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Board up your windows...
MORE VIDEO: Residents of Cherry Tree Crossing react to today's grand jury decision
A Richmond County grand jury today found no reason to bring charges against two sheriff's deputies who fatally shot a suspect last December when he tried to run over one of them with his SUV at an Augusta housing complex.
Grand jurors, who heard testimony and reviewed police videotapes of the incident behind closed doors, decided the two deputies, Jose Rivera Ortiz and Michael Hodge, should not face charges, and brought a no-bill of indictment in the Dec. 14 shooting of Justin Elmore.
Sheriff Ronnie Strength said he was pleased with the decision and urged others to view the police dashboard-camera videotapes of the shooting before reacting to the results.
The sheriff said the film shows his deputies' lives were in danger the moment Mr. Elmore put the vehicle in drive.
“That was the threat,” he said.
He also confirmed his department had reaction teams ready to restore the peace should violence break out in the Cherry Tree neighborhood, as happened often in December.
“We hope people do sit back -- study the tapes -- before anything is done,” Sheriff Strength said.
He met today with local community leaders including longtime Paine College professor Mallory Millender, state Rep. Henry Howard and Barbara Gordon, publisher and editor of the Metro Courier newspaper.
The sheriff said deputies have been preparing for the past two months for any violent demonstrations in reaction to a grand jury decision.
This afternoon, numerous police cars, including a SWAT team van and Columbia County sheriff's vehicles, could be seen parked just not far from the Cherry Tree neighborhood.
In December the shooting of Mr. Elmore, 23, had provoked several days of unrest as hundreds in and around the public housing complex off 15th Street shouted, marched and even threw bottles in protest.
The Rev. Al Sharpton spoke at Mr. Elmore's funeral, urging calm. Afterward, however, many took to the streets, including members of the New Black Panther Party, who displayed guns and marched, while police looked on.
Because the case involved a police agency, it was turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which shared the results of its inquiry with District Attorney Ashley Wright. She showed that evidence today to grand jurors.
Although the grand jury presentations are not public, earlier police accounts said the deputies had been responding to a tip about a man with drugs and weapons in an SUV when they boxed in Mr. Elmore, using their patrol cars.
As Deputy Ortiz approached from the front on foot, Mr. Elmore put his SUV in reverse, rammed Deputy Hodge's car and drove toward Deputy Ortiz.
A gunshot then fatally wounded Mr. Elmore. He was taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital where he died several days later when his family asked that he be taken off life-support systems.
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Board up your windows...
Good job Ortiz and Hodge
I fought the law and the law won....
If I were on the grand jury I’d ask if it was a side shot that killed Elmore as he drove by. I’d also ask about the deputy in another case who fired 5 shots into the car at the 20 year old driver with two innocent passengers who had disrespected his mother. What I’m getting at is we should contrast the Columbia Cty and Richmond Cty policies. Col. Cty policy instructs the officer not to place himself in a position where a car would be a threat. Plus, it says, never fire into a moving vehicle. Richmond Cty apparently takes a different view. Putting a bullet in someone over something is a big step in my mind.
Riverman - Rich Co deputies are in a damn WAR ZONE! Yes, there is a difference in counties. Columbia county hoods appologize before they rob you. Richmond Co hoods just kill you. Thats the GD difference!
Richmond County Sheriffs Office! Clearning the streets one target at a time!!!
Great job, grand jury!
Look, folks, I'm a white conservative Republican, but this thing has bothered me. What evidence was presented to the Grand Jury was determined by Ashley Wright, the DA. We all know her connection with a particular Richmond Cty. officer. A simple question..did the shot that killed Elmore come from the side window? Now what about the other case where the officer fired 5 shots into the car where the driver had disrespected his mother? The two passengers were completely innocent of any crime. Asinine.
Here's what I think.. I think the media shouldn't even bother going over there, all this media attention does is feed the flames.. If the TV crews would stay away, I'd bet you anything, you'd have no riots or any problems.. The media will make this a circus event that we can all be proud of..
