Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Sensational buzz phrases that make good cops look stupid.

The victim was shot execution style. What does that phrase mean?

To me it sounds like they took the victim blindfolded to a stake in the ground, first offered him a cigarette then a squad of Riflemen shot him dead. Too often what it really means is that the person who uses that phrase while describing a homicide exaggerates and can't be believed.

He was shot at point blank range. Go ahead define that term if you dare!

I remember watching a defense lawyer destroy a cop’s testimony on a murder case. Tell us officer, what’s the definition of the term, point blank range that you just used?

I watched the homicide detective react like a deer caught in the headlights. He stuttered, coughed, babbled and finally confessed he was just not sure what that meant. I watched as members of the jury laughed out loud. That came back to haunt the detective again in the defense lawyer’s closing argument to the jury. The jury acquitted the defendant who later sued the police department and received a settlement.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I take execution style to mean, the victim is made to kneel, and then shot in the back of the head.

Anonymous said...

Stupid TV reporters do this all the time.

Anonymous said...

Point-blank actually has its roots in Artillery and the use of cannon in which it would not be elevated for range. That was point-blank range.
So I guess for small arms it would be any range that the bullet would not lose its parabola or trajectory before hitting it's target, which, I would presume...is quite far away. Several feet.

Paul Huebl Crimefile News said...

Proud patrolman is right on targert! Point blank range is a distance less than when the projectile begins its response to the earth's gravity!

You get an A!

Anonymous said...

Never mind the definition of 'Point Blank'
I want to know how many were killed in the room behind the window that the unfortunate chap is standing?

Anonymous said...

Point blank range to me always means the target is so close that one can simply point their gun at it and hit it eaisly. As if pointing with ones own finger at the target..opposit of having to aim at a target some longer distance away. See why I made Sgt. Paul?

Paul Huebl Crimefile News said...

Andyman, confess that you had CLOUT in order to make sgt! Who was the Chinaman that got you made?