> Eric Cordian[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] wrote: > > > Pigs think they are untouchable in the post-9-11 enviromnent. Many pigs > need to be killed. > > http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/08/police.kill.dog/index.html > > ----- > > COOKEVILLE, Tennessee (CNN) -- Police video released Wednesday showed > a North Carolina family kneeling and handcuffed, who shrieked as > officers killed their dog -- which appeared to be playfully wagging > its tail -- with a shotgun during a traffic stop. > > ... > > The family was driving through eastern Tennessee on their way home > from a New Year's trip to Nashville. They told CNN they are in the > process of retaining a lawyer and considering legal action against the > Cookeville, Tennessee, Police Department and the Tennessee Highway > Patrol for what happened to them and their dog. > > In the video, released by the THP, officers are heard ordering the > family, one by one, to get out of their car with their hands up. James > Smoak and his wife, Pamela, and 17-year-old son Brandon are ordered > onto their knees and handcuffed. > > ... > > The Smoaks told CNN that as they knelt, handcuffed, they pleaded with > officers to close the doors of their car so their two dogs would not > escape, but the officers did not heed them. > > ... > > The tape then shows the Smoak's medium-size brown dog romping on the > shoulder of the Interstate, its tail wagging. As the family yells, the > dog, named Patton, first heads away from the road, then quickly > circles back toward the family. > > An officer in a blue uniform aims his shotgun at the dog and fires at > its head, killing it immediately. > > I read about this a couple days ago. The reason for the stop is interesting - apparently Mr. Smoak left his wallet on the roof of the car. After they started down the highway, it blew off, scattering bills.
Another driver saw the flying wallet and currency, thought it had been thrown out the window, and called it in as a carjacking/robbery in progress. The cops accepted this, hence the felony stop. Peter Trei
