Can you imagine if cops left a drunk, cocaine-snorting, knife-wielding convicted criminal with a history of violence against his own family inside a locked house with young kids and something happened to the children?
The public outcry would be deafening, the officers would be tarred, feathered and fired and we would be collectively asking ourselves what kind of police force we have in this city.
But that’s what lawyer Ian Garber suggested yesterday at the inquest into the 2005 death of Howard Fleury, who threatened cops with a knife and was shot several times by two police officers.
‘No imminent danger’
Garber, counsel for Fleury’s mother at the inquest, suggested cops should have just walked away and left Fleury in the house alone with young children so he could “calm down.” Yeah, right.
“There was no reason to force the issue,” Garber told the court during the last day of the inquest. “There was no imminent danger with Mr. Fleury at the top of the stairs.”
No imminent danger? The guy was strung out on booze and cocaine and swinging a knife around while telling cops he wanted them to shoot him.
He had convictions up the ying-yang that included violence against his own kids and family members and was facing more assault charges for which he had just breached a no-contact order.
And cops should have just walked away and said “Naw, let’s just leave him in there with the kids.” I hesitate to even dignify that argument with a response.
But let’s just say it’s mindless, preposterous and somewhat deranged anyone could even suggest that.
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Parenting 101 should be mandatory! As a mother this woman is disgraceful – she thinks its ok to further abuse and terrify children because her son was out of control! Instead of badmouthing the police, perhaps a little perspective would be in order. If the police can’t use deadly force (ie guns/tasers) what does she recommend – supersoakers? Poor thing he needed to cool down.