Attorney alleges ‘invalid’ warrant led to Laurens deputies killing East Dublin man Read mo

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

This is insane. This is near where I grew up and I have several FB friends who know this guy. Someone stole his car, got caught and told the police the Meth was already in the car. The execute a no knock warrant on this guy, who is a govt employe, at 10:00 PM and then shoot him 19 times.

This has to be a mistake, because Marvin tells us this only happens to black people. These is about a bunch of idiot cops wanting to be seal team 6. However if he had been black, wee would be told it was all about race. where are Al and Jesse who claim to stand up for all on this. Where is the justice dept and the outrage ?

http://www.macon.com/2014/10/01/3338309_attorney-alleges-warrant-problems.html?rh=1

Family members of an East Dublin man shot and killed by Laurens County deputies are breaking their silence about what happened.

An attorney representing David Hooks’ widow said Wednesday the shooting did not go down as law enforcement authorities stated in initial news releases, and the “true facts of this tragedy are in stark contrast” to official accounts.

Authorities have said that Hooks came to the door of his home with a shotgun after deputies serving a drug search warrant knocked on the door and repeatedly announced, “sheriff’s department, search warrant.”

Hooks allegedly pointed the gun at the deputies, who ordered him to put it down. Instead he pointed the gun at deputies in a more aggressive manner, authorities said.

Vidalia attorney Mitch Shook, who is representing Hooks’ family, called the search warrant “invalid.” He said deputies did not have enough probable cause but rather took the word of an informant, who was arrested in connection with a burglary at Hooks’ property two days before the fatal raid.

“It’s a true tragedy,” Shook said. “It’s hard to imagine how this could happen to these people who have been married 25 years.”

According to the family attorney’s account, Hooks was asleep when armed deputies arrived at his house at 1184 Ga. 319 just before 11 p.m. Sept. 24. His wife, Teresa, was upstairs in her craft room when she heard a car drive fast up the driveway, and she looked out the window.

“She saw several men all in black and camo with hoods on,” Shook said. “She ran downstairs, woke David and said, ‘The burglars are back.’ ”

Hooks retrieved a gun and headed out of the bedroom as the officers broke down the back door, Shook said. He said Hooks was not wounded at the door but behind a wall in his house.

“They may have seen him with a weapon, but it appears at that point in time it was chaos,” Shook said. “They were shooting everywhere. There’s a lot more to it than law enforcement has reported.”

He believes deputies fired 16 to 18 shots from multiple guns and assault rifles. Shook also questioned the wisdom of serving the warrant so late at night.

The GBI is investigating the shooting, as is customary when officers are involved in wounding or killing a suspect.

The GBI has conducted an autopsy, but the report is not complete pending additional testing, said Sherry Lang, a GBI spokeswoman. She said she would not release any additional details until the investigation is complete.

Laurens County Sheriff Bill Harrell indicated last week his department would not be releasing any information beyond the initial news release. He also did not immediately return Wednesday’s inquiries concerning the attorney’s allegations.

Shook is calling on the sheriff to suspend all the deputies who took part in serving the warrant.

Shook alleges the man arrested in a burglary at the Hooks’ property Sept. 22 claimed he took methamphetamine, a digital scale and firearms from a car during the burglary.

Shook said the GBI did not find any contraband in the 44 hours they held Hooks’ property after the shooting.

Shook said Hooks was a devoted husband and father, not a drug user or distributor. He had passed multiple background checks to work on military bases and was financially stable.

“This is not a person who needs to be involved in criminal activity for financial gain. He did very well financially,” Shook said.

His office is continuing its investigation and will await the GBI’s results before determining whether to file civil action or a wrongful death suit.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/10/01/3338309_attorney-alleges-warrant-problems.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If what the attorney believes and alleges turns out to be true, then this is indeed outrageous. But from reading the article, it would appear that all the facts are not yet in. And if the victim indeed aimed his firearm at the officers, then that was a truly poor choice to make. Not many have had a good experience with that approach - fewer yet lived to tell about it.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

This is insane. This is near where I grew up and I have several FB friends who know this guy. Someone stole his car, got caught and told the police the Meth was already in the car. The execute a no knock warrant on this guy, who is a govt employe, at 10:00 PM and then shoot him 19 times.

