VIDEO: Taser Confusion in Lawrence

March 28, 2019

As the Kansas City Star reports: 

A judge has dismissed the case against a former Lawrence police officer who shot a man during a traffic stop last year and was charged with reckless aggravated battery.

The officer who fired the shot, Brindley Blood, was charged in Douglas County District Court. Blood had maintained the May 29 shooting was accidental and she meant to reach for her stun gun instead of her firearm.

A news release from county prosecutor’s office Wednesday said a judge dismissed the case.

An order signed by Douglas County District Court Judge Peggy Kittel said Blood would not stand trial on the criminal charge after the court considered evidence heard in a preliminary hearing last week.

The judge ruled that the evidence presented didn’t show probable cause that the officer acted recklessly.

The case was dismissed without prejudice. District Attorney Charles Branson said in a written statement that his office does not anticipate filing any different charges against Blood. Instead, the district attorney said, his office would review the ruling and determine whether it should appeal the dismissal.

“Clearly, Ms. Blood was negligent during the deployment of her firearm. Kansas law, however, provides little to no guidance on how to proceed in these circumstances. Kansas, unlike some states, does not recognize criminal negligence. Kansas does recognize reckless conduct,” Branson’s statement said.

“To determine whether or not probable cause existed that Ms. Blood acted recklessly, the Court had to determine whether ‘a trier of fact could conclude with the evidence presented that Ms. Blood consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk,’” Branson said. “The Court concluded she did not act recklessly.”

Dash cam video of the shooting was released Monday by the Lawrence Police Department.

It shows a driver, Akira S. Lewis, wrestle a Lawrence police officer to the ground during the traffic stop and fight him before being shot in the back by another officer, who was later identified as Blood.

Lewis had been pulled over in the 100 block of West Sixth Street for not wearing a seat belt and refused to comply with demands from Officer Ian McCann to hand over his driver’s license and insurance information.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Where Do We Go From Here?

Where Do We Go From Here?

Morality is NOT Intellect

Morality is NOT Intellect

2023 National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame Induction Update

2023 National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame Induction Update

Cops Respond: Is a TASER a Deadly Weapon in the Wrong Hands?

Cops Respond: Is a TASER a Deadly Weapon in the Wrong Hands?

Is a TASER a Deadly Force Weapon When Utilized by a Resistive Subject?

Is a TASER a Deadly Force Weapon When Utilized by a Resistive Subject?