Blue Flu From Bad Politics Infects Atlanta

Blue Flu From Bad Politics Infects Atlanta

Blue Flu From Bad Politics Infects Atlanta

Blue Flu has come to Atlanta, and a politically motivated District Attorney is to blame. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced that recently fired Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe will face felony murder charges in connection with the shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Atlanta Police respond by calling out from duty– showing their opposition to the politically motivated charges, and the DA’s rampant overzealous persecution of APD officers for personal gain.

A DA looking for votes

Fulton County DA Howard is facing a tough November election. One that has the 6 term DA facing a primary run-off amidst a time of professional upheaval. The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes,

[Howard] currently faces three civil lawsuits from female employees past and present alleging harassment. Also, the GBI is investigating Howard for use of a nonprofit to supplement his salary.”

The recent police involved shooting presents the DA with a political gift. Unfortunately, it’s the head of officer Garrett being served to a population hungry for validation of their hatred for the police. The DA is seizing the opportunity to bolster his reelection chances, and beat challenger Fani Willis. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports he is verbally attacking Willis,

as a pawn of Republican kingmakers and accusing her of promising not to prosecute cops in exchange for the Atlanta Police Union’s endorsement. He supplied no proof in support of those accusations.

additionally it reports he said,

The Atlanta Police Union has endorsed and is funding my opponent along with Republican Mary Norwood. Even though violent crime is down by 70% in Atlanta, Mary Norwood and the Police Union are not satisfied because I have followed my oath as an independent District Attorney who prosecutes police officers when citizens are killed without justification.”

A DA fighting for his job, presented with another polarizing case at a time of hyper-focus on police officers. Fortunately we have body camera footage, because if this DA was anymore obvious in his attempts to railroad a conviction, he’d be wearing a train conductor’s hat while holding a pocket-watch.

History of police persecution by the DA

After the DA announced charges against former officer Rolfe, he doubled down by stating that the other officer on the scene, Brosnan, has since decided to testify on behalf of the state. But, along with some preposterous charges, the DA seems to be talking out his ass  making assumptions. Officer Brosnan’s attorney responded to this statement,

He will continue to tell the DA or the GBI [Georgia Bureau of Investigation], or any other investigator what happened. But he is absolutely not guilty of any crime and will not plead guilty and has not agreed to be a ‘state’s witness,'”

Following the DA’s announcement the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced via twitter,

If the DA needs a translation for common English; the GBI said he’s a moron who levels charges against officers based on perception, before an investigation has concluded. And they will do their job despite him.

But least we forget that this is the same DA who announced charges against 6 Atlanta officers following an altercation with college students out past curfew. Labeling a taser as a deadly weapon, one officer is charged with aggravated assault. DA Howard was later recored saying,

A taser is a deadly weapon in Georgia? Well then, I suppose officer Rolfe was rightly in fear of his life after Mr. Brooks wrestled the taser away and ran off. What does the DA have to say about this? Transcripts from a CBS interview show us exactly how DA Howard can adjust the law to fit his needs.

“Should the officers have felt threatened by that Taser?” asked CBS News.

“It’s not a lethal weapon, it’s a non-lethal weapon,” Howard responded.

This guy is a piece of work! Over 40 prosecutions of Atlanta Police officers… APD officers need to worry more about the internal frags from the DA than other criminals outside the DA’s office.

Blue Flu, and no surprise it’s being downplayed by PD brass

District Attorney Howard has made the police his target. He thinks that the winds of change are blowing against the police, and he wants to use it as a force to propel him to another term. He has repeatedly come after Atlanta PD, often before any meaningful investigation has been completed. He’s showing a bias against the blue. Finally, they’ve had enough. The last two months have been especially difficult for Law Enforcement, and worse for those in Atlanta who are subjected to a feudal lord looking to maintain his standing as DA.

The announcement of charges against officer Rolfe was the last straw.

Decauterish.com writes, “Vince Champion, southeast regional director of the International Brotherhood of Police officers, said that police officers had stopped answering calls midshift, in response to charges against Officer Garrett Rolfe who is accused of murdering Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta.” They quote him saying,

The union, we would never advocate this. We wouldn’t advocate a blue flu,” Champion said. “We don’t know the numbers. Apparently we’re learning that command staff are asking outlying counties for support and aren’t getting it.”