Now did anyone think that was NOT going to be the ruling with the majority of the Jury that is certainly from the [filtered word] off angry southern white male party!
look another race card player.
I mean the whole thing is so Catch 22ish as to why an officer can shoot. A few months later we have an officer shooting 5 times into a car with 3 people in a driveway because his mother said he disrespected her. SNAFU number 22, you get a bullet if you don't tap dance. Again, a new policy similar to Columbia Cty's would prevent a lot of unneccessary killings.
what does it matter if the shot came from the side window? Maybe the officer stepped to the side to avoid being hit, then fired. If he is trying to run over someone, I don't care where the shot comes from, shoot him.
The system has spoken. The system that has evolved into as fair a system as anywhere in the world. This is a story about someone crossing the line. This is a story about where anyone of us can find ourselves when we make incorrect choices. This is a story of the sadness and emptiness Mr. Elmore's family and friends feel. And, in my opinion, this marks the end of the story.
another one bites the dust
4Shiz, you know he was going to run over someone else? Enough to kill him? As a well respected local journalist told me after I first brought up these questions, the media loses credibility when it doesn’t ask. We actually add to the possible violence because the minorities feel they will not be heard. So all the loud talking radio folks should try to present both sides. Speaking the truth prevents violence.
Who cares if it was a side shot, if he was endangering another deputy's life then surrounding officers can shoot!! if some criminal was coming at your family member trying to run them over and you both had guns would you just not fire and say oh well mom has a gun let her stop him from running her over or would you try to stop them too??? And the other case, is exactly that..... another case!!!
You dont know if he was going to run someone over or not either, but basically your posts are open and shut if it did come from the side. Thats what we have investigations and jury's for, to make the best decision they can based on the evidence at hand, none of which you have!
Sorry first post was late, had a phone call before I hit post lol
TakeAstand said, "You dont know if he was going to run someone over or not either, but basically your posts are open and shut if it did come from the side. Thats what we have investigations and jury's for, to make the best decision they can based on the evidence at hand, none of which you have!
Posted by TakeAstand on Tue May 5, 2009 5:20 PM "
My point is that if the officer, Ortiz, who said he was being threatened killed Elmore with a shot through the passenger window as he drove by, something is amiss, Agree? Remember the Grand Jury only had the evidence that Ashley Wright provided.
When I've been pulled over for DWB, I treated the officers with respect and answered their questions. I made no sudden movements and once satisfied I was committing no crime, I went on my way. I've not committed any crimes therefore I believe my odds of death by cop are very low. WHO you are, WHERE you are, and WHAT you've done will raise your odds of death by cop. Poor judgement was used by all parties in this case.
The video with the officer shooting in the side window is pertinent. Was the shot that actually killed Elmore the side shot? What did the medical report say?
Ahhh, the whole thing is total BS if you look at the video. The vehicle is actually past the officer when he fires in the side window. No wonder there were riots.
It took them almost 5 months to "doctor" this video. Should have made a post on You Tube. Someone on their could've done it in 4!
Click on the above link if you haven't seen the police video. Geez.
I'm sorry but it seemed to me his wheels where going left and the officer in front of the car was on the right. I didn't see him hit a police cruiser and where is the rest of the video after the vehicle came to a stop at the fence. Looks like a gun down to me, regardless of what his record was. He should've been arrested not murdered!
jusyus4-you are just a sad,sad man,how about the couple of white men that columbia county shot and killed in the last several years,you didn't see white folks breaking anf sitting fires and shooting at officers in the cover of darkness.why?
He didnt give him the chance to be arrested!? or did you miss that part? I dont condone taking a life but who in their right mind would stick up for him? And yes, if working in a bank and a ski mask came in, panic button pushed. You put yourselves in the officers position, as soft as you seem to be you wouldnt last a week. I'm sure they didnt "shoot to kill", Maybe theres a lesson a small % will get from this. Maybe, just hopefully they will learn.
6Romans, I don't know who you are talking to, but I bet I've fired many more rounds at "bad guys" than you have. This whole matter comes down to Richmond Cty setting a policy to avoid such instances....exactly as Columbia Cty has done.
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