http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/13/1377443/-What-Really-Killed-Eric-Harris-How-Common-is-It-For-Rich-People-to-be-Able-to-Cosplay-as-Real-Cops?detail=email
Eric Harris was killed by a rich man who donated equipment to the Tulsa, Oklahoma sheriff's department so that he could enjoy some live action role-playing as a cop.
The Daily Beast offers the following details:
The deputy wasn’t an active member of the sheriff’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which was responsible for the bungled sweep. But Bates has donated thousands in gifts to the office since 2008, the Tulsa World reported.
He is one of many “wealthy people in the reserve program,” which includes 130 volunteer deputies, Maj. Shannon Clark of the sheriff’s office said.
“Many of them make donations of items. That’s not unusual at all,” he added.
Bates’ contributions include vehicles, firearms and stun guns, Clark said. The shooting was recorded via sunglasses cameras worn by police—items that Bates may have purchases himself.
His previous law enforcement credentials include a stint as a Tulsa police officer from 1964 to 1965.
Clark said Bates was an “advanced reserve” and his duties included “anything a full-time deputy can do.”
During this particular encounter, however, Bates would normally be in a support role that includes “keeping notes, doing counter-surveillance, things like that,” Clark told the Tulsa World.
The State has a monopoly on legal murder. And as is typical in a corporate democracy where the public commons is for sale, and Austerity, Neoliberalism, and the Culture of Cruelty, are a conjoined beast, anything and everything can be purchased.
The role of public servant in the guise of a police officer is also for sale to adult cop obsessives who possess immature dreams of wearing a uniform and bullying the public.
Yes, race and the colorline are central to the repeated murders of unarmed black people (and other people of color, the poor, and the mentally ill) by America's police. But, the devaluing of black life exists within a society where basic notions of The Public, as well as Public Responsibility and Ownership, are under assault by The 1 Percent.
As a commenter pointed out at The Daily Beast, what other jobs with life and death responsibilities are up for auction to the highest bidder? Doctors? Air traffic controllers? Firefighters? Generals? Elected officials?
[I think we know the answer for the latter.]
Eric Harris is dead because the Tulsa, Oklahoma sheriff's department, in a desire to get more toys for its officers to play with, sold its professionalism and public reputation to the highest bidder.
more privilege in America money can't buy you love and there are few things it can't going to Heaven comes to mind. okay this guy is 73 years old rich and bribed yes bribed his way on to Fantasy Island with shiny new police things. for that gesture not of caring he gets to play Hunter except he's not Fred Dryer not an actor and Tulsa is not L.A. no matter what he did before he was incapable of knowing the difference of feel of a 9mm and a taser not to mention the weight. here is a pic you see if you think anyone not unconscious would not know the difference, even if he was caught up in the moment that too makes him unfit to be carrying either one. the idiot that okay'd the idea of real life to the highest bidder needs to answer to charges of incompetence. this reminds me of a movie there have been a couple
