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TraCoun, all valid questions. And #1 actually makes my point, if you think about it.

Guys, it appears we are all off on rabbit trails.
Come let us reason on this. I am a pretty simple guy; I need to understand the problem in the simplest terms possible. So, without starting arguments or discussions on a) was the police at the right house? b) should the homeowner defend himself? c) who is at fault? etc etc etc.

The problem is this: Before a police hit squad can bust down your door, they have to knock.
Not wait for an answer, not stop if someone responds, not wait for the door to open and the homeower to ask 'whats going on?'

Nope. The case (as my simple brain understood it, and I could be *very* wrong here) is simply, and only, this.
Before they enter your house, using whatever methods they deem necessary, they have to stop 2 seconds (!!) before executing said plan and knock on the door.

Forget the rights and wrongs here and focus on this one point.
What point is served by knocking?
Nothing.

Oh, and don't forget the fact that they have to be screaming POLICE!! multiple times BEFORE they knock.

It would be as assinine as the State of Texas requiring me to rattle off my CHL number before I discharge my weapon. It would not prevent me from shooting an innocent, it would serve no purpose even if people could say I did it, and worst of all it would jeopardize precious seconds that *I* have to react.

I would much rather the S.C. be hearing a case on *WHY* police have such access to warrants for drug house assaults, which based on what I saw on TV yesterday, looks to me like a total misuse of manpower and authority.

~Bill

Honestly, Brandon, would knocking, just before they flashbang 2 windows and knock your front door off its hinges make a bit of difference?

I am not contesting that raids can be extremely stupid, and negligent.
I AM contesting that it is a requirement to knock (note that it is not "& wait for a reasonable answer and walk away if they have one.")

This is merely a lame-o attempt at allowing defense lawyers an out.

Now, if the police do come thru my door, as in Granddad's case, they better have lawyers out the wazoo. Because negligence like that is unacceptable. And should be punished severely.

Better still would be what you suggested. Don't go in at all. I feel the risk is not worth the prize.

Funny that you bring that up. I was lying around yesterday afternoon, and I thought I would watch "DALLAS SWAT" on TV for giggles, having seen it once and thinking it was silly.

Lo and behold, they have a night assault on a single-family home.
They have been in this house previously, and since it took them 10 MINUTES to get in, all the evidence was flushed down the toilet.
Soooo, this time Delta Team flashbangs the snot out of the bathroom, while Bravo Team uses a heavy vehicle to rip off the burglar bars off the front door and window. Alpha assaults after B & D do their stuff.

Suprisingly, they find NOTHING. No BG's, no drugs, no illegal anything.
And then they casually talk about "Well, sometimes you get a 'dry hole'" with an implied "Sucks to be you." attitude.
I was speechless. I wanted to know, "What happened to the people and their property?" So I DO agree with you in spirit.
However, KNOCKING changes none of this, except in court.

~Bill

I declare sorry NYT bias in reporting here.

If they HAVE a warrant, and HAVE annouced their presence, WHY WHY WHY should they be REQUIRED to knock?

How in the world can SWAT teams take down a drug lab, if they require surprise and shock, but must first KNOCK on the front door?

Consider your source for the article.

~Bill