Typically, city and county agencies (at least, in Florida) have policies against high-speed pursuits in densely-populated areas, unless the stop is in connection with a crime of violence. The general idea is to get a tag number and use that to find the offender. Of course, there are and will be liberties taken with getting said tag number.
In the second video involving Deland PD, I’d be almost willing to bet that’s what Harris was doing, hauling ass up behind the SUV to get a good read of the tag and only then break off pursuit as per policy. I’d also be willing to bet that’s why he was fired – not for being instrumental in the death of the person he was chasing.
Of course, most of Volusia County (in which Deland can be found) has a reputation for overzealous, predatory police agencies. Port Orange, for example, got so bad that someone started giving out bumper stickers that said, “Welcome to Port Orange. You’re under arrest”.
Is this another case of an immature 25 year old raised on “Call of Duty” training videos? I sure would like to hear the Grand Jury’s reasoning for no criminal prosecution. If they couldn’t find criminal intent they sure could find criminal negligence.
In the moments before his death, Marlon Brown was sprinting through a vegetable garden in a residential area while DeLand, FL police with sirens blaring were not far behind.
As Brown neared a fence that enclosed a backyard, he was cornered. Two police officers stopped. But as shown in a video released by Brown’s family on Wednesday, rookie Officer James Harris, third in line in the chase, kept going.
In the graphic video, Brown, 38, tripped then threw his hands in the air and turned to face police a moment before he was struck by the cruiser on May 8.
That video was enough to convince DeLand Police Chief William Ridgway that Harris should be fired immediately.
“On May 31st I was shown the video of the incident,” Ridgway said in an email statement. “I terminated the probationary employment status of Officer Harris on that same day.”
Last week, a grand jury found that Harris should not face criminal charges.
Brown’s ex-wife, Krystal Brown spoke at a news conference Wednesday along with her attorney, Benjamin Crump, who also represented the family of Trayvon Martin.
The city of DeLand reached a $550,000 settlement with the Browns but did not admit to any wrongdoing in the deadly chase that began with a traffic stop for a suspected seat belt violation.
The Brown family wants an independent investigation and review of the evidence, hoping that despite the grand jury denial, vehicular manslaughter charges will be filed against Harris.
“This video is important,” Krystal Brown said. “It’s the truth.”
– – – –
May Article On Death of Marlon Brown
“I can’t sleep and can’t eat and I have this vision in my head,” Laheia Olvera, 23, said in a telephone interview. “From his neck to his waist, he was completely smashed. His head was swelled up.”
Marlon Brown, 38, was killed early Wednesday when DeLand Police Officer James Harris, 25, ran him down in his patrol car, according to reports filed by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol, which is leading the investigation.
DeLand Police Chief Bill Ridgway released a statement Thursday that reiterated most of the facts that came to light the day of the crash. The statement also expressed sympathies about Brown’s death.
“On behalf of the DeLand Police Department and the City of DeLand, our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the family and all persons involved in this incident. No matter what the exact circumstances were, it is always a tragedy when a human life is lost.”
Brown’s father, Atlanta police Officer William Brown, arrived in DeLand on Thursday. He said he needed to familiarize himself with the case before commenting.
The patrol car brought down a chain link fence, pinning Brown underneath. Laheia
Olvera said she was in the car with Brown when the deputy initially tried to stop him at Parsons Avenue and Green Street.
Olvera said she and three other friends were walking on Green Street when Brown, a father of two whom she knew because her uncle and Brown’s father are friends, stopped to ask her what she was doing out in the dangerous neighborhood that late at night.
“I told him I was just hanging out,” the Lake Helen woman said. “I told him I had not slept in two days and he said he was taking me to his house so I could shower up and rest.”
Olvera said as she and her friends got into the car, the deputy drove past them. Soon after, the deputy turned around and put on his blue lights.
“We saw the police lights and Marlon said he didn’t like jail and he was not going back to prison,” Olvera said. “He didn’t stop.” Olvera said when they saw more police lights behind them, Brown made a turn onto Delaware Avenue.
“He did not bring the car completely to a stop and he jumped out. One of us had to stop the car,” Olvera said. “Marlon took off running and didn’t even look back,” Olvera said. “Then out of nowhere this police car going about 60 miles per hour drove by and ran him over.”
– – – – –
Another DeLand Police Murdering of a Traffic Law Violator
In September 2012, DeLand police tried to stop 17-year-old Trevon Lacy for not wearing a seat belt. Lacy then died while under pursuit when he crashed into a parked semi tractor on Adelle Avenue. Pursuing DeLand Officer Matthew McCormick, who initiated the stop on Lacy, has since been fired by Deland Police.
That case is still open and being investigated by the same FHP corporal investigating Marlon Brown’s case.
I – or you – or any Mere Mundane… decides that we cannot abide some “unsafe” action another person has taken. He isn’t threatening anyone else, but might conceivably harm himself. We decide to intervene, forcibly. We chase him down with a car – and inadvertently run him over, killing him.
The very least we’d be facing – rightly – would be felony manslaughter. Years in prison. Our 2A right forfeited forever.
But a guy in a special suit? He just gets fired. Has to find a new job. Probably, he’ll find one as a cop – someplace else.
And he’ll be able to carry a gun – and the state’s sanction to use it, too.
Typically, city and county agencies (at least, in Florida) have policies against high-speed pursuits in densely-populated areas, unless the stop is in connection with a crime of violence. The general idea is to get a tag number and use that to find the offender. Of course, there are and will be liberties taken with getting said tag number.
