Blame goes to the victim as Forcillo’s defence sums up

Sammy Yatim "got himself shot" because of his actions, Peter Brauti told jurors

Officer perception matters most of all.

Second-guessing where an officer draws the proverbial line in the sand — that way lies madness, and maybe a dead officer.

Officers are not obliged to gamble with their own lives, or the lives of bystanders.

An imminent threat doesn’t mean one second later necessarily, or two seconds later necessarily — although one second later or two seconds later might mean the difference between life and death for an officer.

Judgment calls should not be criminalized.

Sammy Yatim “got himself shot.’’

It was textbook exculpation, a courtroom primer on why so few cops are ever convicted of criminal wrongdoing arising from a fatal confrontation with a civilian. And this was a shooting that triggered outrage from the public.  (more...)

Blame goes to the victim as Forcillo’s defence sums up