Jordan Edwards, 15, killed by (former) police officer

[iweartanktops]

PLEASE read about the murder of this innocent child, Jordan Edwards. I am heartbroken, angry, and devastated to be starting yet another thread like this! My comments are in italics. 

Jordan was leaving a party with his brothers, when this former police officer shot him in the head for no reason (other than, likely because he's black). His own brothers watched him die. 

The family says the shooting has scarred Jordan’s brothers, who were with him when he died. “When they dream, they see Jordan, with smoke coming out of his head from the shot. That’s what they were forced to see,” Charmaine Edwards told the Daily News Thursday.

Let that sink in. 

From CNN: 

He might be the last person you'd expect to die in a police shooting.

Straight-A student. Talented athlete. Product of a two-parent home.

Yet 15-year-old Jordan Edwards is dead -- the latest unarmed black male to be killed during an encounter with the police.

<snip>

Jordan Edwards was a freshman at Mesquite High School, near his home in Balch Springs, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. He had good grades and played quarterback and receiver on the football team.

Head coach Jeff Fleener, who would have coached the teenager next year, said Jordan had an incredible effect on his teammates.

"He was an amazing young man that had a way to make everyone around him feel better," Fleener wrote on Twitter. "He had such an impact on all of us and we refuse to let anyone tarnish that."

From this NYT article:

As a car with five black teenagers inside drove away from the house, Mr. Oliver, who is white, fired his AR-15 rifle, fatally striking Jordan Edwards, a freshman at Mesquite High School, in the head, according to the police and the law firm representing the Edwards family.

<snip>

A lawyer for the Edwards family, S. Lee Merritt, reflected this week on Mr. Oliver’s past.

“I think we see two things out of military-trained policemen,” he said. “Sometimes, you get some of the best policemen out there. They’re calm, they’ve learned to operate in the battlefield. They’ve been extensively trained, a lot more than your average officer. And at other times you have officers who are dealing with the effects of being in a war zone, the post-traumatic effects.”

“As I learn more about this officer,” Mr. Merritt continued, “he seems to be one who had some problems. It should have been dealt with and it should have been identified a long time ago.”

Here is the statement released by Jordan's family:

“We also ask our community and supporters to respect our wishes to refrain from protest, rallies, vigils, marches, etc. until after we have laid our son to rest. We need time to exhale. To allow Jordan’s death to be our own loss before we share this loss with the world. Though we understand what his life and death means symbolically, we are not ready to make a martyr of our son. Again, thank you for supporting us through this heart wrenching time.”

Oliver, the trigger-happy ass hole who shot him, has been charged with capital murder. 

[ViolaSebastian]

Truly, truly awful. That poor family. I read somewhere that the officer had PTSD and had previously disciplined by the department. In my mind, that department is just as culpable for the murder as the officer. He never should have been on patrol and he certainly never should have been given a rifle.

[iweartanktops]

38 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

Truly, truly awful. That poor family. I read somewhere that the officer had PTSD and had previously disciplined by the department. In my mind, that department is just as culpable for the murder as the officer. He never should have been on patrol and he certainly never should have been given a rifle.

I agree. Here's the thing, I have PTSD. I was working closely with children when a particular event happened, and I had to take a couple of months off to physically recover. But once I was physically able to work again, my doctor and therapist agreed that I was suffering from PTSD, and as desperate as I was to get back to work, they refused to clear me. I was pissed off back then, but they made the right decision. I was not ready, although the concern was not that I would physically harm anyone. 

In my opinion, what happened here had nothing to do with PTSD, whether he suffers from it or not. He initially lied about what happened, and then the footage of the incident proved he was lying. PTSD doesn't make you a liar.

He also had the presence of mind to get his rifle and shoot at kids who were driving away. I'm not sure how that seemed to be a threatening situation for him. 

[onekidanddone]

10 hours ago, iweartanktops said:

PLEASE read about the murder of this innocent child, Jordan Edwards. I am heartbroken, angry, and devastated to be starting yet another thread like this! My comments are in italics. 

Jordan was leaving a party with his brothers, when this former police officer shot him in the head for no reason (other than, likely because he's black). His own brothers watched him die. 

The family says the shooting has scarred Jordan’s brothers, who were with him when he died. “When they dream, they see Jordan, with smoke coming out of his head from the shot. That’s what they were forced to see,” Charmaine Edwards told the Daily News Thursday.

