LaVoy Finicum was killed while exercising his constitutional rights. In my opinion he shouldn't have been shot multiple times let alone at all but, I try not to second guess those who are on the ground and are trying to effect an arrest under most any circumstances.
However, once the arrest is made or the incident otherwise comes to a conclusion and the proper authorities are in control of the situation I believe in formally reviewing and learning from the incident(s).
In LaVoy Finicum's case I purposely checked my angst, my disgust with what I saw in the video relating to the shooting of LaVoy Finicum when I saw it. I knew there'd be public outrage and I knew there'd be someone "thrown under the bus". After watching the video many times I concluded that though Mr. Finicum did appear to pose a real threat to law enforcement and others at the scene and (in my opinion) was shot in response to that threat he posed. I also felt there needed and most likely would be an extensive follow up investigation related to Mr. Finicum's death, at least. The very idea that Mr. Finicum was executed in an Oregon standoff by federal authorities did not appear to me to be an accurate claim. From what I saw he, LaVoy Finicum was given ample opportunities to surrender before and during the incident and refused to do so. He chose to die for what he believed. Personally, I respect the man for that. I wish he'd have made another decision, if not for himself, for his family but he didn't. I felt and still feel his angst, his disgust with the outright trampling on the rights of generational landowners, ranchers, farmers... those who hold guv'ment leases that were negotiated decades earlier and are re-negotiated over the years. I understand his angst when he realizes his whole existence, his family's heritage is being stripped from him by Federal ink and San Francisco attorneys and broken promises.
I understand all of that. I'm not directly affected by our government's over-reach when it comes to century old ranching, farming leases but I am affected, my family's affected by the government's land grab tyranny. I'll simply leave it at that.
But, relating to this tragic, avoidable incident, yes, there's much, much more to this story. Some of it we'll never get to the bottom of.
In my summary of things that's how I saw it and that's how I called it.
Now, over a year later we're learning that subsequent to follow up investigations at least one
Federal Agent has been indicted. Keep in mind many of the particular agents assigned to this Oregon "stand off" included the FBI's "elite" Hostage Rescue Team (HRT). They're trained at a much more heightened level than the regular agents and street cops which, in my opinion should suggest they're less susceptible to making these types of "mistakes" and certainly know what's appropriate and what's not appropriate.
But the bottom line? The charged agent and most likely others who may have been involved allegedly lied to the follow up investigators, tampered with the crime scene after the fact, allegedly removed evidence from the scene and or otherwise destroyed it, at least. If the information is factual then any rookie, probationer street cop knows better than that! You don't lie and you certainly don't tamper with the crime scene nor the evidence.
When Mr. Finicum made the choice he made he had several other choices well before and on the day he chose to die. For whatever reason it appears he made his choice and subsequently gave up his right to live. His death was determined to have been a justified death. It's unfortunate it ended that way for all involved but it did. That's not the issue here. The issue I see is that at least one very well trained, seasoned, career Federal Law Enforcement Agent lied about and/or allegedly attempted to cover up his level of involvement by allegedly tampering with and/or removing evidence from a homicide scene prior to the scene's investigation.
If accurate, that's most definitely a criminal act.
Here's another
link to more related information on this particular killing. It appears the agent has plead "not guilty" to the charges.
We need REAL answers,
IMHO
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Thanks again for sharing this Dan!
