Cop Who Wrongly Led No-Knock Raid Against 78-Year-Old Grandfather Can’t Be Sued, Court Rules
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 5 months ago
It was a police raid John Oliver called “almost cartoonishly idiotic.” Looking to apprehend a violent drug dealer at his home in McDonough, Georgia, more than two dozen officers executed a no-knock warrant in February 2018. Smashing the door open with a battering ram, before tossing a flash grenade inside, officers stormed in with guns drawn, and quickly subdued the home’s lone resident, forcing him down on the ground.
But it wasn’t their man—police raided the wrong house. Instead, officers had just handcuffed Onree Norris, then a 78-year-old grandfather with heart trouble. At the time, Norris was simply watching TV in his bedroom when he heard a “thunderous sound:” Members from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team had just knocked down all three doors to his house. When Norris moved into his hallway, he was greeted by multiple officers “wearing military style gear pointing assault rifles at him,” who threw him to the floor.
[ … ]
Lambasting the raid as a “blatant constitutional violation,” Norris initially sued multiple officers as well as Capt. David Cody, who led the Henry SRT and exercised “overall tactical control” for the no-knock raid. But the other officers were soon shielded by qualified immunity, leaving the captain as the sole defendant.
As Norris alleged in a complaint, Capt. Cody “did not check to make sure Henry SRT members were going to the correct address or otherwise perform adequate precautionary measures to ensure the search warrant was properly executed.” Although the captain did review the search warrant, he admitted he didn’t read it “all the way through,” and that he usually doesn’t review the property’s description prior to a raid.
Qualified immunity. That means the police can do literally anything without being held accountable.
Those involved in this are stupid and violent men, a danger to society. And I couldn’t care less about their “war on drugs.” It means absolutely nothing to me, carries absolutely no importance whatsoever.
As I’ve said many times before, you’re never in more danger than when the police are around.
On June 9, 2021 at 10:27 pm, Ohio Guy said:
Oh…they can be held accountable alright.
On June 9, 2021 at 11:19 pm, Longbow said:
Worse, the men who did this are PROUD of themselves.
Jose Guerena was unavailable for comment.
On June 10, 2021 at 7:51 am, Matt said:
Gee, now I wonder while real drug criminals like to install things like cages inside the doors to trap wanna be door bangers.
This “war on drugs” is beyond ridiculous and needs to stop. I don’t see where any of the founding documents, you know the ones that state what powers govt. has in its pursuit of upholding people’s rights, that it gets to regulate what anyone puts in their body.
On June 10, 2021 at 7:56 am, Alex Lund said:
@Ohio Guy
You are right. But that would demand willpower. The will to act.
But that is in very short supply.
Just ask Jane Fonda. She is happy that no will to act exists since 1972.
On June 10, 2021 at 8:15 am, Bill Buppert said:
After the first one, the rest are free.
What would Henry Bowman do?
On June 10, 2021 at 9:09 am, Sisu said:
I expect most readers already know “Qualified” and “Absolute Immunity” are constructs of the Courts (right up to / down from SCOTUS); these constructs are not “law” as there is statute the constructs follow from. … Exercises in illegitimate authority based on Mao’s: “All political power comes from the barrel of a gun”.
“No Knock Raids” are a blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment, and are predicated on the assumption “one is guilty until proven innocent”.
Further, I offer the “War on Drugs” does matter. … It exemplifies the entrenchment of illegitimate “government” in the Global Trade and Logistics of dangerous, addictive, “recreational” drugs …
More to the point it originated as a “created crisis” that no demorat would allow to become a wasted opportunity – it is a “war that cannot be won”; why fight it ? … There’s money to be made (e.g., remember Mena Airport). The “war on drugs” is first and foremost an “extortion racket” and “price support” tactic, … As well an excuse of creating an ever expanding “standing army” and for suspending Constitutional protections.
Next phase: legalization and “tax revenues” and enforcement. A new facet of the indiscriminate vampires at BATFED.
I agree: “Those involved in this are stupid and violent (“persons” – men and women), (all are) a danger to society. … you’re never in more danger than when the police are around.”
On June 10, 2021 at 10:56 pm, George 1 said:
The national IQ continues to drop.
On June 10, 2021 at 10:59 pm, George 1 said:
Also, cops should not be allowed to wear masks. Crooks wear masks.