Let that sink in. 

From CNN: 

He might be the last person you'd expect to die in a police shooting.

Straight-A student. Talented athlete. Product of a two-parent home.

Yet 15-year-old Jordan Edwards is dead -- the latest unarmed black male to be killed during an encounter with the police.

<snip>

Jordan Edwards was a freshman at Mesquite High School, near his home in Balch Springs, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. He had good grades and played quarterback and receiver on the football team.

Head coach Jeff Fleener, who would have coached the teenager next year, said Jordan had an incredible effect on his teammates.

"He was an amazing young man that had a way to make everyone around him feel better," Fleener wrote on Twitter. "He had such an impact on all of us and we refuse to let anyone tarnish that."

From this NYT article:

As a car with five black teenagers inside drove away from the house, Mr. Oliver, who is white, fired his AR-15 rifle, fatally striking Jordan Edwards, a freshman at Mesquite High School, in the head, according to the police and the law firm representing the Edwards family.

<snip>

A lawyer for the Edwards family, S. Lee Merritt, reflected this week on Mr. Oliver’s past.

“I think we see two things out of military-trained policemen,” he said. “Sometimes, you get some of the best policemen out there. They’re calm, they’ve learned to operate in the battlefield. They’ve been extensively trained, a lot more than your average officer. And at other times you have officers who are dealing with the effects of being in a war zone, the post-traumatic effects.”

“As I learn more about this officer,” Mr. Merritt continued, “he seems to be one who had some problems. It should have been dealt with and it should have been identified a long time ago.”

Here is the statement released by Jordan's family:

“We also ask our community and supporters to respect our wishes to refrain from protest, rallies, vigils, marches, etc. until after we have laid our son to rest. We need time to exhale. To allow Jordan’s death to be our own loss before we share this loss with the world. Though we understand what his life and death means symbolically, we are not ready to make a martyr of our son. Again, thank you for supporting us through this heart wrenching time.”

Oliver, the trigger-happy ass hole who shot him, has been charged with capital murder. 

Yet another mother has lost her precious child.  I can not imagine the screaming heartbreak. I hope against all hope this time there is justice for this young man. 15 years old. Shit, he was just a child.

9 hours ago, iweartanktops said:

I agree. Here's the thing, I have PTSD. I was working closely with children when a particular event happened, and I had to take a couple of months off to physically recover. But once I was physically able to work again, my doctor and therapist agreed that I was suffering from PTSD, and as desperate as I was to get back to work, they refused to clear me. I was pissed off back then, but they made the right decision. I was not ready, although the concern was not that I would physically harm anyone. 

In my opinion, what happened here had nothing to do with PTSD, whether he suffers from it or not. He initially lied about what happened, and then the footage of the incident proved he was lying. PTSD doesn't make you a liar.

He also had the presence of mind to get his rifle and shoot at kids who were driving away. I'm not sure how that seemed to be a threatening situation for him. 

Agree completely. Driving away while Black is all the officer saw. The bald face lie didn't help his case either. The fact that this guy is out on bond while the family of the young man is left with their horrendous grief is infuriating 

[VelociRapture]

That poor kid. No one deserves this, but especially not an innocent 15 year old. I feel horrible for his family. 

I don't care if this officer had PTSD. You don't fucking grab your rifle, shoot at unarmed teens who aren't threatening you, and then fucking lie about it. I hope they throw the goddamn book at this motherfucker.

That said, I truly hope the investigation and trial are fair. Last thing I want is this guy to wiggle away on a technicality. Jordan and his family deserve far better than that.

[ViolaSebastian]

I didn't express this clearly enough in my original post, but I absolutely do not think that allegedly having PTSD makes this monster any less culpable for murdering a child. I just think that it adds an extra layer of responsibility on the police department, who had evidence that he was not mentally sound and unfit for duty. His badge should have been pulled at the first infraction--or hell, the second infraction.

There are many, many excellent police officers who got their start in the armed forces. But I think departments need to be very cognizant that there may be issues in hiring former military members, who have been taught to kill first and ask questions later. That sort of training can be hard to overcome, and they (and all potential police officers) need to be screened more carefully.

