Who Failed?
[Guest post by Jack Dunphy]
The Los Angeles Times reports on a woman who was murdered by her estranged boyfriend as two LAPD officers sat in their car outside her apartment. Once alerted to the attack, the officers went to the apartment but a metal security door prevented them from entering. One officer shot through a window and struck the suspect. The woman and the suspect were taken to a hospital where they both died. The reader comments to the story are dominated by, what else, people blaming the police for the woman’s death, most often in a semi-literate fashion.
It remains to be seen what failures, if any, were committed by the LAPD in this case, but there is one government agency that unquestionably failed this poor woman, and thus far I’ve seen no reporting on it. The estranged boyfriend had been deported less than a year ago after convictions for various felonies, but he nonetheless thought nothing of returning to Los Angeles and resuming his criminal habits.
The officers of the Border Patrol strive bravely to do their job even as the country lacks the political will to see that job done effectively. Save some outrage for those who, for political reasons, allowed this evil man unfettered passage into the country.
–Jack Dunphy
Too bad she didn’t have a gun and know how to use it. I see those Brinks Home Security commercials every half hour on TV (At least when I’m watching which isn’t much) and think those women could buy a gun and take some lessons in using it for the cost of 6 months of Brinks. Also, the guys always run away when the alarm sounds.
MIke K (2cf494) — 11/13/2009 @ 10:34 amI wonder if Broadview (Brinks) would have a case if someone ran a commercial in which a woman’s home is broken into and she is murdered while talking to the security company and the murderer gets away long before the police arrive?
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/13/2009 @ 10:48 amThird-World:
AD - RtR/OS! (e029b6) — 11/13/2009 @ 10:48 amMeet Los Angeles, your new Capitol City!
To me anyone afraid of an ex should be armed while at home.
richardb (0283e2) — 11/13/2009 @ 10:55 amThe fallacy of the great state of CA is laid bare here. Its almost impossible to get a cancelled carry permit in LA county and many other counties of CA. Yet its also obvious if you can’t protect yourself, no state employee can either.
This case is the perfect justification for anyone questioning why a father is teaching his daughter shooting and gun safety at an early age, like 10+ years old.
Concealed carry permit is what I should have typed above!
richardb (0283e2) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:02 am#2, what sort of case do you think they might have? I can’t see one.
Milhouse (ea66e3) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:07 amThe headline on the news yesterday was “Police Kill Man.” Later on mention was made of the attack on the wife. No mention of immigrant status (too racist).
A friend of mine, a former cop, says he would never be one again given the “guilty until proven innocent” slant of all media.
Patricia (b05e7f) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:08 amthis looks kinda like one of them where there’s a will there’s a way things
happyfeet (71f55e) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:10 amWho failed?
The Emperor (82e13a) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:20 amThe estranged boyfriend had been deported less than a year ago after convictions for various felonies, but he nonetheless thought nothing of returning to Los Angeles and resuming his criminal habits.
He shouldn’t have been allowed to return.
He shouldn’t have been allowed to return.
Thank You, Border Patrol!
“…he nonetheless thought nothing of returning to Los Angeles and resuming his criminal habits.”
Thank You, Special-Order 40!
AD - RtR/OS! (e029b6) — 11/13/2009 @ 11:38 amEmp, denounce yourself for violating the sanctuary city policy of mayor villaraigosa, or whatever the f**k his name is.
I have written this here before but…
A few years ago, Michael Jackson, who was a left wing talk show host on KABC, did a show on people who carry concealed guns in LA without permits. The whole show was set up as a scolding session with Parks, the Chief as a guest. It was hilarious because all the callers were women and they all said “I will not be a victim!”
Jackson was beside himself. He kept warning them of the consequences and then Parks got into it. He never figured out that they didn’t care. Shoot the rapist and see how hard the city tries to prosecute them.
Around that time, Limbaugh’s show appeared and blew Jackson right out of town.
