’t paint your fears and your philosophies on me, and don’t expect me to share your wish for life at all costs. Death is OK.

I don’t think these cops that do this kind of thing worry about being next, I think these are the kind of dudes who get off on the action, playin tough, barking orders at others. They enjoy thinking they’re our masters and coming into your home is the pinnacle of that power.

That’s just my opinion, and I’m not saying there aren’t cops that abuse their authority. But the Drug War is an abuse of legislative authority.

Another victim of the “War on Drugs.” How many lives have been ruined because politicians want to seem tough on “crime” and pharmaceutical companies don’t want competition?

Agree, and I don’t feel one bit safer because of this heinous war either. Does anyone, really?

http://www.theagitator.com/2011/06/21/police-man-killed-by-police-during-paramilitary-drug-raid-shows-dangers-of-paramilitary-drug-raids-dangers-police-must-face-every-day/

My opinion on the death penalty is that if someone commits premeditated murder and it can be proven absolutely (not just a reasonable preponderance of evidence but proof), then the only punishment proportional to the crime is death.

There are no absolutes. That’s why our justice system uses “beyond a reasonable doubt” for criminal cases (preponderance of evidence is only enough for civil cases).

Perfection is unattainable in any system. That’s why I don’t think we should grant those systems the power to kill people who don’t pose a clear and immediate threat to others.

I personally love it how all three of the last three presidents would be in jail (and certainly not presidents) if they had gotten caught for their drug related crimes, but still they merrily enforce these horrific laws.

I wonder how it feels to strip the liberty and ruin the lives of millions for a “crime” that you have committed? The fact that those shitheads can sleep at night is a testament to their character, and not in a good way.

First off it AMAZES me how often SWAT gets raids wrong. I mean – you have one fucking job to do it. Google Maps for christsake. Never mind they are as completely unnecessary as the war on drugs itself. People bitch and moan about the TSA or what ever – it’s the Drug War that has eroded more of you civil liberties than anything else.

@Ridan re: “I personally love it how all three of the last three presidents would be in jail (and certainly not presidents) if they had gotten caught for their drug related crimes… ”

Are you high? All of them have the ways and means to make any charges disappear or get pleaded down to jay walking. Poor black kids are who go to prison for pot.

I agree with you, I tried to come off as respectful but wary of police in my post but I guess I didn’t do that so well. Meaningful change demands respect among all parties. I just wanted to make the point that the boots-on-the-ground officers need to start questioning their role in our society or else things are going to be MUCH more difficult.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080808/NEWS/297742564?Title=Maryland-mayor-s-dogs-shot-in-botched-drug-raid

SWAT: Sorry, Wrong Address Targeted

I didn’t mean to sound like I was reproaching you’re comment.

I’ve been on the receiving end of cops that are a disgrace to their badges, and I’ve dealt with cops that are good, honest, loyal public servants trying to do a dangerous job for crap pay. Corruption should always be punished, but the War on Drugs is a bigger systemic problem out society has to address at the legislative level.

You’re right that cops shouldn’t follow orders without any question. But to expect them not to enforce drug laws is unrealistic. Most of us probably are wary of cops, but would be warier of a society totally devoid of law enforcement. We need to hold them accountable, but we also need to give them straight signals and not get pissed when they enforce the stupid laws we create. And yes, I know politicians pass the laws; but politicians are like any parasitic organism, they’ll do what it takes to get reelected.

I understand the carnal instincts of wanting to kill those who have killed the innocent. There’s even a part of me that would love to see scum like Murdoch and the Koch brothers get charged with treason and executed if found guilty. But, then we as a society would be sinking to their level… to the level of the scoundrels we seek vengeance upon… and all of society suffers.

Killing another person (eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth) in vengeance is barbaric and medieval. If human are ever to evolve, we need to jettison the death penalty and focus on empathy.

And, before anyone says I don’t know because no one I love has ever been killed. I do know.

I have no qualms about killing in self-defense, but murdering someone in captivity is wrong on multiple levels. I didn’t always feel this way, but over the years I evolved from that way of thinking and I think I’m for the better for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWaLM-h5BrM&feature=related

My opinion on the death penalty is that if someone commits premeditated murder and it can be proven absolutely (not just a reasonable preponderance of evidence but proof), then the only punishment proportional to the crime is death. To be clear, I am not saying the punishment needs to be the crime, but it should fit it and I know of no other punishment that fits premeditated murder. Since the vast majority of capital cases seem to hinge on evidence that is not proof, that criteria would exclude most, but not all, executions. If someone doesn’t want to be executed, that person doesn’t have to murder anyone else in cold blood; it’s their choice.

Having had this discussion many times in the past, I know this isn’t a popular opinion with either side of the debate, but it’s what I believe. Obviously this is a very polarizing issue, and I mean no disrespect to anyone else’s beliefs, religious or otherwise.

I think the only reasonable way to be pro-death-penalty is to be moderate about it. And to be clear, again, I am pro-death-penalty in the same way you are – irrefutable evidence or proof should be enough to bring the option to the table, but otherwise, probably not. I would strongly prefer that the court errs on the side of letting guilty people off, rather than falsely convicting (or killing) innocents.

Killing another person (eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth) in vengeance is barbaric and medieval. If human are ever to evolve, we need to jettison the death penalty and focus on empathy.

Agree 100%. Maybe that rapist does deserve to know what his victims went through, but it would take a pretty sick society to employ a crack team of professional rapist-rapers.