Crawford police chief indicted in shooting death of teen

Thank God there is justice in this world Residents of Crawford, Neb ., reacted with a combination of surprise and relief Tuesday to the criminal indictment of the town's police chief in the shooting death of a 16-year-old burglary suspect. via Omaha World-Herald

[sad person]

i have always thought that he went about it the wrong way. he went in there to fast and jesse was dead to fast. i know that he has an attitude thinking that he owned the whole town and could do what ever he wanted to who ever, but i still feel sorry for his family. he has kids and a wife. i hope that we all can learn from this.

[yon]

now he knows how it feels to wear someone else shoes

[topic]

yon wrote:

now he knows how it feels to wear someone else shoes

Ever notice how two people can look at the same thing and see it differently?

It really is too bad that Patty couldn't have controlled Jesse a little more and then none of us would have to be going through this including her family and Rick's.

I wonder if Jesse had been pointing the gun at you and Rick came upon the scene, what would you want Rick do?(or any other LE), walk away or do something?

We may choose two different answers because we would see it differently...Wouldn't want to be in either ones shoes.

[pope benedict]

yon wrote:

now he knows how it feels to wear someone else shoes

what are you trying to say he is in jesse's shoes because he commited one crime just like jesse commited twelve crimes?

[wondering]

It is a sad situation when someone is killed in a situation like this. If the town found the man guilty of criminal behavior, then he will suffer the consequences, just like any other criminal. Sometimes people like this began to think they are above the Law, because they are suppose to help enforce it, not to use it to get away with murder.

[George ewart]

I have seen to many times where a police officer took the law into their own hands with the same sorry results. The kill people. Because they can.

[Tever]

It doesn't matter how troubled the boy was, or what kind of upbringing he had. He was told to drop his gun, but instead raised it on the officer. The right person walked away, and unfortunately the teenager paid for his stupidity with his life. The police officer is the law and he has every right to shoot when he has a weapon pointed in his direction. This indictment of this police chief is the real travesty of justice here. Good job Chief!

[thelogicalferret]

Tever wrote:

It doesn't matter how troubled the boy was, or what kind of upbringing he had. He was told to drop his gun, but instead raised it on the officer. The right person walked away, and unfortunately the teenager paid for his stupidity with his life. The police officer is the law and he has every right to shoot when he has a weapon pointed in his direction. This indictment of this police chief is the real travesty of justice here. Good job Chief!

This is very interesting, same line of thinking on all these blogs, and still I wonder, does anyone realize that we will always only know one side of the story, two people from the same side walked out alive from the building, and could tell the rest of the world whatever THEY wanted them to think happened in there.

[Retired officer]

thelogicalferret wrote:

<quoted text>
This is very interesting, same line of thinking on all these blogs, and still I wonder, does anyone realize that we will always only know one side of the story, two people from the same side walked out alive from the building, and could tell the rest of the world whatever THEY wanted them to think happened in there.

You mean looking at all the evidence from the shooting scene AND the perps previous criminal behavior won't add to our body of knowledge independently from the Chief's testimony?

[thelogicalferret]

Retired officer wrote:

<quoted text>
You mean looking at all the evidence from the shooting scene AND the perps previous criminal behavior won't add to our body of knowledge independently from the Chief's testimony?

Yes looking at all the evidence could tell a great deal of the story, but how much of the evidence has actually been reported, how much has actually been released to the general public? I'll bet not hardly any considering there could be a trial. So no one on these blogs really knows what went on in that building right now except for what Thompson wants people to know.
Furthermore the "perp" was a troubled child whose criminal behavior consisted of minor vandalism. From what I understand he was only a suspect in the towns burgleries, and now that he is gone, the burgleries continue. Since he was only a suspect (which mind you at least half of Crawford's kids are)it is unfair to include these burgleries as part of his "criminal" past. Everyone wants to offer Thompson the luxury of innocent until proven guilty, Jesse deserves that too.
Finally, I don't understand how vandalism constitutes "previous criminal brhavior" that precedes pointing a gun at law enforcement. It is usually more violent behavior that precedes an episode like that.

[Proud to be a Retired Cop]

George ewart wrote:

I have seen to many times where a police officer took the law into their own hands with the same sorry results. The kill people. Because they can.

Plain and simple... you are an idiot.

[interesting]

Proud to be a Retired Cop wrote:

<quoted text>
Plain and simple... you are an idiot.

WOW, is this the manner in which you treated your peers when you were in LE? Or were you above every one, because you had a badge? Boy, does that sound like Rick Thompson.
Every one here is entitled to an oppinion & every one is entitled to disagree; but name calling is beneath people who claim to be professionals.

[Miss Manners]

Proud to be a Retired Cop wrote:

<quoted text>
Plain and simple... you are an idiot.

Typical loudmouth idiot with a Napoleon Complex.

