Family of teen slain by deputy to speak

The family of a teenager slain in Compton by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy will hold a news conference today to talk about the shooting.

Avery Cody Jr., 16, was shot and killed Sunday afternoon near the intersection of Poinsettia Avenue and Alondra Boulevard by a deputy on routine patrol.

An attorney for Avery's family has said the shooting was unnecessary and that the teenager posed no threat to authorities or anyone else.

"He was running away and he was gunned down in the streets of Compton," said attorney John E. Sweeney. "It's just a horrible, horrible shooting."

Sweeney said the news conference would be held at noon today at the scene of the shooting. Sheriff's detectives have declined to comment on Sweeney's accusations.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz and Ari B. Bloomekatz

Comments

[Sam]

well, this is always the dilemma that police officers and the community are faced with. When something bad happens, the community is quick to cry out that the victim was innocent or that they were doing nothing wrong, etc... when more times than not, something DOES happen, and then the community is out there mourning the loss of a "true" innocent bystander, criticizing the Police for not doing enough. This is one of the longest standing oxymorons in LA County. as for the victim 'not posing a threat', well, that won't be known til after the fact. But if he was a gangbanger or thug, they probably got rightfully categorized by the Police. Of course, nothing is 100%, such as the SART officer shooting in Oakland, however, a lot of the times, certain individuals bring it upon themselves to act in a way that is not considered normal.
This debate will be an everlasting one, however, how do we actually know that the victim was as innocent as his family likes to believe. Every child in their parent's eyes and heart are innocent little children. But the scenario creates a scene that most are way too familiar with. It is not like the victim was caring a bookbag and books and this accident happened. Innocent is as innocent does, not just because someone said so.

[Raymond R. Lucas]

I'm sick and tired of hearing about Law Enforcement officials shooting suspects in the back because they're running away. Why wouldn't asuspect run away? Who can trust Police to behave professionally anymore? I don't blame that kid for running, and if law Enforcement can't arrest a person without shooting at them, then they just don't get him today. That's all there should be to it.

[Cal Godot]

how do we actually know that the victim was as innocent as his family likes to believe.

It's in the Constitution. Innocent until proven guilty. That's how we know it. If you endorse cops shooting people even though the officer is not being threatened, on the grounds that the criminal status of the target is unknown, then you are allowing that it is okay if the police do shoot someone who has no criminal record and was not engaged in criminal activity warranting death. By doing so, you endorse the idea that everyone should obey the police, no matter what. It is this attitude exhibited by citizens which leads directly to the police state.

The rush to blame the victim is closely tied with the desire to please and obey authority. Rather than question the police who shot a minor in the back, Sam and those like him choose to believe the best about the cop and assume the worst about the victim. It's tragic that adults feel the need to kowtow to the police - in a truly free, truly democratic country, it should be the cops who bow to the people. But then America is neither truly democratic nor truly free, is it?

[Letty]

Well Sam I can tell you don't live in the "hood"... Only someone who has not seen the police beat someone just because they feel that it is funny or how about these cops who have placed drugs on young men only cause they feel like they didn't have a big enough case to throw away someone’s life. Now don't get me wrong I was once naive too and couldn't believe that police who are here to "protect and serve" would do such a thing I mean not the police. Well I have grown out of the stage and have seen it myself. How about a father walking his son home from school in his work uniform, oh by the way he worked for the city of LA, getting thrown on the floor a house away from his in front of his son to be searched. Guess what they came up with...nothing. Now if you had to see this stuff on a daily basis I would run from the police too. They can't be trusted. Let me give you a perfect example of how well our LAPD works... my mom was a manager for some apartment and one of the ladies hit her with a car guess what happen to the lady. You guessed it nothing! But the police are so trigger happy it is always justified right. Come on now! Now I am not saying that this kid was innocent because I wasn't there but what I can say is don't always jump to the kid being a gang member some time it doesn't even take that much for the police to shoot someone down it just takes a excuse. Oh at the end don't worry the cop will have his story together and backed up. But who else other than his mother does he have to defend him. I am sure she knows her son can be a problem who doesn't know their teenage son is going through something. I wonder if you have kids and what you would do in this situation I hope you would be there to defend your child.

[ndirish]

Here we go again. If you are told to stop you stop. If you are told to lay on the ground you lay on the ground? Stop blaming the cops for everything. Why does anyone run from the cops could only be 2 reasons. You are on parole or you have something on you which is not good. No other reason period.

[pat]

Fortunately these cases don't always go the way of the cops, just yesterday in Oakland a cop was FIRED for doing exactly this, shooting a suspect in the back as he fled. That cop had done the same thing before, used the same excuse even: "reaching for his gun blahblah" but the second time was no charm. Maybe people are waking up now to this, hope the family gets something as they would appear on the surface now at least to have a case.

[thedefender]

The law... is the law... is the LAW! I don't care if he ran away with a bag of dope in his pocket and one of Picasso's paintings! You CANNOT, BY LAW, shoot a suspect in the back that is running away. Police are trained and have plenty of tools and resources to pursue and apprehend a suspect that flees on foot. Why else do we have shows like "COPS" that chase people for blocks and blocks and NOT SHOOT THEM. The gun is ONLY to be used when the suspect has clearly shown himself to be life threat to the cop or others.

[thedefender]

why aren't my comments being posted?

[Mack]

Did everyone forget the boy running was found with a gun????? I think it would be pretty hard for the COPS to plant a gun in a busy intersection with numerous witnesses directly after the shooting and nobody (not even the KID'S gang member friends) would see it. Why was he carrying a gun? What if the boy had intentions on using that gun on your child or your child became another innocent victim of gun violence while standing on the street or playing in his/her front yard. Whether you like it or not, the COPS have a right to defend themselves and the public...ESPECIALLY when somebody runs away with a gun that they shouldn't be possessing in the first place. If the boy with the gun was running towards your family pointing it in a threatening matter, would it be okay for the COPS to shoot him in the back then...just to protect your family?? Bottom line is...no of us were there, but all of us have opinions especially families and attornies. Maybe people should keep an open mind and wait for ALL the facts to come out.

[ANTIONETTE]

1st look it to the facts he did not have a gun and i run from the police and i don't have no record at all i don't like police and this is one reason why

[veronica]

Hi I'm Avery's Grandmother I live in Georgia Avery was living here with me. He went back to Los Angele's for short wile he was going to return to Georgia on July 20, 2009 instead he was murder in the streets of Compton by Compton sheriff Avery was a good guy very sweet very helpful and loved to play around with his two brothers on July 5, 2009. A Compton sheriff decide to take his life for no reason at all i have been seat up here reading some of the comments but I've some thing to tell you , don have to be doing anything by the police in the city of Compton Just being black is a enough reason for them I'm very angry at them i believe it was a cold blood murder and this is to you grandson grand mother is going to make sure justice well prevail and to you people that think the police had a good reason to shoot my baby in his back then you need to think again they have an excuse for everything he was coming out of McDonald's with a couple of his friends and because hes a young black boy you want to label him as an gang member well if you ask me police are the gang members
Granny loves you Avery and i well fight you until god call me to be with you