MIke K (2cf494) — 11/13/2009 @ 12:02 pmI stand denounced, Doc. But it had to be said. 🙂
The Emperor (82e13a) — 11/13/2009 @ 12:19 pmMilhouse, Some sort of defamation suit. A grand Jury may indict a ham sandwich, but ambulance chasers will sue over anything.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/13/2009 @ 12:40 pmComment by MIke K — 11/13/2009 @ 12:02 pm
It was about that time that a think-tank did a study on how many weapons were “on the street” and what to do about them.
AD - RtR/OS! (e029b6) — 11/13/2009 @ 12:48 pmTheir conclusion was that if CCW was legal and wide-spread, the number of weapons “on the street” would not appreciably increase, since most of those there now were being carried for self-defense, and not for trouble-making.
Why does the media have this slant?
What we really need to do is to relocate all people convicted of domestic violence to an internment camp in California’s Owens Valley.
Michael Ejercito (6a1582) — 11/13/2009 @ 3:53 pmRemember that promised border fence?
Now that would be very useful way to provide economic stimulus. Too bad the govt is the hands of enemies of the American people.
That’s democracy(?), I suppose.
icr (304f90) — 11/13/2009 @ 5:49 pmDanger is a concept that is lost on most, but not on working cops of the LAPD. Acknowledging varying degrees of danger is essential to survival. Danger exists -all with likely ends- and there are police calls that rate elevated responses that are dependent on the circumstances. When a victim reports that her ex-boyfriend is going to kill her, that is something that requires attention and action, both by government and the intended victim. In the area I am assigned to in the LAPD these types of threats occur routinely, daily.
Usually the reasonable action and attention required depends on one’s station in life along with that ability to clearly articulate their side of the story. Rich people can arrange for security, move elsewhere, stay at hotels under aliases, etc. Generally people residing at Cochran/Pico are unable to take the precautions above and may feel forced to stay in shelters or impose on friends and family. Staying with family/friends is not as effective as the would-be stalker likely would know where to find his target/victim.
The police are the most visible form of government and are called upon routinely to clean up the respective messes of many government organizations. In this case the failures Mr. Dunphy pointed out came to a head when the once deported felon scaled down the roof and through the victim’s bathroom window, intent on malice and destruction. What are the police to do if the victim does not want to go to a shelter and demands to stay at home where the would-be killer can easily find her? The answer is that the absence of a victim taking reasonable action (responding to danger and relocating immediately as advised) and going against professional advice weighs into the equation, despite the negative publicity. The danger articulated to the police appeared accurate and the victim still insisted on going home.
In the MSM, there are assertions abound and enough blame to go around. I realize it is hugely unpopular and unsavory to suggest that this mother of a three year-old and now homicide victim could have done more to save herself from such a dedicated and homicidal lunatic. However, that is exactly what I suggest. If you find you are in danger and you have choices available to you then one of those should not be to have officers walk around your apartment and leave you there alone. To relocate under police protection was offered-sadly not taken. If you do not properly respond to the threat, then the threat may not have been as serious as you presented to the police hours earlier. If it is a credible threat, then act like it’s real and genuine and take precautions to avoid heartache, misery, and in this case – death. Horrible and tough I know, but I believe there was a way around all this if the victim just believed enough of what she was reporting to the police and acted-rationally. Reporting the crime to the police and getting a pink piece of paper – Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and a copy of the police report will not save you. It never has.
Staying in a shelter as was suggested is a positive step and it is absolutely hindsight and second-guessing. But, to rely on the government to save you in your darkest and most desperate hour of need may be too great a task to ask of any country, even this one.
I.M. Copper (365f1f) — 11/14/2009 @ 12:33 amC’mon, Mr. Dunphy, do you really think it’s fair to say, “Save some outrage for those who, for political reasons, allowed this evil man unfettered passage into the country”? I seriously doubt that anyone “allowed” the culprit to return. No doubt he snuck back in, either across the land border or through a port of entry with fake documents. Illegal aliens have made their way to the U.S. without regard to what party is in power. We can’t stop them all.
CPR (01dbfe) — 11/14/2009 @ 3:19 amWhats her background? Thugs hang with thugs..and when u chose to live the risky lifestyle bad things happen. Its sucks for her and he is a jack but I would bet she is no princess.
Cyber (324b83) — 11/14/2009 @ 4:47 am