Baton Rouge District Attorney Recuses Himself In Alton Sterling Case
Source: Talking Points Memo
The district attorney in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana recused himself Monday from the case surrounding the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling after announcing that he had a "personal relationship" with the parents of an officer involved in the shooting.
Video captured by a cell phone showed police detaining and fatally shooting Sterling, a 37 year-old black man, outside a convenience store last week. The investigation into the incident was almost immediately passed on to the Justice Department.
District Attorney Hillar Moore didn't name the officer involved in the shooting that he was familiar with, nor did he explicitly say how he knew the officer's parents. The officers involved in the shooting have been identified as Howie Lake II and Blane Salamoni.
Moore said recusing himself from the case was the "only and proper decision to make." "I've been involved in the law enforcement business for 42 years," he said. "And the bulk of those years I've known the parents of one of these officers." Moore said his office would get involved in prosecuting the incident if the Justice Department's investigation found that there were possible state violations.
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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hillar-moore-recuses-himself-alton-sterling
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)to the citizens, not your friends in the popo nursery.
FSogol
(45,484 posts)jtuck004
(15,882 posts)course of action for refusing to prosecute an arm of the government. Not keeping your job so as to protect your friends.
Otherwise, the citizens have no protection at all.
Throd
(7,208 posts)Otherwise the investigation is tainted in the minds of many.
FSogol
(45,484 posts)By recusing himself, someone independent takes over the investigation/prosecution. It is the fair thing to do.
Happens all the time with judges, prosecutors, etc.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)I don't even think DA's from the same jurisdiction should ever prosecute police crimes.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)can do.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)This case needs an independent prosecutor, with no bonds to any police.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)to clean its own house, it has no business policing citizens.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)This is called an independent prosecutor. It varies by state to state, but I think usually the governor appoints one.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)He would be roasted if he had not recused himself and then the relationship was made public.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)police department, then we can cobble together something that looks like a prosecution and pretend we enforcing the law equally.
Great job for a racist DA.
Not stupid, your answer is pitiable. And your replies will be invisible.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)but to turn the case over to someone who has no personal connection to the case or any of the people involved.
Really, this is like Criminal Justice 101 stuff.
Stryder
(450 posts)Prosecutors left it up to disinterested party's.
As I understand it prosecutors know quite a few
police officers. Comes with the job. Wonder how many times he has
"prosecuted" nudge & a wink, officers he was acquainted with.
This just seems a bit too high profile. He'd be fucked if he
had to try it like he meant it. And he would have to in this case.
Many eyes upon him.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Ash_F
(5,861 posts)I could be wrong though.
UnFettered
(79 posts)The US attorneys office and DOJ has had the case not the East Baton Rouge parish DA's office.
Also as pointed out in a earlier post. Nothing like this should ever be investigated in house. Handing the case off to another district and having independent scrutiny of the case is the best corse of action for justice.