Alabama Passes A Bill That Considers An Attack On An Officer A Hate Crime. Do You Support This?

MSgt C Madd - I believe murder is murder, I do not think the status of the victim changes that. In my mind it is no less heinous to kill a 90 year old straight white male, than a gay latino 13 year old, or a 40 year old black police officer, or a 30 day old infant. Life is life. It is not justice's to place more value on one than the other without looking at the totality of the crime. That is one of the functions of a judge or a jury depending on the jurisdiction in which the crime was committed.

I believe that someone who commits:

_1st degree murder has proven that they are not fit to rejoin society ever! If it were not more expensive than life without the possibility of parole, I would prefer the death penalty, (as long as the evidence met certain guidelines).
_2nd degree murder and manslaughter should have the totality of their crime evaluated by a judge and the citizens of the jurisdiction, through their legislature must decide what type of punishment they want available to the judge or jury. The judge or jury should then have to hand down a sentence within the guidelines approved by that legislature.

Maj John Bell - I guess we will just agree to disagree. I attended a police officers funeral several years ago. The priest said, "It's bad enough this man was killed. It's worse that he's a cop. Killing a cop fractures the very foundation of how our society is built." I agreed with him.

I believe in the totality of the circumstances but when or if a subject says they attack Police just because they are Police they should be punished but to call it a "Hate Crime" in general is a streach

MSgt C Madd - I understand, my son-in-law was a Lansing Police Officer. The word got out that in a scuffle a dealer injured my son-in-law's knee. Whenever he got in a scuffle in a particular neighborhood, the suspects targeted that knee. Three years and two knee surgeries later he was medically retired from a profession he loved.

I take solace in the fact that the judge considered witness testimony that these defendants were attempting to and eventually permanently disabled a police officer. If there was sufficient evidence to believe they targeted his knee, the judges did not release them on bond to await trial, and they received substantially stiffer penalties, that were within the sentencing guidelines for the crime. Instead of serving time served, or months of confinement their sentences were over five years in every case. In handing down their decisions each judge made it clear that their intent was an aggravating factor. (Three cases, three different judges, five perpetrators).

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What's the definition of injury, in RI? (Serious question).

In practical terms, something you could photograph as evidence. For instance, I was kicked in the shin by an intoxicated woman we were booking. We charged her with the misdemeanor. BTW, she apologized when she was sober and wanted a hug when I ran into her before court. Cute too. Must be a keeper. True story.

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If there was a bruise as a result, is that an injury? (Since it's photographic evidence). Not saying I would charge someone for a bruise, but just using as an example.

I'd go with it. If you have enough indifference towards an officer to bruise him, I'm all for a felony charge. Besides, it can be plead down. If I charge the lesser offense, there's less room.