Damed if You Do, Dead If You Don't

Retired Police Officer Gerard Chartier could not be more right in this letter to the editor. Carefully consider what you are risking by going into the law enforcement profession. Wives and husbands, you got a say in this too. You and your spouse need to do a sit down on this one.

Just ask former Officer Scott Smith out of Milford. Dirtbag Prosecutor John Connelly and the media railroaded him when all that happened is some punk he was arresting went for a knife. Smith shot in self defence.

It turned out latter that this same punk while being arrested on a different charge made the same crazy maneuver while being arrested -- going for a small knife. The police were surprised but managed to subdue him on that occasion. Most people when presented with this evidence would inescapably conclude that Smith was telling the truth but not John Connelly. Many claimed Connelly wanted to make a name for himself at Smith's expense.

Count me among them.

Connelly and the media made it out to be a racial incident when it was no such thing. Asked why people thought Officer Smith was a racist, they pointed to his military style haircut.

Don't laugh. The jury bought it. They convicted him of manslaughter, which I suppose was their sorry version of compromise justice. Connelly had charged him with First-degree premeditated murder, which made no sense based on the circumstances of the case.

One thing I would add is think-twice if you are white. Even if you are a women. Officer Stephanie Moin got TEN YEARS in jail for letting her dog bite a robber suspect on the ass when she suspected he was about to flee. There is no guarantee if you are Black either.

The media will be out to get you and you can't fight that. The jury will read the racially charged newspaper reports, and then lie and say they didn't.

Smith was lucky. His case was thrown out of court on appeal, not really because of the technicality they claimed, but because of the obvious injustice of it. But a stupid, spineless, heartless jury did convict him just to be politically correct. Remember that.

Lawyers are very dangerous people. And remember, prosecutors are lawyers as are judges. Both were out to get Smith from the get-go. I followed the case from start to finish. The jury latter regretted their verdict but it was to late the judge gloated.

After the state Supreme Court threw out the case, Smith was recharged and Officer Smith plead to a minor charge that was a face-saver for Connelly. I don't blame Scott for taking the deal. He was scared. But predatory lawyers like Connelly are still out there waiting for another case so he can say he was the first to put a cop in jail for something he did in his official capacity.

This letter writer could not be more right. You have to think hard on this one guys and girls.

If you find yourself in such a situation and you hesitate thinking about all this, the punk will get his knife in your throat.

Damned if you do .... dead if you don't ...