Shot in the Dark

Tag: Castile Case

  • Perspectives

    Two perspectives on the Yanez verdict: David French at National Review points out something that a lot of Yanez’ defenders miss: If you read carefully, you’ll note that it appears that the officer shot Castile for doing exactly what the officer told him to do. Yanez asked for Castile’s license. Castile told him that he…

  • Open Season

    Ever thing you’d see the day I’d agree with John Choi’s office about…well, much of anything? Mazel tov.  Here we go. Choi’s office responded to Saint Anthony PD officer Geronimo Yanez’s attorneys’ motions to dismiss the charges stemming from the shooting of Philando Castile last summer.   The motion cites the claims that Castile –…

  • The Gang That Couldn’t Not Shoot, Straight, Part III: That Golden Ticket!

    I’m continuing my five-part series going over “Protect” Minnesota’s press release on the Self-Defense Reform and Constitutional Carry bills, which were introduced last week in the House. But first, a quick aside. Records:  While the criminal-safety  movement would like you to think otherwise, gun violence is neither generally random nor unpredictable.  Our violent crime rate…

  • Casualty Of Hysteria?

    Ramsey County attorney John Choi released the findings of the investigation of the Philando Castile shooting.  Ramco charged Saint Anthony Park police officer Jeronimo Yanez with second-degree manslaughter in the death of the Saint Paul school employee last summer. There are better commentators on the legalities and the sociology of this incident than me. But…

  • Empaneled

    Joe Doakes from Como Park emails: Concealed carry permit holders should ask for a subcommittee to deal specifically with the issues of how police treat lawfully armed citizens. Joe Doakes Up until the Castile shooting, I’d have said most Minnesota cops were pretty decent around law-abiding shooters. I suspect most are.  But as the anecdotes…

  • Keystoned

    Joe Doakes from Como Park emails: Neither the Castile shooting nor the Miami shooting seem like racial incidents.  They seem like Keystone Kops incidents: running in circles, nobody in charge, contradictory commands, misinterpreted actions, improper over-reaction.   When a mass of cops arrive at the scene, who’s in charge?  Who gives the orders?  Who decides…

  • Putting On Squalid Airs

    One of the aphorisms that I’ve always used to guide my life is an old Hungarian saying; “the best way to become wealthy is to appear as if you already are”.  It’s not just about money; Dennis Prager notes a similar principle when it comes to happiness.   Prager and others note that when all…

  • Procedure

    Joe Doakes from Como Park emails: There are 10,000 sworn officers employed in Minnesota.  They shoot an average of 10 people per year for the past 15 years  No police officer was charged in any of those deaths.   There are 200,000 Minnesotans with valid permits to carry a firearm.  The Violence Policy Center (a gun-control…

  • Vacuous Hipster Lives Matter

    While I don’t support Black Lives’ Matter Twin Cities’ strategy or leadership, I don’t doubt for a moment that black people have every legitimate reason to protest against perceptions of excessive police violence… …while noting that the loudest calls for more police in neighborhoods like the North Side of Minneapolis, the lower East Side of Saint Paul,…

  • There Is A NARN In North Ontario

    Today, the Northern Alliance Radio Network – America’s first grass-roots talk radio show – is on the air! I will be on live from 1-3PM today! I’ll be talking with SD51 Senate candidate Victor Lake Bryan Strawser from the MN Gun Owners Caucus will join us to talk about the ghoulish reaction to the Castile and Dallas…

  • Falcon Heights And Dallas

    I’m going to take a moment to cite Berg’s Eighteenth Law of Media Latency:  “Nothing the media writes/says about any emotionally charged event – a mass shooting, a police shooting, anything – should be taken seriously for 48 hours after the original incident.  It will largely be rubbish, as media outlets vie to “scoop” each…

  • Another Shooting

    Joe Doakes from Como Park emails about the story of the day: White cop from St. Anthony department shot Black man at traffic stop on Larpenteur at Fry in Falcon Heights.  Passenger took video, protests and vigils occurring. you might want to reiterate your policy of refusing to comment until facts are known to stop…