CHL holder killed by police in Las Vegas at a Costco

[Rex B]

It's not only the cops and Costco that want this incident to go away. Any and all who derive income from tourism in Vegas want it to go away. That would also include any media that receives advertising money to promote the place.

Then the best thing they can do is lay the cards on the table, and act appropriately if the cops were wrong. That means dismissal, criminal charges, and speedy, fair trials. Anything less and Las Vegas has a corrupt police department. If that's true, what else is corrupt?

[TXlaw1]

It's not only the cops and Costco that want this incident to go away. Any and all who derive income from tourism in Vegas want it to go away. That would also include any media that receives advertising money to promote the place.

Then the best thing they can do is lay the cards on the table, and act appropriately if the cops were wrong. That means dismissal, criminal charges, and speedy, fair trials. Anything less and Las Vegas has a corrupt police department. If that's true, what else is corrupt?

Doesn't their nationwide advertising say something like, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."? Is that their motto? Does this mean a coverup of such a tragic case is in the best interest of Vegas and their tourism trade so precious to their continued existence?

[PeteCamp]

Then the best thing they can do is lay the cards on the table, and act appropriately if the cops were wrong. That means dismissal, criminal charges, and speedy, fair trials. Anything less and Las Vegas has a corrupt police department. If that's true, what else is corrupt?

Well, I'm kinda surprised that has to even be asked, given that the modern boom in Las Vegas was started by Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. I think a lot of people truly believe (or hope) that everything in Las Vegas is free of the mob influence, but if there was ever a whole city owned by the mob, it is Las Vegas. And guess what? I don't think the mob just gave such a lucrative money maker away. JMHO anyway.

[Oldgringo]

Then the best thing they can do is lay the cards on the table, and act appropriately if the cops were wrong. That means dismissal, criminal charges, and speedy, fair trials. Anything less and Las Vegas has a corrupt police department. If that's true, what else is corrupt?

Well, I'm kinda surprised that has to even be asked, given that the modern boom in Las Vegas was started by Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. I think a lot of people truly believe (or hope) that everything in Las Vegas is free of the mob influence, but if there was ever a whole city owned by the mob, it is Las Vegas. And guess what? I don't think the mob just gave such a lucrative money maker away. JMHO anyway.

These things are not good for business.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is more than a catchy ad slogan. It's a way of life. Las Vegas has no more desire to air this incident than Disney World does to announce when kids get eaten by alligators in Fort Wilderness campground.

[philip964]

A person I knew was a gambler. She got behind in Vegas and owed them a lot of money. She ended up stealing from her company to keep gambling. We always thought she was not smart enough to figure out the complex scheme to get the money. We always wondered if she had help. Kids have been eaten by crocs in Disneyworld?

[Oldgringo]

Kids have been eaten by crocs in Disneyworld?

No, there have been incidents with alligators, not crocodiles.

[seamusTX]

A person I knew was a gambler. She got behind in Vegas and owed them a lot of money. She ended up stealing from her company to keep gambling. We always thought she was not smart enough to figure out the complex scheme to get the money.

Many companies and government agencies have frightfully weak auditing policies. They just nailed a guy here who allegedly obtained something like a hundred grand in phony payments to shell companies that he ran. I doubt he was a Mensa member.

Trying to stay on topic here, search for Erik Scott, Las Vegas, shooting. Only local Las Vegas media and RKBA forums seem to care. Otherwise it is just another police shooting of a "suspect," which happens several times a day in the U.S.

- Jim

[A-R]

Trying to stay on topic here, search for Erik Scott, Las Vegas, shooting. Only local Las Vegas media and RKBA forums seem to care. Otherwise it is just another police shooting of a "suspect," which happens several times a day in the U.S.

That's depressing, but not surprising. In the national media's mindset, what is the difference between this case and the Amadou Diallo case?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadou_Diallo_shooting" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With NYPD plainclothes approaching, Diallo reached into his pocket and pulled out an object (turned out to be his wallet) and was obscured by darkness, backlit by an interior hallway light behind him. An NYPD plainclothes officer didn't remember the four rules, and fired off a round when he tripped on a curb because his finger was not properly indexed. The officers were charged but later acquitted. The Diallo family sued for $61 million and settled for $3 million. The media had a field day with this case, countless politicians, activists, singers and other Hollywood types denounced the NYPD.

Scott either did or did not reach for something. There may or may not be video evidence. This shooting occured in broad daylight. Some reports say he had sunglasses in his hands when he fell from the first volley of shots fired by LVPD.

Differences:
black-skinned man in city vs. white-skinned man in suburbs
night time vs. daytime
no video vs. video that may or may not be available
deceased reached for something when cops approached, but did not have a gun vs. deceased may or may not have reached for something, but DID have a gun

Seems to me the media has already convicted Scott - guilty by association with guns. What if Scott had NOT been carrying that day? What if he had an empty holster or just a cell phone or something else that made the Costco employees freak out. What if he was "unarmed" when he was shot? Is Scott's case dismissed by unthinking media because "well he had a gun on him, he probably did something to deserve it"?

If a video proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Scott DID NOT reach for anything and DID NOT have a gun in his hands at the time he was shot, will this change the media's perception of this story? Will it be too little too late? Or will the media just continue to say - "he had a gun on him, so what if it wasn't in his hands when they shot him"

[JNMAR]

Up to this point LV has seemed to have prospered fairly well without any of my money, and I fully expect them to continue to prosper without it. As for Costco, because of their part in this killing, my wife and I canceled our Costco membership this month after telling them why...probably not gonna make em a lot of difference, the last time I drove by one of their stores the doors were still open. But I feel better!

[seamusTX]

Is Scott's case dismissed by unthinking media because "well he had a gun on him, he probably did something to deserve it"?

That is exactly what I am saying, and have been for 29 pages of replies now.

The difference with Amadou Diallo is not that Diallo was black; it is that he was unarmed, and the incident occurred in the media capital of the world. Las Vegas already has a reputation as a place where funky stuff goes down. People just expect it. They would be disappointed if it didn''t. (Chicago is largely the same.)

If the legal process actually produces a just result, some cops may lose their jobs and Erik Scott's family may get a large settlement years from now.

- Jim

[mctowalot]

After following the links posted and reading the local (LV) news articles, I always find myself reading the comments left by other readers. It's been enlightening.



For instance, people are saying "he (Mr. Scott) must have been up to no good - who needs a gun to go shopping at Costco?"

And not having any concept of "carrying" the fact that Mr. Scott was carrying a second gun just freaks them out even more.

[seamusTX]

I have found comments on web sites to have less intellectual weight than a hot-air balloon.

There is at least one company that I have heard of, that pays people to call into talk radio shows and post on web sites with whatever political point of view the client wants to pay for. I don't know for a fact that this happens, but I suspect that I have seen it even on this forum.

- Jim

[Keith B]

I have found comments on web sites to have less intellectual weight than a hot-air balloon.

Watch it there Jim! I guess that comment is OK as long as you don't add 'pilot' to the end of that statement.

[jimlongley]

I have found comments on web sites to have less intellectual weight than a hot-air balloon.

Watch it there Jim! I guess that comment is OK as long as you don't add 'pilot' to the end of that statement.

Yeah, hot air balloons in flight may not have weight, but they have mass. Just ask someone who has crash landed in one.

[Tamie]

If the guilty parties block justice through the courts, I hope they get biblical justice.