Did Sheriff's Department Errors Lead to Death of Innocent Young People?

What is going on with the LA County Sheriff's Office these days? It seems that a number of poor administrative and perhaps political decisions has led to the unnecessary death of three innocent young people.



To be sure I've always supported our rank and file law enforcement officers.  But like they say a fish rots from the head and perhaps it's time to make some changes.

Let's talk first about Jamiel Shaw.  17 years old, a giften athlete and scholar young Jamiel was innocently shot down by an illegal alien who had been in the Sheriff's custody a few days before.  Jamiel's father Jamiel Sr. told us that Jamiel was loved and respected by family and friends.  "He was my redeemer," Shaw said.  Why was Jamiel's killer not deported when the Sheriff knew they had an illegal alien with a criminal past in their custody? Was the department gripped by political correctness imposed by race baiting pandering politicians?

Then there's Mitrice Richardson.  24 years old when she was arrested last September by Sheriff's deputies in Malibu following intoxicated behavior at a local restaurant.  Finding pot in her car officers impounded her car.  Taken to the Sheriff's station in Agoura Hills she was released in the middle of the night without having been given a routine mental examination despite her bizarre behavior in the restaurant. Richardson was let go from the Sheriff's office, far from home without her car, purse, cell phone or any money.  Within moments of Mitrice leaving the station an unknown uniformed Sheriff's Deputy left the station, as seen on videotape, and not at a normal shift changeover.  Richardson's skeletal remains were found in Malibu Canyon last week quite a distance from where she was released on foot last year.  Her death remains a mystery but questions persist about the Sheriff's Department handled her arrest and if procedures were properly followed.

Most recently it was the death of another 17 year old, Zac Champommier of Granada Hills that raised questions how Sheriff's deputies make their decisions in use of force matters. Zac was in the parking lot of a Studio City shopping center when an inter-agency plainclothes anti-drug task force was meeting and officers noticed a man looking in cars in the parking lot.  Officers began a pursuit of the mine, which likely spooked the young and naive Zac who began to speed off in his car.  Officers allege that Zac struck one of the officers with the car (disputed by a witness) and the youngster was struck down by a hail of bullets by the officers.  Zac's death devastated a community but united them to organize and demand answers.

Though each of these cases were different each involved young people who were not criminals and did not have to die.  Poor decisions likely came from an atmosphere of politics forced on law enforcement whether it's sanctuary city policies on the left or the inane war on drugs of the right.

We can only hope that each of these cases will be investigated honestly and that the politicians will get out of the way.  But don't hold your breath.