Officer Axom body cameras are a real life version of Beauty and the Beast. Really, if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million. Countless times in criminal cases an officers body camera footage sinks or proves a prosecutor’s case. In a recent case out of Pennsylvania this was never more so evident. Earlier this month a Pennsylvania police officer was charged with voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting a college student who was looking for his friend’s house after a late night out drinking. Sadly, the 22 year old went to the wrong house and scared the residents to such a degree that they called the police because they thought someone was breaking into their home. The officer’s body camera evidences that the officer yelled, “Drop to the ground,’ then “Stop or I’ll …” . Before he finished his sentence, he fired two shots into the young man’s chest. The man was unarmed and had his hands in the air, albeit he was walking towards the officer. It was determined the officer had less than lethal options before he elected to shoot the 22 year old. In short, it was determined the student was not a justifiable threat. Thus, the use of deadly force was not legal, according to prosecutors. It probably didn’t help that the officer told another officer who arrived on scene that the man was ‘charging’ him while screaming and yelling, as the body camera footage did not evidence the same. Ball was set at $75,000 and the officer was ordered to turn in all his weapons. He will now himself navigate the criminal justice system. However, this time he will be a Defendant, not a state witness.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Defense Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal case. So, it should go without saying that someone dealing with a criminal case should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Defense attorney as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone dealing with a criminal charge in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys is the right call – (425) 359-3791 or (206) 441-0900.