Officer charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing bat-wielding thief

8
3282

A San Leandro police officer has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in connection with the officer-involved shooting of a bat-wielding suspect inside a Walmart store.

The incident took place mid-afternoon. The bat-wielding suspect was threatening employees and customers as he attempted to steal merchandise. The man with the bat was black and named Steven Taylor.

Officers were called and a responding officer who shot him, who is white. He first shot Taylor with a taser but it didn’t disable him. Customers and employees had screamed at Taylor to drop the bat. He didn’t and kept coming. As Taylor continued to come at him with the bat, the officer shot him.

The DA has charged the officer, saying Taylor was disabled and didn’t pose a threat.

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced on Sept. 2 that her office has charged SLPD Officer Jason Fletcher with voluntary manslaughter in connection with Taylor’s death.

“The decision to file the criminal complaint was made after an intensive investigation and thorough analysis of the evidence and the current law,” O’Malley said in a press release. “Charging a police officer with Voluntary Manslaughter is not a decision that is made lightly, nor rashly.”

The family demands murder charges.

Watch — warning, every graphic:

We’ll leave it here:


You can comment on the article after the ads and subscribe to the Daily Newsletter here if you would like a quick view of the articles of the day and any late news:

PowerInbox
0 0 votes
Article Rating
8 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MichMike
MichMike
4 years ago

Because someone must die or be maimed before violent criminals can be dealt with. Caring.

tedwest
4 years ago

The beauty here is that not only is this another wonderful children’s bedtime story, but this has the video to go with it.

shabtaizisel
shabtaizisel
4 years ago

This is why James Bond did not merely “tase” Oddjob.

Stimie Mellin
Stimie Mellin
4 years ago

Cleanup in the douchebag isle….

Notmypic
4 years ago

He was charged because it’s Commiefornia, because he’s white, because the criminal was black. Simple, that’s the Democrat form of “justice,” or is that “just us?”
DEMOCRAT = TRAITOR
DNC = Communist Party USA