mother suing ATF (warrantless entry & pointing guns @ 8 year old)

[PepperElf]

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/3...and-her-child/

They were looking for a previous resident ("Angela") whom no longer lived there. According to the article she twice informed the cops of this.

in wnd's version they also included that the woman had given them info on how to find angela.


It'll be interesting to see how the suit goes.

I can see one side of it where... the agents aren't purposefully trying to target the boy - they don't know what they're going to come up across before entering. And a mother saying "don't go in there" could always be a diversion.


But on the other hand, they still haven't provided the warrant. And did they really have ANY reasonable suspicion to enter in the first place?

“As far as we know they had no warrant to enter her home, they pointed rifles at her 8-year-old son, they terrorized both of them, and then they left,” Lane [the mother's lawyer] said. “That’s why we filed a lawsuit.”

[Greenday]

I'm guessing she'd still be bitching even if they did have a warrant but the ATF sure doesn't seem to have any justification for entering her property. No warrant? No suspicious activity? No entry.

[HYHYBT]

I can certainly understand their not taking her word for the fact that the other woman didn't live there anymore; it happens often enough, but people also lie about that sort of thing often enough.

But get a warrant, at least.

[Andara Bledin]

While I can understand her actions that morning, the fact that she went to the front, then the back, and then went and got dressed before opening the door likely led to the ultimate encounter once the door was opened.

The moment she was the SWAT tag on the officers, she should have opened the door, towel notwithstanding; they have no way of knowing that her bustling around wasn't to warn somebody or to get a weapon; it's in their job description to be paranoid.

Hell, for all we know, they might have thought there was a hostage situation. With that many officers, it's obvious that they expected trouble.

Then again, they could just be assholes on a power trip, which, unfortunately, too many ATF officers are.

[edit to add]
Also, I find it interesting that while this woman's name is Amanda Griego, the filing is reportedly from a Linda Griego.

Article at WND
Article at Tickle the Wire

^-.-^

[PepperElf]

interesting. i wonder if it's a middle name, or a mistake

[draco664]

Hell, for all we know, they might have thought there was a hostage situation. With that many officers, it's obvious that they expected trouble.

*snort* Right. SWAT teams are regularly dispatched to serve warrants on people suspected of smoking pot, so the number of officers present means diddly squat.

[Greenday]

*snort* Right. SWAT teams are regularly dispatched to serve warrants on people suspected of smoking pot, so the number of officers present means diddly squat.

Because drug busts can get quite violent. A lot of druggies don't go quietly.

[protege]

Because drug busts can get quite violent. A lot of druggies don't go quietly.

Exactly. Quite a few druggies flip the hell out.

For example, where my grandmother used to live, meth is now a big problem. Because the area is rural and somewhat isolated, meth labs have sprung up. From what I understand, most (if not all) of the meth producers are armed. Paranoia and firearms are *not* a good combination!

[Greenday]

Exactly. Quite a few druggies flip the hell out.

For example, where my grandmother used to live, meth is now a big problem. Because the area is rural and somewhat isolated, meth labs have sprung up. From what I understand, most (if not all) of the meth producers are armed. Paranoia and firearms are *not* a good combination!

Meth labs are the most dangerous.