[nausicaa]

So details about this officer's life are coming out, and...he's a douche. Apparently had a child with both his wife and girlfriend twelve days apart. 

I realize one's personal life does not necessarily reflect on one's criminal culpability, but since dead black teenagers can have ever lunchroom detention since third-grade held against them, I don't feel too bad about bringing this up. 

When on earth are we going to get serious about really evaluating candidates for law enforcement positions? If you have PTSD, if you are a live wire, if you have issues communicating and interpreting high stress situations, you do not have the disposition to be a cop!

[Glasgowghirl]

Poor family, this reminds me of the Trayvon Martin case, I hope his family get justice no parent should have to lose a child in that way. I'm watching just now a drama based on the real life shooting of Rhys Jones, an 11 year old boy killed a gang in Liverpool, 10 years ago. He was walking home from football practice when he got caught in the crossfire. Kids and teens should be able to go out without worrying about being shot or stabbed.

[ViolaSebastian]

I read today on Jezebel that the family is suing Roy Oliver (the police officer). Apparently the police department held Jordan's brother overnight, even though he wasn't charged with a crime. To make matters even more fucked up, they wanted to arrest the father for being "hostile" to police officers and held him in a county building.

So, yeah. The man was distraught and angry because one of his sons was murdered and the other one unconstitutionally arrested (after what would be, by any account, an extremely traumatizing incident)--and this is justice how, exactly?

America, we need to do better. 

http://jezebel.com/family-of-jordan-edwards-sues-cop-accused-of-killing-hi-1795048060

[iweartanktops]

8 hours ago, ViolaSebastian said:

I read today on Jezebel that the family is suing Roy Oliver (the police officer). Apparently the police department held Jordan's brother overnight, even though he wasn't charged with a crime. To make matters even more fucked up, they wanted to arrest the father for being "hostile" to police officers and held him in a county building.

So, yeah. The man was distraught and angry because one of his sons was murdered and the other one unconstitutionally arrested (after what would be, by any account, an extremely traumatizing incident)--and this is justice how, exactly?

America, we need to do better. 

http://jezebel.com/family-of-jordan-edwards-sues-cop-accused-of-killing-hi-1795048060

Yep, Jordan's brother watched him die and then sat in fucking jail. I would have been "hostile" at best. This entire situation is totally fucked up. I'm nervous about it going to trial. Murder 1 is not easy to prove. 

[PennySycamore]

My heart goes out to Jordan's family.  No parents should ever have to bury a child, but this is so fucking senseless.

When will we stop killing our young black men and boys? 

[VelociRapture]

4 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

My heart goes out to Jordan's family.  No parents should ever have to bury a child, but this is so fucking senseless.

When will we stop killing our young black men and boys? 

When the people in positions of power learn to value them as living, breathing human beings.

So, unfortunately, not anytime soon. 

16 minutes ago, iweartanktops said:

Yep, Jordan's brother watched him die and then sat in fucking jail. I would have been "hostile" at best. This entire situation is totally fucked up. I'm nervous about it going to trial. Murder 1 is not easy to prove. 

I'm nervous as well. I don't want to see another bad cop get away with killing an innocent person.

 At least they charged him appropriately. I don't know if they would have gone for murder one if they didn't feel confident about the case.

[Kailash]

Such a devastating loss for his family and friends. For humanity. Anything less than murder one is incomprehensible to me.

[TuringMachine]

I don't understand. How did it go from a call about drunk people to firing a rifle at a car full teenagers?

I'm about as speechless as I was when Tamir Rice's murderer wasn't charged.

[onekidanddone]

Where is the outrage from Sessions or Trump on this? They strut around with puffed out chests on how they are going to be tough on crime right?  Here a child of color is ruthlessly murdered and as expected radio silence. 

[RosyDaisy]

Jeff Sessions is a disgusting, evil, racist SOB. He will stand by and make excuses for the officer who shot Jordan.

[VelociRapture]

On 5/15/2017 at 8:14 PM, RosyDaisy said:

Jeff Sessions is a disgusting, evil, racist SOB. He will stand by and make excuses for the officer who shot Jordan.

He also resembles Elmer Fudd, stalker and murderer of innocent cartoon characters.

But yeah. He's an asshole of the worst kind. You know it's bad when Coretta Scott King took the time to specifically call you out for being such a massive asshole.