[knucklehead]

since you guys all know what's going on..how come you keep saying the same crap over and over. Of course all information has not been released...its going before a GRAND JURY! Study your law and maybe then you'll realize that facts come out over a trail. Not before. If it did, then jurys would hear about it and that qould cause a conflict of intrest depending on if the facts where postive for the defendent or negative. It would cause jurors to pre judge. Duh. Logic
Denis, you did your research. All right, hooray! You didn't answer a question up above though. You are stating that he had it out for Jesse and that all poor little Jesse needed was help. Well, how come you didn't help? You seem so eager to "put the hammer of justice down" how come you never got involved. You like sticking your head into EVERYONE elses business, but yet, have done nothing.
Sorry to say, but a lot (And I mean A LOT) of what you say is, in fact, hearsay. What does Rick being married before have anything to do with his case? What does him getting fired or skipping from one LE job to the next have anything to do with him pulling a damn trigger at a kid WITH A KNOWN RECORD, WHO HAD A GUN, WHO WAS HIDING OUT IN A PLACE HE BROKE INTO????????? Please, explain. Don't go on rambling about the consititution and all that other blabber talk. You can baffle most with your bs but you are not baffling with me.
So, do NOT bring up facts that have nothing to do with this case. You obviously have a thing for Rick ever since he let people have cages to capture the load of cats that roam around Crawford. Ferrell cats bring in disease and take garbage out of the bins and spread it all over. This is starting to bring in other animals that are NOT safe for people to be around. Raccoons for example. I think the city NEEDS to capture these cats because they are doing no good otherwise. Yes, we all know your a bleeding heart for cats, but something needs to be done.
If you say the city doesn't have the rights too, then maybe the city should use your line of thinking. They should bring up how they have rights because of the Consititution. That way, you can't take away thier rights to get rid of a nuseince. Also, I can use another example of what I'll dub "Denis Lyons Thinking". According to city ordinances, Section 2-506 (Look it up, i'm sure you got a book) Maybe thats not the exact ordinace but I'm sure it would work.

[knucklehead]

You know, you say that you are suffering. That your rights are being limited. You say you have no voice. None of that is true. We all hear you loud and clear. We probably would listen if you didn't start a sentence with these words "Rick, Thompson, Kimminau, Siedle, Limbach, Maloney, Corrupt or Adam Edmund to name a few. Most, if not all of them, have every right to sue you for slander. You go to far and one of these days if will come back on you.
Its good for you to stand up for your rights and all, but thats not what you are doing. You are slanderizing most if not all city officials (Crawford) whenever you speak, or post. These is a new internet law that just passed and everything you've posted could be considered under that law.
This message is not made to offend you. I'm just sick of all that crap you are spreading. You say its fact, then it might be. But why would we care? Do you like the attention that this is bring to you? I assume you do because you like to stick your nose where it most certainly does NOT belong. Only things that involve you should you have anything to say. You did not know Jesse.
You have no right, just as most of these other people on here, to assume that one party is guilty or not. All you got is rumors about what happened that night in October and NOT FACTS!(Not yet anyway) All you have is crap from Ricks past, which has nothing to do with what he did in that office upstairs in the Frontier. SO PLEASE do us all a favor and shut your lips. Use what you got and sue Rick if you want. Thats your right. You don't have a right to assume guilt because of what you heard Rick did that nite.
There is always two sides and you ain't going to hear Jesse's. Its unfortunate and tragic and one of those once in a lifetime thing that I hope no police officer in Crawford or Nebraska or anywhere would have to go through. Rick does have feelings too and so does Mary. He also has every right to sue YOU as well.
Please quit stirring the pot. You are only making it worse. I really hope this gets into your brain. It seems as if you would rather talk then listen to reason.

[Bacon]

Hey Knucklehead,
You'd sound a lot more credible if used your spellcheck.

[Knucklehead]

You'd sound a lot more credible if used your spellcheck. <- read your sentence again then speak to me about grammar and spelling on the internet message board again.

[prayerful before Oct 3]

The twin demons of division and strife stand smiling and laughing over Crawford. A mother still grieves and confronts other demons of the past daily. A police officer stands accused of a crime no police officer should face.
Then there are those who chose to engage in feeding the evil by attaching themselves shamelessly to the bandwagon of blame.Perhaps these people should consider devoting their time and efforts towards reconciliation. Life has taught that if half the energy required to fuel discontent is directed towards healing and reconciliation it will occur.
I have personally faced the awful choice of whether or not to take another life. No one should EVER be placed in that position. When that terrible set of circumstances arises, split second, always life changing, decisions are made that do not always end happily for all.
To God I would ask, please take Jesse close to you as the 1 year anniversary of the shooting approaches. I would also ask Him to come close to Jesse's mother and family.
To Jesse's friends I would say, learn from this tragedy and DO NOT ever forget that there are people who care, some of them wearing the uniform of a police officer.
To the police in not just Crawford but all over, try to remember that even though your job is probably one of the hardest to do people are exactly that, people. They are imperfect, emotional and sometimes do dumb things. The best police officers I know are the ones who have learned how to think for people the way they should 1 day later.
To those individuals engaged in the hateful dialogues that have appeared here and in other forums, may God have mercy on your soul. To use the death of another to further whatever agenda you may have, be it the search for a big payout from suing the government or to satify a personal vendetta, is shameful, selfish and evil. That being said, seek forgiveness and from now forward be silent.
In conclusion perhaps all the ministers and spiritual people of Crawford and those truly wanting reconciliation should SEEK out Jesse's mother, grandfather and other family members. The warmth of true heartfelt prayer should be given them and a request be made that all can join together on October 3 at the place of this tragedy and a beginning to the END of the insanity be found. The individuals still seeking personal gain, vengence and the continuation of strife and division should also show up. There they can renounce the path of insanity they follow and join with others seeking an end to it OR be finally known for what they are, selfish and evil.

[Whatever]

There is only insanity on the side that thinks an out-of-control young man with a gun pointed at a Police Officer is not going to be shot in self-defense.

There is no grey. There is only right and wrong.

[may god bless the family]

god bless those on this anniversary of the day we lost a
1 son
2 nephew,
3 cousin
best friend
may god bless his family and friends on the day a year anniversary the 3rd and well to the rest there is always kharma