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Two More Drug War Deaths

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #729)
Consequences of Prohibition

Two more people died last week in drug-related law enforcement actions, one in Colorado and one in Kentucky. The two men, an as yet unnamed Denver man and 46-year-old Brice Horne of Harned, Kentucky, become the 20th and 21st persons to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.

In the Colorado case, police told the Denver Post that a 35-year-old man was pulled over in an April 1traffic stop and then struggled with police before collapsing and dying.

He died after a "brief use of force" that was "very minor," Denver Police spokeswoman Raquel Lopez said. Force was used after the man became combative and tried to assault the officer, she said. He was then handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car, and shortly thereafter showed signs of "what appeared to be medical distress," she added.

The Office of the Medical Examiner reported that the man had "a large quantity of suspected narcotic" in his stomach.

"It appears one or more of the balloons burst or opened, releasing the content into the victim's system," Denver police said in a statement.

Denver police and the Denver District Attorney's Office are investigating.

In the Kentucky case, Kentucky State Police told media a Breckenridge County sheriff's deputy and a state police Drug Enforcement Special Investigations Task Force officer went to a Frankfort apartment last Tuesday morning to bust a methamphetamine lab.

Horne fled from the apartment and fled inside a nearby mobile home. The deputy didn't enter the mobile home, but the state agent did. Shots were fired and Horne was killed.

On Wednesday, police said the shooter was state police Detective Scott McMichael. They also said Horne confronted McMichael, threatened to kill himself, and fired his weapon before McMichael shot and killed him.

McMichael is on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

The C.J (not verified)

Well no im not into god or religion, but you know, in that socially acceptable "God bless" kind of way, may the souls of these two drug war victims rest in peace and it is a horror, horror. Its a horror and a shame that this has happened. You know, even in the worst of circumstances you've gotta realize that these two people didn't deserve this. The 20 others this year didnt, the millions didn't either. You know, I play the lotto because i am a heroin lover, and yea i try to make a thing about being the world's proudest opiate lover and my goal is to never have to have prohibition screw with my life again - like it did when i was in my junior years of narc loving and would, as many others obviously, wake up dope sick and freaking out about income. It's not just about that though, and i personally do something, which is why im writing this, incase any other, like minded or maybe not even like minded but if someone else intends to - i have a little book ive kept over the years full of names of doctors, reformists, victims, prisoners etc it's my book of heroes - wether its a dr feelgood or a doctor who practices "out of the box" approaches (aka, an "addiction medicine" doctor who sees a patient whose tried methadone, buprenorphine etc. and takes it upon themself not to be a piece of garbage doctor and go about their own opiate maintenance be it with hydromorphone or morphine or w/e) and reformists like Malcolm Kyle, Guthrie, so many others, victims like the men listed here, prisoners, like the Red Rivera etc and you know, one day i really hope to have the $ to put up memorials all over to honor these people. You know, it kills me, having once upon a time - well, not once, but well not get into that - having had my real name in the papers multiple times as another victim & prisoner of this drug war and to see so many others like me, whose names were above and below mine in local papers, regional - whatever, w their own complex issues but nevertheless like myself, probably people that enjoy life their own way, have brought love, life and laughter to family and friends and who've been demonized and victimized by this horrible policy. Yeah we cant let these people be forgotten no way. No way. The Denver man... jeez i mean that person SHOULD be alive, enjoying (if he was a participant in consumption, that is) whatever hed had in those balloons. That person should not be dead. I dont get how cops can go about their lives, the cop involved in that incident, i just dont understand - well i do, to be a cop youve gotta have that Cop DNA which is the most egocentric, selfish, manipulative, insecure DNA in the world - but i guess it makes me sick knowing we live in a world where cops like that wake up everyday thinking they're good people. LOL. These guys weren't the first they wont be the last all around its so wrong its soooooo wrong.

Fri, 04/06/2012 - 7:27am Permalink
Michael Horne (not verified)

Was searching the web to see what people have been saying about what happened to my father. the above posting from THE c.j. has made me very happy. The war on drugs is a losing war that America continues to fight willingly

Wed, 09/05/2012 - 12:51pm Permalink
Jenny (not verified)

It is very disturbing to read anything in regards to people losing their lives. However, what most readers don't know is they truth behind the reason. That Brice Horne was given a beautiful life filled with love and support from his parents. He always had shelter and warm food to eat. His parents did without so he could attend private schools to get only the best education. However, he chose to live a life of drug abuse. Destruction of his family and friends was not a worry to him. He lost is wife, the love of his life. His children have suffered and struggled to overcome their own addictions hence being exposed to the environment. And at 46, living off his fathers income, built a meth lab on the property across the fence. I struggle with the term God Bless, I can only pray that he has found peace and is at rest.
Fri, 11/29/2013 - 7:08pm Permalink
Jenny Horne (not verified)

It is very disturbing to read anything in regards to people losing their lives. However, what most readers don't know is they truth behind the reason. That Brice Horne was given a beautiful life filled with love and support from his parents. He always had shelter and warm food to eat. His parents did without so he could attend private schools to get only the best education. However, he chose to live a life of drug abuse. Destruction of his family and friends was not a worry to him. He lost is wife, the love of his life. His children have suffered and struggled to overcome their own addictions hence being exposed to the environment. And at 46, living off his fathers income, built a meth lab on the property across the fence. I struggle with the term God Bless, I can only pray that he has found peace and is at rest.
Fri, 11/29/2013 - 7:09pm Permalink
Jenny Horne (not verified)

It is very disturbing to read anything in regards to people losing their lives. However, what most readers don't know is they truth behind the reason. That Brice Horne was given a beautiful life filled with love and support from his parents. He always had shelter and warm food to eat. His parents did without so he could attend private schools to get only the best education. However, he chose to live a life of drug abuse. Destruction of his family and friends was not a worry to him. He lost is wife, the love of his life. His children have suffered and struggled to overcome their own addictions hence being exposed to the environment. And at 46, living off his fathers income, built a meth lab on the property across the fence. I struggle with the term God Bless, I can only pray that he has found peace and is at rest.
Fri, 11/29/2013 - 7:10pm Permalink

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