Road Rage: Cop shoots and kills man in front of his wife and kids

[green73]

[video]

New Jersey police officer Joseph Walker, 40, was arrested Saturday in Maryland after he allegedly shot and killed a man in the midst of a road rage dispute, even as his wife and three children looked on.

Maryland State Police told CBS Baltimore that Walker killed 36-year-old Joseph Harvey after the two encountered on another on Route 3.

It was not clear what lead to the encounter, but police said several witnesses to the road rage incident called in with details. It escalated into lethal force after both men pulled onto the shoulder and Harvey exited his vehicle with another man and began walking toward Walker’s minivan.

Police added that Walker’s wife and three children were in the car with him at the time. The family was traveling through Maryland back to New Jersey, where Walker works as an officer for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.

He’s being held on $1 million bail, facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/09/new-jersey-cop-allegedly-shot-man-to-death-as-wife-and-three-kids-looked-on/
[Mod: edit to use direct link]

[tod evans]

Cop;
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/josephwalker-screen.jpg



Dead guy;
http://www.wbaltv.com/image/view/-/20504526/highRes/1/-/maxh/480/maxw/640/-/kkp97b/-/img-Man-killed-in-apparent-road-rage-case.jpg

[CaptUSA]

Come on, Al Sharpton... Where is your outrage?

I could imagine the exact same scenario playing out with a role reversal that would drive PoliticsNation's ratings for months.

[jkr]

THUG

[osan]

One can only wonder how this will work out for the cop, but do not be too surprised if some "deal" is cobbled up to get his filthy bacon out of the greater fire.

I hope he is called to strict account for what he has done, this girly man with a gun.

That aside, need I point out the severe tactical error that the deceased committed when he pulled over and walked toward a strange vehicle under such conditions? Let this be a lesson to everyone of what NEVER to do, most especially when you are not sufficiently endowed with the means of defending yourself. HELLO.

I will also point out so very belaboring the obvious that this is also illustrative of the reasons states have NO AUTHORITY to limit one's right to bear arms at any time, for any reason whatsoever. I would sue the states of NJ and MD for trillions because they denied the man and his family their right to the means of self defense.

If Walker skates on this in any way, I would see him hunted and make damned sure justice was served.

Enough is too much already.

[Icymudpuppy]

I don't get why anyone would get that mad. Seriously, unless there was a collision, why would you pull over at all?

[otherone]

I don't get why anyone would get that mad. Seriously, unless there was a collision, why would you pull over at all?

testosterone and poor self-esteem are a deadly mix.

[seraphson]

Come on, Al Sharpton... Where is your outrage?

I could imagine the exact same scenario playing out with a role reversal that would drive PoliticsNation's ratings for months.

You mean Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman? Yea, that already happened but you won't see all the huss and fuss happen this go around. Go figure.

[Scrapmo]

This was proper police procedure. If he was in uniform and on the clock I have a feeling he would be on paid administrative leave pending investigation, followed with "proper policy was followed."

[Origanalist]

testosterone and poor self-esteem are a deadly mix.

Bingo, plus the fact he's accustomed to intimidating people. How DARE that guy stand up to him!

[otherone]

Bingo, plus the fact he's accustomed to intimidating people. How DARE that guy stand up to him!

I was referring to all three parties, or any bloated prick that has to prove himself on the highway, Harvey included.

[Origanalist]

I was referring to all three parties, or any bloated prick that has to prove himself on the highway, Harvey included.

You may be right, I don't know, I wasn't there. Or it could be the cop was intimidating him. It takes two to tango, but I don't like getting pushed around either.

[Nirvikalpa]

testosterone and poor self-esteem are a deadly mix.

If I said that, how many neg-reps would I get, despite it being entirely accurate?

--------------

NJ cop. 'Nuff said.

[otherone]

If I said that, how many neg-reps would I get, despite it being entirely accurate?


Sure, let's make this about YOU.
;)

[angelatc]

The dead guy was approaching the guy in the minivan? Cop or not, didnt he have a right to defend himself?

[tod evans]

The dead guy was approaching the guy in the minivan? Cop or not, didnt he have a right to defend himself?

Wut?

Defence from an approach...

[otherone]

The dead guy was approaching the guy in the minivan? Cop or not, didnt he have a right to defend himself?

Actually, TWO pissed off guys got out of Harvey's vehicle and approached the minivan.

[ClydeCoulter]

Wut?

Defence from an approach...

It says 2 guys got out and approached him.
He should have driven away...I might get my weapon handy if approached by 2 guys that were pissed, but, de-escalation should be sought.

[TheTexan]

No video? Didn't happen

I guess we'll see just how many witnesses are needed to become an exception to that rule

[ClydeCoulter]

From the video, it sounds like their vehicles made contact, one from a merge lane.
I assume, it started as a "stop and see if we need to exchange insurance info" type of moment, for Walker (the cop).
Two guys get out of the other car and approach Walker's car...
I didn't see any other details.

[nbruno322]

"Bathtub falls and police officers kill more Americans than terrorism, yet we've been asked to sacrifice our most sacred rights for fear of falling victim to it."

~Edward Snowden

[ClydeCoulter]

From the video, it sounds like their vehicles made contact, one from a merge lane.
I assume, it started as a "stop and see if we need to exchange insurance info" type of moment, for Walker (the cop).
Two guys get out of the other car and approach Walker's car...
I didn't see any other details.


"Bathtub falls and police officers kill more Americans than terrorism, yet we've been asked to sacrifice our most sacred rights for fear of falling victim to it."

~Edward Snowden

It seems a bit early to use that quote as part of this.

[Brian4Liberty]

That aside, need I point out the severe tactical error that the deceased committed when he pulled over and walked toward a strange vehicle under such conditions? Let this be a lesson to everyone of what NEVER to do, most especially when you are not sufficiently endowed with the means of defending yourself. HELLO.