In the second video involving Deland PD, I’d be almost willing to bet that’s what Harris was doing, hauling ass up behind the SUV to get a good read of the tag and only then break off pursuit as per policy. I’d also be willing to bet that’s why he was fired – not for being instrumental in the death of the person he was chasing.
Of course, most of Volusia County (in which Deland can be found) has a reputation for overzealous, predatory police agencies. Port Orange, for example, got so bad that someone started giving out bumper stickers that said, “Welcome to Port Orange. You’re under arrest”.
Is this another case of an immature 25 year old raised on “Call of Duty” training videos? I sure would like to hear the Grand Jury’s reasoning for no criminal prosecution. If they couldn’t find criminal intent they sure could find criminal negligence.
In the moments before his death, Marlon Brown was sprinting through a vegetable garden in a residential area while DeLand, FL police with sirens blaring were not far behind.
As Brown neared a fence that enclosed a backyard, he was cornered. Two police officers stopped. But as shown in a video released by Brown’s family on Wednesday, rookie Officer James Harris, third in line in the chase, kept going.
In the graphic video, Brown, 38, tripped then threw his hands in the air and turned to face police a moment before he was struck by the cruiser on May 8.
That video was enough to convince DeLand Police Chief William Ridgway that Harris should be fired immediately.
“On May 31st I was shown the video of the incident,” Ridgway said in an email statement. “I terminated the probationary employment status of Officer Harris on that same day.”
Last week, a grand jury found that Harris should not face criminal charges.
Brown’s ex-wife, Krystal Brown spoke at a news conference Wednesday along with her attorney, Benjamin Crump, who also represented the family of Trayvon Martin.
The city of DeLand reached a $550,000 settlement with the Browns but did not admit to any wrongdoing in the deadly chase that began with a traffic stop for a suspected seat belt violation.
The Brown family wants an independent investigation and review of the evidence, hoping that despite the grand jury denial, vehicular manslaughter charges will be filed against Harris.
“This video is important,” Krystal Brown said. “It’s the truth.”
– – – –
May Article On Death of Marlon Brown
“I can’t sleep and can’t eat and I have this vision in my head,” Laheia Olvera, 23, said in a telephone interview. “From his neck to his waist, he was completely smashed. His head was swelled up.”
Marlon Brown, 38, was killed early Wednesday when DeLand Police Officer James Harris, 25, ran him down in his patrol car, according to reports filed by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol, which is leading the investigation.
DeLand Police Chief Bill Ridgway released a statement Thursday that reiterated most of the facts that came to light the day of the crash. The statement also expressed sympathies about Brown’s death.
“On behalf of the DeLand Police Department and the City of DeLand, our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the family and all persons involved in this incident. No matter what the exact circumstances were, it is always a tragedy when a human life is lost.”
Brown’s father, Atlanta police Officer William Brown, arrived in DeLand on Thursday. He said he needed to familiarize himself with the case before commenting.
The patrol car brought down a chain link fence, pinning Brown underneath. Laheia
Olvera said she was in the car with Brown when the deputy initially tried to stop him at Parsons Avenue and Green Street.
Olvera said she and three other friends were walking on Green Street when Brown, a father of two whom she knew because her uncle and Brown’s father are friends, stopped to ask her what she was doing out in the dangerous neighborhood that late at night.
“I told him I was just hanging out,” the Lake Helen woman said. “I told him I had not slept in two days and he said he was taking me to his house so I could shower up and rest.”
Olvera said as she and her friends got into the car, the deputy drove past them. Soon after, the deputy turned around and put on his blue lights.
“We saw the police lights and Marlon said he didn’t like jail and he was not going back to prison,” Olvera said. “He didn’t stop.” Olvera said when they saw more police lights behind them, Brown made a turn onto Delaware Avenue.
“He did not bring the car completely to a stop and he jumped out. One of us had to stop the car,” Olvera said. “Marlon took off running and didn’t even look back,” Olvera said. “Then out of nowhere this police car going about 60 miles per hour drove by and ran him over.”
– – – – –
Another DeLand Police Murdering of a Traffic Law Violator
In September 2012, DeLand police tried to stop 17-year-old Trevon Lacy for not wearing a seat belt. Lacy then died while under pursuit when he crashed into a parked semi tractor on Adelle Avenue. Pursuing DeLand Officer Matthew McCormick, who initiated the stop on Lacy, has since been fired by Deland Police.
That case is still open and being investigated by the same FHP corporal investigating Marlon Brown’s case.
Here’s the Dash Cam video of Trevon Lacey’s last few seconds of life as he’s pursued by DeLand Police for a traffic violation
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/report-video-released-in-fatal-crash/-/1637132/21504000/-/i2bvt9/-/index.html
Just try to imagine it:
I – or you – or any Mere Mundane… decides that we cannot abide some “unsafe” action another person has taken. He isn’t threatening anyone else, but might conceivably harm himself. We decide to intervene, forcibly. We chase him down with a car – and inadvertently run him over, killing him.
The very least we’d be facing – rightly – would be felony manslaughter. Years in prison. Our 2A right forfeited forever.
But a guy in a special suit? He just gets fired. Has to find a new job. Probably, he’ll find one as a cop – someplace else.
And he’ll be able to carry a gun – and the state’s sanction to use it, too.
If he’s convicted of vehicular manslaughter, he won’t find another cop job so easily, but it’s still possible he would eventually, I suppose.