After rumors of #blueflu started circulating on twitter, the Atlanta PD responded with,

The areas most impacted? Zones 3 and 6, these include south Atlanta, and the Wendy’s where officer Rolfe shot Mr. Brooks. Atlanta IN Town reports,

“A drive around Zone 6 indicated there was not the usual APD presence. A Georgia State Patrol unit was handling a two-car accident at Boulevard and Edgewood Avenue around 9 p.m. The APD’s precinct at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center appeared empty. Down in Grant Park, the Zone 3 precinct was populated by Fulton County Sheriff units.”

The real test will be after Thursday. Those intent on causing trouble know that the PD has a low census of officers. They will commit crimes and mayhem. Officers who didn’t call out today might reconsider after reading the accusatory words of Atlanta’s Mayor Bottoms told CNN,

If we have officers that don’t want bad officers weeded out the force then that’s another conversation we need to have,”

Good officers despise the few bad ones who taint the uniform. But those good officers know when they are being used as fodder for vote pandering. They understand “Due Process” and rights of the accused. Politicians who ignore those rights while working to expedite termination and criminal charges are the real dregs to justice. Especially when they do so to benefit their position amongst voters.

If the citizens of Atlanta want to devolve into CHAZlanta, and be subjected to unchecked pan-citizen safety patrols… this is how it begins.

If they really want to clean up their city, they can start by voting against a dirty District Attorney who is building his career by destroying those of Atlanta PD officers.

Thank You Sarah Hoyt, and Welcome to our Instapundit readers!

Featured Image: Flickr Photographer: Paul Sableman License: CC BY 2.0 Image Cropped and Squared: 400×400

 

 

 

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"CC" to her friends. Recent escapee from Northern VA to the Great State of Texas. I'm a Pro-LIfe, Pro-Gun, Libertarian type... There is very little that fresh lime juice and good tequila can't fix.

9 Comments
  • Bill S says:

    The DA is correct. In the hands of a trained police officer trying uphold the law, a Taser is a deadly weapon. In the hands of a crazed and desperate black man trying to avoid arrest, a Taser is merely a children’s play toy. The DA is genius for making these important and subtile observations.

    • The DA isn’t the person to make those regulations. The legislature is the deciding body.
      And furthermore, how do they know the qualifications of the person who just wrestled the taser from two officers? It’s really paternalistic and demeaning of you to presume that a black man (“who is crazed and desperate“, again you presume he lacks capacity to function under such circumstances, despite having successfully evaded two officers) incapable of properly using a taser. You are presuming that a taser in the hands of a black man is rendered to being a “children’s play toy.” Wow. That’s very bigoted.

      Incidentally, the other officer had fired his taser and missed. So your argument lacks legs to stand upon with regard to accuracy.

      The DA is looking for a W in the next election. Thankfully his opponent is leading him in contributions at a 2:1 ratio. DA Howard has a list of Civil Rights complaints against him from women in his office. The timing of his heightened police persecutions is coincidental to his election goals.
      Hopefully his opponent continues her march to his office and unseats him. Between the GBI investigation, and complete disregard for due process of the accused…. He’s worse than a corrupt LEO.

  • GWB says:

    The Atlanta Police Union has endorsed and is funding my opponent
    I wonder who’s the chicken and who’s the egg?

    because if this DA was anymore obvious in his attempts to railroad a conviction, he’d be wearing a train conductor’s hat while holding a pocket-watch
    *chuckle* I like that.

    the DA seems to be talking out his ass making assumptions
    No, no. You were right the first time.

    The announcement of charges against officer Rolfe was the last straw.
    Specifically, I’m betting it was the felony murder charges. That’s saying he was committing a crime AND killed someone in the commission of that crime. (And, generally, “assault with a deadly weapon” doesn’t count – that would cause 2d degree murder charges to be brought.)

    The union, we would never advocate this.
    Of course not. That would be illegal. Police don’t get to strike.
    However, we have no control over whether or not our members are all convinced they came down with Wuhan Flu and need 2 weeks off to quarantine.

