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| The crazy homicidal cop, Ryan Pownall |
"There was no reason or necessity for Pownall to shoot Jones, let alone fire at his back until he went down," the investigatory grand jury's report recommending charges stated. "For no reason, Pownall fired his gun in the direction of traffic, endangering other people. Jones was no danger to anyone in his flight. His death was not necessary to secure his apprehension – an apprehension that would never have been necessary if Pownall had not incited the confrontation."
Former Philadelphia police officer charged with murder after fatal shooting in Hunting Park
PHILADELPHIA, PA (WPVI) --
A former Philadelphia police officer has been charged with first-degree murder following a shooting last year.
In June of 2017, Ryan Pownall was involved in the deadly shooting of 32-year-old David Jones in Hunting Park.
It happened after Jones was stopped for riding a dirt bike on city streets and, police say, he reached for a weapon.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a news conference on Tuesday that Pownall attempted to shoot Jones but his gun jammed.
Philadelphia police officer indicted after fatal shooting in Hunting Park. Watch this news conference with District Attorney Larry Krasner on September 4, 2018.
He says Jones tossed his own gun to the ground and began to run away.
"Video recovered from the scene shows Jones was unarmed, and he never turned toward Pownall or gestured in a threatening manner during his flight," Krasner said.
Pownall fired at least three shots toward Jones and nearby traffic, Krasner said, hitting Jones twice in the back, killing him.
Krasner says Jones' gun was recovered by investigators about 25 feet in the opposite direction from where he was shot.
In announcing his dismissal last September, Commissioner Richard Ross said other errors committed by Pownall included stopping Jones with witnesses present in his patrol car and failing to notify police dispatch that he was stopping Jones in the first place.
Black Lives Matter activists held up a mock wanted poster of Pownall as they hailed Krasner's announcement.
But the Fraternal Order of Police and Pownall's family members slammed Krasner and decried the charges.
FOP, family members respond after fmr. Philly cop charged with murder. Watch the news conference from September 4, 2018.
"We believe first-degree murder is absolutely absurd in this case," said FOP Lodge #5 President John McNesby. "We're going to stand with his wife, Tina, his children, as well as every officer out there today, and in the 15th District, and citywide, to make sure they get what's needed and to that he's eventually brought home in the coming days."
Pownall's brother, Edward, said his family is "horribly saddened and disturbed."
"He loves being an officer. He's a great person," Edward Pownall said.
Pownall has turned himself into police. If convicted, Pownall could face the death sentence or life in prison without parole.
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Ex-Philly cop Ryan Pownall to be charged for fatal on-duty shooting
by Chris Palmer
Ryan Pownall, who as a Philadelphia Police officer last year fatally shot a man who ran from a traffic stop, turned himself in Tuesday to be charged with murder and related counts — the first time in nearly two decades that a city police officer will be criminally prosecuted for an on-duty shooting.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a news conference Tuesday morning that a grand jury determined Pownall unnecessarily fired his weapon at 30-year-old David Jones, who had been riding a dirt bike in North Philadelphia and allegedly carrying a gun that he dropped as he fled from Pownall.
Krasner said the charges are an example of "applying justice even-handedly," but added that it was "regrettably unusual" how infrequently officers in Philadelphia had previously faced criminal consequences for using their service weapons.
"This is a city, like many other American cities, where there has not been accountability for activity by police officers in uniform, especially when that activity involves violence against civilians," said Krasner, who was sworn into office earlier this year and quickly reiterated a campaign promise to pursue cases against police officers who shoot, if evidence supported it.
The decision was all but certain to spark criticism from the police union, which scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon to discuss the case.
It also drew immediate praise from activists who last year staged near-daily protests and disruptions, as well as other Krasner supporters.
Isaac Gardner and Christopher Norris, two of the most visible protesters in the aftermath of the shooting, hailed the decision outside the District Attorney's Office as soon as Krasner's news conference ended. Gardner said that Krasner was "stepping up and doing the right thing" and that he and fellow activists planned to see the case through until resolution.
HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Activists Rowena Faulk, left, Isaac Gardner, center, and Christopher Norris speak to the media following a news conference outside the District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018.
Asa Khalif – who was arrested while protesting for Pownall's arrest – tweeted: "Good job Larry Krasner!"
The Philadelphia Coalition for a Just District Attorney, a local group of criminal justice activists, issued a statement saying in part: "In keeping to his commitment to investigate police killings, Mr. Krasner is telling thousands of Philadelphians that police should not have a protected status and must be held accountable for the violence they enact in our communities."
Pownall, 36, was dismissed from the Police Department last year over the shooting, with Commissioner Richard Ross citing a host of departmental violations and saying Pownall displayed "poor judgment" during the altercation with Jones.
According to a grand jury report detailing Pownall's arrest, Pownall cursed at Jones after stopping him for riding the dirt bike. When he frisked Jones, the report says, he said he felt a gun, and a struggle ensued. Jones broke free and ran away, according to the report, and Pownall tried to fire his service gun but it jammed. He fixed his gun and fired at least three shots, the report says, striking Jones in the back.
