Cop who shot 'innocent' man won't be charged

Prosecutors will not pursue criminal charges against an Anaheim police officer who shot and killed an “innocent” 20-year-old man in his front yard in October, a spokeswoman said today.

The Orange County District Attorney’s investigation was limited to determining whether a crime was committed when the officer shot Julian Alexander late last year, said spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder.

Prosecutors “can’t prove that a crime has occurred beyond a reasonable doubt,” she said.

The shooting happened in the early morning hours of Oct. 24, when Alexander heard a commotion and emerged from his house holding what authorities say was either a broomstick or a shower rod.

He ran into an Anaheim police officer who was chasing burglary suspects, and the officer shot him twice in the chest. Alexander was handcuffed and taken to UCI Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Within hours of the shooting, Anaheim Police Chief John Welter said Alexander was innocent of any wrongdoing and apologized for the shooting, calling it "a tragic situation."

The officer, who has not been publicly identified, was placed on paid leave soon after the incident. He was back on patrol by mid-December.

--Paloma Esquivel

Comments

[Byron Walton]

This is wrong, this should not stand. The police should be held accountable for thier actions. How can the DA office not file charges? Hopefully the family will be compensated; however no amount of money will make this right.

[Lenoroc Leamsi]

So an innocent man gets shot and there's no repercussions for it? This is injustice if I've ever seen it.

[Mr.Z]

Guess Anaheim has now made it legal to Murder an innocent man who was only doing what the US Constitution allows us to do!!!

Under the letter of the law the officer was wrong!!!

Under the rule of law the officer was wrong!!

He should be charged with man slaughter at the very least!!

He may not have intended to murder an innocent man but just like driving a car and getting into an accident. You did not intend to kill that person in the other car but all the same you are head responsible for your actions and are charged with Man Slaughter.

This officer committee Man Slaughter pure and simple and should be charged.

Having 2 sets of laws one for us and one for them NOT RIGHT and is NOT LEGAL. The people demand justice and the family deserve justice.

[bruce]

why is the word "innocent" in quotes in the title? the implication is that the victim was arguably not innocent.

what can ordinary citizens learn from this? one possible lesson is if there's a disturbance outside your house, respond to your front lawn with a gun, not a shower rod, and make sure you get off the first shot. you won't get a paid vacation like the officer did, but you have a better chance of survival.

[Rob]

hmmm. so if it would of been the other way around where the occupant of the house shot the cop because he thought it was a burglar would the outcome be the same? we all know the answer to that.

[Terminator]

What a bunch of lazy reporters - they can't even figure out the cop's name. How hard would it be to knock on same neighbor's doors or go through the garbage?

[lee ballard]

Once again Americas biggest gang kills innocent civilians and not an ounce of accountably. Protect and serve whom?

[New mom]

Why is innocent in quotation marks?

[Xenu]

Do you think the result would be the same if the shooter wasn't a cop?

[mark]

He is back on patrol? Come on. I mean even if he isn't criminally liable, should we really put him back out there with a gun. I mean I would have gotten fired for a whole lot less than that.

[Vega Girl]

I don't know if it's just me, or this is really crazy that a cop can get away with killing an innocent victim and walk away from it. Fine, say it was an accident. This accident took away a life. How many of us that have jobs know if we make a major mistake (accident) at work, this is highly likely to cost us our jobs. I'm not saying this cop deserves to go to jail, but at the very least have his badge taken away. I mean really, do we want the next "accident" to be one of our kin. It is unfortunate that this cop is now capable of making the same mistake again.

[Kevin Black]

I am thinking this is Wineville circa 1928!

[writer]

He was an innocent black guy who got accidentally shot in his own yard in Orange County...yeah that seems totally above board.

[Amy]

This is an outrage! I think lee ballard said it so perfectly I will simply quote and add my agreement: "Once again Americas biggest gang kills innocent civilians and not an ounce of accountably. Protect and serve whom?"

I also find it ridiculous that "innocent" is in quotation marks. Intentional or not, there's a heavy implication that Alexander is not actually innocent.

[confused]

Why did that guy come out of his house? why didn't he look to see what was happenning first? He ran out and knocked into the cop how does someone do that? It was an accident.

"Oh sorry didn't see u wearing a uniform there, let me tackle you"

He ran into an Anaheim police officer who was chasing burglary suspects, and the officer shot him twice in the chest

If you were the cop chasing a suspect and u got knocked into by someone else what would you do...?

[Outrage]

This is truly sad! This could have been ANYONE, meaning anyone whose NOT a COP! They do not have to face accountability or responsibility for abusing their power toward civilians, as a matter of fact even when a cop has committed a crime against a civilian...they get PAID leave. They do not even report the cops name... For a fact, this man's life cannot be replaced by anything under the sun. He's gone, and no amount of "sorry" can bring him back. This cop is also back on patrol! What an injustice. Even though he got off the hook for taking an INNOCENT man's life, the family of the VICTIM should pursue a wrongful death civil suit against the police department!!! May God be with them...and I hope they read this.