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The Morning News has a group of stories on the sentencing of the ex-trooper in the mistaken identity shooting death, plus the trooper's dashboard video. Larry Norman shot Erin Hamley less than one minute after he got out of his patrol car.

Comments

It's too bad people can't remember that they thought this guy was a wanted fugitive; and that Hamley resembled said fugititve so much that even the coroner mis-identified him.

That's right, the coroner, who gets hours to sit and stare and compare photos -- couldn't tell the difference between the two.

Maybe some of you that hate policeman so much should keep that in mind. Maybe you should also keep it in mind they risk their life willingly for you or any stranger in need.

That's why he only got 90 days Jimmy. We all are served by order and not chaos. It is a dangerous job. That is why they should be well trained to protect themselves and the public. That is the other reason he got 90 days, he took a few minutes off and joined the side of chaos.

Maybe Erin Hamley's death will save other innocent lives in the future....that's the most pitifully tiny positive thing I can come up with. There are no winners in this case.

This is not justice.

Being a policeman does not give you a license to kill and serve Paris Hilton time.

If the tables were turned, and this kid "accidentally" shot a police officer, he'd be facing the death penalty.

It is not justice.

Which coroner? If it was the Benton County coroner that misidentified the body, it was probably because she was searching for some prescription pain meds to pilfer. She may have been high while doing her job. All this is the subject of a current criminal indictment.

The "stranger in need" in this case was a disabled man walking along a busy highway. He's dead now.

That business about the coroner misidentifying Hamley is incorrect. In fact, the case files never even mention a coroner being involved. A state police investigator compared Hamley's face to a picture of Leadford and opined they could be the same person. Fingerprints taken at the hospital didn't match anyone in the ACIC computers. The body was sent to the state crime lab.

Troopers should be held to a higher standard. This chickenshit got off so damn easy it makes a mockery of our justice system.

Twenty years without parole would have been close to justice. His fake tears and apologies are not enough.
He was way out of line.

_
"Maybe Erin Hamley's death will save other innocent lives in the future....that's the most pitifully tiny positive thing I can come up with."
posted by DBI

Nice thoughts my friend. But, it will never happen. Part of the pre arranged settlement was that Ark State Troopers would admit to NO WRONGDOINGS, nor guilt, nor liability.
That is a travesty.


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