This has to be a mistake, because Marvin tells us this only happens to black people. These is about a bunch of idiot cops wanting to be seal team 6. However if he had been black, wee would be told it was all about race. where are Al and Jesse who claim to stand up for all on this. Where is the justice dept and the outrage ?

http://www.macon.com/2014/10/01/3338309_attorney-alleges-warrant-problems.html?rh=1

Family members of an East Dublin man shot and killed by Laurens County deputies are breaking their silence about what happened.

An attorney representing David Hooks’ widow said Wednesday the shooting did not go down as law enforcement authorities stated in initial news releases, and the “true facts of this tragedy are in stark contrast” to official accounts.

Authorities have said that Hooks came to the door of his home with a shotgun after deputies serving a drug search warrant knocked on the door and repeatedly announced, “sheriff’s department, search warrant.”

Hooks allegedly pointed the gun at the deputies, who ordered him to put it down. Instead he pointed the gun at deputies in a more aggressive manner, authorities said.

Vidalia attorney Mitch Shook, who is representing Hooks’ family, called the search warrant “invalid.” He said deputies did not have enough probable cause but rather took the word of an informant, who was arrested in connection with a burglary at Hooks’ property two days before the fatal raid.

“It’s a true tragedy,” Shook said. “It’s hard to imagine how this could happen to these people who have been married 25 years.”

According to the family attorney’s account, Hooks was asleep when armed deputies arrived at his house at 1184 Ga. 319 just before 11 p.m. Sept. 24. His wife, Teresa, was upstairs in her craft room when she heard a car drive fast up the driveway, and she looked out the window.

“She saw several men all in black and camo with hoods on,” Shook said. “She ran downstairs, woke David and said, ‘The burglars are back.’ ”

Hooks retrieved a gun and headed out of the bedroom as the officers broke down the back door, Shook said. He said Hooks was not wounded at the door but behind a wall in his house.

“They may have seen him with a weapon, but it appears at that point in time it was chaos,” Shook said. “They were shooting everywhere. There’s a lot more to it than law enforcement has reported.”

He believes deputies fired 16 to 18 shots from multiple guns and assault rifles. Shook also questioned the wisdom of serving the warrant so late at night.

The GBI is investigating the shooting, as is customary when officers are involved in wounding or killing a suspect.

The GBI has conducted an autopsy, but the report is not complete pending additional testing, said Sherry Lang, a GBI spokeswoman. She said she would not release any additional details until the investigation is complete.

Laurens County Sheriff Bill Harrell indicated last week his department would not be releasing any information beyond the initial news release. He also did not immediately return Wednesday’s inquiries concerning the attorney’s allegations.

Shook is calling on the sheriff to suspend all the deputies who took part in serving the warrant.

Shook alleges the man arrested in a burglary at the Hooks’ property Sept. 22 claimed he took methamphetamine, a digital scale and firearms from a car during the burglary.

Shook said the GBI did not find any contraband in the 44 hours they held Hooks’ property after the shooting.

Shook said Hooks was a devoted husband and father, not a drug user or distributor. He had passed multiple background checks to work on military bases and was financially stable.

“This is not a person who needs to be involved in criminal activity for financial gain. He did very well financially,” Shook said.

His office is continuing its investigation and will await the GBI’s results before determining whether to file civil action or a wrongful death suit.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2014/10/01/3338309_attorney-alleges-warrant-problems.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/un-committee-condemns-us-racial-disparity-police-brutality/

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

If what the attorney believes and alleges turns out to be true, then this is indeed outrageous. But from reading the article, it would appear that all the facts are not yet in. And if the victim indeed aimed his firearm at the officers, then that was a truly poor choice to make. Not many have had a good experience with that approach - fewer yet lived to tell about it.

That's weird. It's been said here the second you point your gun at someone, you forfeit your life. So this dude did it not once but twice? Wow. Black people have been shot for grabbing wallets, keys, cellphones, and even thin air. And this is what you want to compare it to?

[Karee 4,189]

But from reading the article, it would appear that all the facts are not yet in.

I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I read this. When has that ever stopped you before?

[belinda63 2,981]

Obtaining a search warrant based upon evidence seized which the holder of (the burglar) would wish to discredit his possession of and stating he was a "known" informant although he was used maybe once 5 years ago is a stretch at best. My guess is the local police saw an opportunity to seize a lot of property/money if they raided this guy and found any drug items. Remember the law that we can seize any property related to drug manufacturing/dealing. If he had been doing this his house/cars/money/bank accounts/ etc. would be forfeit.

So the police saw $$$$$ and went in and killed a man. And they were looking hard......44 hours searching.....and found nothing.