The dead guy was approaching the guy in the minivan? Cop or not, didnt he have a right to defend himself?


Actually, TWO pissed off guys got out of Harvey's vehicle and approached the minivan.

What was actually happening here is pretty important. Two guys jumping out and going to the other vehicle certainly sounds like they were the major aggressors. Were they making threats? Did he reach in a window and grab him? Too many unknowns.

That being said...


It says 2 guys got out and approached him.
He should have driven away...I might get my weapon handy if approached by 2 guys that were pissed, but, de-escalation should be sought.

Yep, driving away should be used as an option before opening fire, if that is possible. It raises more questions. Was he blocked in somehow? Was the guy reaching in the car?

[helmuth_hubener]

The cop is always wrong. Period. That is my rule.

This slime is a murderer.

[SeanTX]

The cop is always wrong. Period. That is my rule.

This slime is a murderer.

I have to go with this too. Yesterday Sean Hannity had a segment about this story, and of course he was taking the "oh, that poor cop, being punished for trying to defend himself" point of view you would expect from a CONservative/neocon . He was interviewing some detective to back up his viewpoint, yeah, that's really an unbiased source for an opinion. The cop will walk, but at least he will be put through the wringer a little bit, which is more than usually happens.

[LibForestPaul]

It says 2 guys got out and approached him.
He should have driven away...I might get my weapon handy if approached by 2 guys that were pissed, but, de-escalation should be sought.

He doesn't have to de-escalate. He has a state-issued clown custume.

[Brian4Liberty]

He doesn't have to de-escalate. He has a state-issued clown custume.

Which should mean that he is in a far better position to know how to de-escalate, as compared to your average mundane.

[SeanTX]

Jury acquits :

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/07/breaking-new-jersey-road-rage-cop-acquitted-in-maryland-murder-trial/

BREAKING: New Jersey “Road Rage Cop” Acquitted in Maryland Murder Trial
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at 12:52pm

NJ Police Officer Joseph Walker acquitted in the murder of MD-native Joseph Harvey Jr.
Joseph Walker

Just breaking in the last few minutes, NJ police officer Joseph Walker, tried on charges of first degree murder in the road-rage shooting of Joseph Harvey Jr., has been acquitted. Not many details yet, so we’ll just share the news as provided by Hudson News 12 New Jersey, Hudson County Detective Joseph Walker acquitted in Maryland shooting:

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A New Jersey detective was acquitted today of all charges in the killing of a driver during an alleged road-rage incident.

Joseph Walker, an investigator for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, has been cleared of first-degree murder in the death of 36-year-old Joseph Harvey, of Lansdowne, Maryland.

Prosecutors say Walker, 41, shot Harvey after the two pulled over in Millersville on June 8, 2013 after some traffic jostling. Walker’s lawyers have said their client thought he, his wife and three children were in danger when he fired his gun.

The Anne Arundel County Circuit court jury delivered the verdict after a day of deliberations.

Key to this case was that Maryland is a very strong “duty-to-retreat” state. This means that if one has a safe avenue of retreat one is required to take advantage of it before you can make use of deadly force in self-defense.

Given that Walker was standing beside his operable minivan (with his family inside), and the unarmed aggressor whom he shot, Harvey, had to cross ~150 feet of distance on foot before being within reaching distance, a reasonable argument existed that Walker could have simply driven away rather than resort to his service pistol.

snip

[Peach]

If I said that, how many neg-reps would I get, despite it being entirely accurate? It's okay for a black "gangsta rapper" to say the n-word but the word is forbidden for white folks, it's just like that. Unapologetic Feminist makes some men tremble in fear.

[Christian Liberty]

The cop is always wrong. Period. That is my rule.

This slime is a murderer.

I pretty much have the same rule, more or less.

[Brian4Liberty]

Key to this case was that Maryland is a very strong “duty-to-retreat” state. This means that if one has a safe avenue of retreat one is required to take advantage of it before you can make use of deadly force in self-defense.

Given that Walker was standing beside his operable minivan (with his family inside), and the unarmed aggressor whom he shot, Harvey, had to cross ~150 feet of distance on foot before being within reaching distance, a reasonable argument existed that Walker could have simply driven away rather than resort to his service pistol.

Well, that does make the acquittal a bit suspicious. And his badge could have been shown at that distance too.

[PaulConventionWV]

This was proper police procedure. If he was in uniform and on the clock I have a feeling he would be on paid administrative leave pending investigation, followed with "proper policy was followed."

I have that same feeling. Police departments don't like it when you get a kill and don't represent your department's official authority while doing so. If he was on the clock, it would have been rather easy to make a bunch of typical excuses about how he "feared for his life."

[PaulConventionWV]

If I said that, how many neg-reps would I get, despite it being entirely accurate?

--------------

NJ cop. 'Nuff said.

Yeah, cuz making fun of men for their manliness is a totally unheard-of concept in our society. Next, let's talk about the woman in France that successfully sued her husband for a lack of sex in their marriage.

http://news.yahoo.com/french-woman-sues-husband-lack-sex-221500147.html

Can you imagine the shitstorm that would ensue if it were the other way around?

But I digress...

[PaulConventionWV]

The dead guy was approaching the guy in the minivan? Cop or not, didnt he have a right to defend himself?

Seriously? Approaching? Is that your definition of violence?

[PaulConventionWV]

Jury acquits :

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/07/breaking-new-jersey-road-rage-cop-acquitted-in-maryland-murder-trial/

Imagine that. In this day and age, when it's virtually unheard of for a mundane to be acquitted of anything before taking some kind of plea bargain, a cop gets off scott-free. Hoodathunk.