    If we have officers that don’t want bad officers weeded out the force [sic]
    Well, this is a problem of some magnitude (how much depends on where and the specific police union). But it assumes that what you’re doing is actually weeding out a bad cop or two, and not railroading a guy caught in an “awful but lawful” shooting.
    And, in the process, you’re not helping. Instead, you’re fanning the flames of those who would sow chaos. (Mixed metaphor – arrest me. Oh, wait….) If you were truly interested in helping cops catch bad guys, and also limiting their ability/likelihood to shoot only-slightly-bad guys, there are loads of options you could try, and lots of ways to engage in a truly meaningful discussion. But, that’s not what you’re doing.

    they can start by voting
    Ah, and there’s the crux of the problem with a democracy/republic. Your citizens have to care about the ideals upon which the republic is based, they have to understand and respect their duties, and they have to believe their participation is necessary to continue the democracy/republic. If they’re immoral, uneducated, lazy, or uncaring, then your republic is doomed, and it will revert to some other form of gov’t, even if it retains the illusion of voting.
    230 years is a pretty good run, though.

    • Mornn’ GWB. I did some research into what constitutes “Felony Murder” and the SOP/ROE for the Chazlanta PD. I didn’t include links because it was background structure. I think you will find this interesting.

      4.2 Use of Deadly Force
      (CALEA 6th ed. Standard 4.2.1)
      An employee may use deadly force to apprehend a suspected felon only when:

      1. He or she reasonably believes that the suspect possesses a deadly weapon or any object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury and when he or she reasonably believes that the suspect poses an immediate threat of serious bodily injury to the officer or others;

      **They knew the suspect possessed what was deemed a week earlier “a deadly weapon” and technically meets the definition (regardless of whom is using it ~ see my response above). Additionally, had he been allowed to flee and sober up he would still be in possession of said item.**

      2. When there is probable cause to believe that the suspect has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm (O.C.G.A. Section 17-4-20) and the employee reasonably believes that the suspect’s escape would create a continuing danger of serious physical harm to any person.

      **The individual had a police record. This would have come back pretty fast when they ran his license. The supposition of a capacity for future violence predicated on past behavior isn’t far fetched. He had already “inflicted” physical harm in his successful wrestling of both officers, so again not an unreasonable supposition on their part. A man with a history of aggression, acting aggressively while intoxicated constitutes a continuing danger to the community. Did he have access to another car, thereby becoming a dangerous drunk driver? The prevailing presumption is that he’d go home to sleep it off. But would he? Or would he go out and continue to make bad decisions? (obviously his night was a series of bad decisions, resulting in his unfortunate demise). People in the field can only work with the information they are given in historical context and actions in real time.

      The officer was following the APD’s own guidelines. He didn’t make up his own rules (unlike the DA). He exercised sound judgement based on the information at hand, and the ongoing situation.

      It is unfortunate that someone died. But to file charges against an officer who was in fact following department SOP/ROE is egregious. Especially without a completed investigation and due process.

      https://www.atlantapd.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=3273

      • Scott says:

        Seems like these ex-officers could be in for a big payday if they find an honest judge when they file their lawsuits…

      • GWB says:

        The only thing I’ll give any pushbackaround to is the idea “he would still be in possession of said item”. While I agree he would still have had the weapon, I think a call to send units round locally and to his residence, keeping an eye out for him, would have yielded a better result. Of course, I don’t have someone aiming a gun at me in the dark after having punched me.

        On a different note, I have to wonder: Why didn’t they run his plate and driver’s license right away? The cop usually doesn’t even give me time to say “Hello” before he’s wanting my driver’s license and registration, which he proceeds to run. They were talking with this guy for something like 45 minutes! Why didn’t they ask to see his license and just run a check? Heck, why didn’t the responding officer call in his license plate while he walked up to check on the guy? (Though, I know from first-hand experience they can get your identity WAY wrong when they run your plate/license.)

        Would that have made any difference in how they handled this guy? Would it have preempted the eventual outcome?

  • Mike says:

    It worked for Mike Nifong.

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