The Smallest Minority

The "embellishment" is a gem, Kevin, meaning an enlightening thing of rare value. It illustrates why one should never, ever take anything anyone else says at face value, most especially if it is said by a goddamned lawyer, rather one should, in the magnificent words of Heinlein, get the facts.

Those deputies have no concept of honor. To go after a widow who lost so much more than they did is just beyond the pale, they deserve any and all public ridicule.

I'm going to sue those two cops for making me snort beer all over my keyboard.

...and here's why we hate lawyers: they have nothing to lose, so they run around turning over every frigging rock they can find. Argh.

Thanks for commenting, Kevin. Karen Mies is my wife's aunt and an incredibly gracious woman with a reserve of strength that would put most men to shame.

The first few days were a nightmare when the only details we heard was what was parroted in the press from police interviews. It didn't take long for us to realize that they were trying to paint a picture that didn't match the facts and the big question was WHY? They didn't need to blow it out of proportion. But there is even more to this story that we've discovered and that hasn't even appeared in this most recent newspaper article (which, granted, is very sympathetic to Karen's plight).

I work with a retired deputy sheriff from El Dorado county who told me that the officers who were shot were "good men." I believed him then but I'm having my doubts. Maybe they are good men, but they're certainly misguided and lack the level of compassion that makes a good police officer.

Thanks again.

Reminds me of that officer in Florida who was going to sue a family because as she was assisting in the resuscitation of their ~6 year old boy who had drowned in the pool (and who ended up dieing), she slipped on a slick surface and broke her knee. I think she wanted something like $4 million.

General and wide-spread ridicule eventually forced her to withdraw the suit. Hopefully, that will work in this case.

Maybe Mrs. Mies should sue the officers for intentional infliction of emotional distress. I am sure that a jury of decent people would side with her.

"General and wide-spread ridicule eventually forced her to withdraw the suit."

I'd say that this is appropriate in this case. Ditto for the lawyers who filed the cases - this crap should cost them business by ruining their reputations (and I'm a lawyer).

Well, if we can't sue officers for shooting our animals and destroying our houses and killing our families, then they sure as hell can't sue anybody for trying to kill them.

I am sorry that your family had to deal with such a nightmare Jason.

These cops are a disgrace as far as I am concerned. The poor women has lost everything. Leave her alone.

"In addition to their physical injuries, the suit alleges the deputies suffered anxiety and humiliation."

Methinks they're about to suffer a whole lot more of the latter. Hey, maybe they could sue the journalist who wrote this story too.

"Yaws and Murphy are represented by Sacramento lawyer Phillip Mastagni, whose family law firm works for police unions across Northern California."

See? "Sacramento lawyer" + "police union" = suing old widow ladies.

Granted, I probably won't look my best in a hospital gown not long after being shot (see pictures at bottom of linked article), but these two don't look like real winners to me.

I think they're furious that the person (crazy or not) who had the unmitigated gall to shoot at sworn officer is beyond their retribution and they're not above taking that fury out on an old lady. That, and the lawyer probably convinced them that he can get them early retirement in the form of seizure of the land and house to satisfy a judgment. (This lady'd better get her a lawyer and set up a legal defense fund I can contribute to.) I mean, a couple of badge-totin' goons shouldn't have any problem with using the law to take someone's private property, right?

My support for law-enforcement is rapidly approaching catastrophic, singularity-forming collapse.

"The suit, which claims the deputies were the victims of a well-planned ambush, ..." (emphasis added)

I don't think that means what they think it means -- as evidenced by the fact that they are still able to think (even if it is low quality thinking).

Update: The officers suing have now upped their requested damages to $38 million dollars. Because $8 million dollars just wasn't enough apparently.

However, the El Dorado County Sheriff, who previously had said that it was a "private matter" has written a letter condemning the officer's actions and calling the lawsuit an embarrassment to the department.

These items were reported in the Mountain Democrat newspaper, which covers the county. Unfortunately, full text of articles on their Web site are not available to non-subscribers.

Thanks to everyone who commented.

so on one hand they claim that the 34 year old ADULT was skitzo and needed to be controlled. on the other hand they claim that he was able to set up a "well planned ambush"

ok which is it?

now I know why i became a firefighter....these guys got the butt shot off of them and now they cry foul..why? cause they have hurt feelings....ok got that...now what about the little ol lady...how about her feelings...? oh forgot...constable dumb and dumber is mighty more impotent than the little old lady who was a VICTUM as well as the CON STAPATED OFFICERS of the law who in their stress relief have sought to bully a lesser citizen. OK got that...now where is my shovel...ooops the fuz dun took it away...'parently I wuz planning to build a bunker not shovel the crap from these two outta my driveway as they sleep behind the wheel of their cruisers at 2; a.m. duhhhh
s. pennington firefighterveteran...and dam glad I am not a cop down that way....especially...

The pigs finally met someone who is crazier and had a lot more guts than they do. They must be humiliated - someone their state powers labelled a nutcase took down 4 of them.
I wonder how many more they had shooting at one lone nut, or arriving on scene to take down their victim ?
A friend pointed out to me when one of them dies, 400 arrive in force from a large surrounding area and proceed on a relentless manhunt - it's real indicative of what is really going on in society - one certainly wonders where they come up with the massive amount of nothing to do but go on a hunting spree officers.
I love their youtube taset vids, too - best friends, EMY's at the ready, blood pressure taken, cushy mats in place, handycams going, then their two best buds gently hold them as they cushion them down to the mat, ask if they are ok, and they all laugh and swear some crude jokes - next they scream online and in public a taser is not dangerous because they test them on eachother - never realizing their taser victims fall flat on their face, head, or back on concrete then get 400 pounds of riod donut knees jammed in their back while getting screamed at and beaten with a club.
I guess the reality of getting shot for real was a tremendous shocker...
This whole system is utterly GONE - this is not the USA at all anymore - it's an insane clown show of crimes and misdeeds.