Jones' weapon — which he could not have owned legally due to previous felony convictions — was later found on the ground "roughly 25 feet from where Pownall was firing, in the opposite direction of Jones' flight," the report says.
"[Jones'] death was not necessary to secure his apprehension – an apprehension that would never have been necessary if Pownall had not incited the confrontation," the report says.
The shooting generated a wave of protests and disruptions, including at city news conferences and outside Pownall's home. Activists frequently called for his arrest, and cited the fact that the white officer had been involved in another on-duty shooting of a black man from behind in 2010.
In that case, Pownall was one of several officers who fired at Carnell Williams-Carney, who had run away from police in Frankford. Pownall later testified that he believed he fired the shot that struck and paralyzed Williams-Carney, although ballistics tests could not be conducted because the bullet remains lodged in his back.
Pownall was hired earlier this year by the Philadelphia Parking Authority as a maintenance worker, but he quickly resigned after colleagues raised concerns about it.
He was to face charges of murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and reckless endangerment. His arraignment had not yet been scheduled, Krasner said.
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The story above is rather typical of the behavior of the police officers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Here is another case regarding a lying corrupt thug, Ronald A. Lucas. These cops will sell their mother for a few dollars, especially the Italians.
Lying Lucas is #41
Former Passaic County Sheriff Officer Ronald A. Lucas Defrauded the New Jersey Police and Firemen Retirement Fund by Falsely Claiming on the job Injury
RONALD A. LUCAS, 60, OF POMPTON LAKES, A FORMER PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER, LIED DURING HIS GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER DURING A FALL AT A PROPERTY ON JUNE 28, 2011
As part of an investigation
we have been performing, we discovered that Ronald A. Lucas, a former Passaic
County sheriff officer with the Civil Division lied about his on-the-job
shoulder injury. Lucas claimed that he fell
on the job on June 28, 2011 at 687 Indian Road, Wayne, NJ and that he injured
his left shoulder requiring several pins.
He then filed a disability claim with the New Jersey Division of
Pensions and Benefits (Police and Firemen Retirement System). He was granted disability for one year with
subsequent review. After he retired with
claimed disability, he obtained a job as part-time security guard at the
Pequannock High School.
Bombshell
evidence contradicting Lying Lucas’ injury claims: We have obtained a report by Lt. Nick Mango
who stated that nobody was injured at the scene. The report by Lucas also states that he
stumbled and not fell.
We discovered that Mr. Lucas
suffered shoulder injuries while playing football and lifting heavy weights
over his lifetime. He was a linebacker
with the Pompton Lakes Cardinals (he played at position #41), using his
shoulder to hit and tackle his opponents during practice and during football
games. He also lifted very heavy weights
to do body building. Lucas has fallen on
his shoulder probably thousand times during his athletic and training career.
Everybody knows that
linebackers hit and tackle their opponents using their shoulders. These athletes also lift heavy weights and
they end-up injuries their shoulders. He (Lucas) even made the All County Team in
1980, showing how hard he was working out.
Based on our investigation, we found that weight lifting athletes do
suffer shoulder injuries of the type claimed by Lucas.
He also trained his two sons
(Dean Lucas and Ronnie Lucas) into playing TE and DE positions also with the
Cardinals football team. In fact,
linebackers suffer at least 13.5 percent of all football injuries and at least
65 percent of the linebackers end up undergoing surgery.
Lt.
Nick Mango wrote in his June 28, 2011 report that “nobody was hurt”. Also,
Lucas never wrote in his June 28, 2018 report that he was injured. He specifically wrote: “As I
entered the woods I stumbled”. He
never wrote that he was injured.
However, during this grand jury testimony, he provided a diametrically
different picture:
Lucas
claimed that he fell on his elbow and shoulder, but was able to regain his
balance, and he ran into a wooded area to seek cover behind a large boulder. Lucas claimed that he tore his biceps and had
surgery on his shoulder, and “ended up having a pretty severe injury” in his
shoulder, requiring “five pins.” Of
course we now know that this guy was a football player and body builder and
suffered these injuries over his many years of lifting heavy weights and
hitting his opponents with his shoulder (he was a linebacker with the Pompton
Lakes Cardinals at #41). This guy then
defrauded the Police and Firemen Retirement Fund by claiming disability and
started the double dipping.
So,
from flip-flopping regarding the color of the gun; to whether the door was
closed or open; to whether he knocked the door or not; to whether he suffered a
major injury or not, Lying Lucas has some serious credibility issues; and all
his lies were allowed to poison the grand jury deliberations.
We have obtained photos
showing Mr. Lucas lifting weights, after his alleged job-ending
disability. See for example the attached
image that is dated December 2013.
It is obvious to a
reasonable and objective person that Lucas (in his mid-50s) took this incident
on June 28, 2011 to claim on-the job-injury to be able to repair his previously
injured shoulder at taxpayers’ expense and to retire and then blame Basilis
Stephanatos for his injuries. After he
retired, he started the double dipping.
The finest of New Jersey at "work".