Consequences of Prohibition
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An Ohio woman who shot and killed an FBI agent during a pre-dawn no-knock drug raid at her family home in Indiana Township, Pennsylvania, on November 19 now faces federal homicide and weapons charges. When police serving an arrest warrant for her husband broke into Christine Korbe's home at 6:00am, she fired one shot from a .38 caliber pistol from the top of a second-floor stair case, striking and killing Special Agent Sam Hicks. She was arrested moments later as she called 911 to report a home invasion.
Will they never learn?
In one notorious case, that of Corey Maye, a Louisiana man whose home was mistakenly hit in a drug raid is now serving a life sentence for murder for shooting and killing an intruding officer. In another, as yet unresolved case, Virginia resident Ryan Frederick faces murder charges in the death of an intruding officer in a raid that now appears to have been without any legitimate basis.
Robert Korbe was to be arrested as part of a round-up of drug suspects in the Pittsburgh area. He was one of 35 people charged in a 27-count indictment charging them with conspiring to traffic in powder and crack cocaine from October 2007 through September 2008. He was arrested in the basement of the family home, which he shared with his wife and two young daughters, as he allegedly sought to destroy evidence.
Christina Korbe made her first federal court appearance Monday before Magistrate Judge Robert Mitchell, where she was arraigned on second-degree murder and several firearms charges. A bail hearing is set for next Monday.
"She's totally distraught," defense attorney John Elash told the Associated Press. "All she cares about and all she mentions is she wants to be home with her children. Can't imagine that she won't be home for Christmas."
Elash said that while his client is "extremely remorseful," she will argue that she acted in what she thought was self-defense. "I don't believe my client's guilty of any crime. I think the evidence will show that," Elash said. "It's obviously a self-defense or a defense of others, and the others that she's defending are a 5- and 10-year old that were with her when she was on 911, making the call to the police that somebody had broken into her house."
Law enforcement affidavits filed with the court claim that FBI agents shouted "police" and warned they were serving a warrant before breaking down the door to the Korbe's home as the family slept. According to those affidavits, Robert Korbe said he heard the agents and knew a raid was happening.
"Was this, something, everybody's yelling at one time, so that nobody could understand what's being said?" Elash said. "Could it have been heard by somebody that was asleep or just woken in an upstairs bedroom in a large home? If, in fact, she did hear it was a police officer or an FBI agent, why would she fire one shot at one of them and not continue to fire?" he asked.
"She thought she was being attacked, thought that she had to defend her children," Elash said. "That is what was going through her mind. Only pulled that trigger for one reason, because she thought she was going to get killed or that her children were going to get killed or seriously injured."
Elash isn't alone in sticking up for his client. Neighborhood residents have begun circulating a petition asserting her innocence and holding a collection for the family's children.
"I honestly believe that she couldn't possibly have known that it was a cop," friend Angie McCarrison said. "I think she heard glass break, and she thought, 'Oh my God, my kids,' and that was the end of that."
However Christina Korbe's case ends up, FBI Agent Hicks is dead, a victim as much of overly aggressive law enforcement practices as the bullet that ended his life.
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
NO KNOCK ENTRY INTO A HOME
Our constutution says that to enter a persons home the law officer has to have a warrent signed by a judge and it has to say what they are looking for.
So the real criminal is the person who breaks down your door.
THE PUBLIC POST
The citizens of the USA don't agree with the "laws" invasive actions. We the people pay the bills, forcefully. The ruling criminals need to change their tastics-THEIR POLICY ON 'INVASION OF PRIVACY' . . .MUDEROURS!
Does the term "RUBY RIDGE"
Does the term "RUBY RIDGE" mean anything to anybody but me? An FBI Sniper committed cold blooded murder of an infant child and her unarmed mother and was allowed to walk . No lessons were learned from that incident , and I doubt if this incident will yield any changes . The degree of immunity given to police officers has gotten completely out of hand .
Over the Top
They already knew this guy was dealing. what is up with the over reaction. can't they wait until he leaves the house? The cops had to know kids were at home, but I guess if the cop would have shot one of them that would be ok. Time to rethink this unprofessional wild west mentality.
I believe it was self
I believe it was self defense..and if, and when, our government openly declares martial law in OUR Country not only would I do the same thing, but I will actively be gunning for those who have declared war against the American people.
No knock Raids
It would be hard not to pull the trigger on someone invading my home in the middle of the night. I wouldnt want to shoot a police officer, but what is to keep the bad guys from yelling police when they break down your door?
Oh Boy
Putting yourselves in their shoes. Could you actually be married to someone and NOT know they deal drugs? Are we so absent- minded to think that once there are so many drug complaints from YOUR neighbors, the law responds by knocking with an avon invitation. We all know that living a life in that manner calls for us to be protected (bearing arms close) at all times, not for the law, but for those you have befriended as you know when selling drugs you are open to home invasions, robbery , yadda yadda ya,
but Upon entering the Law does identify themselves LOUD AND CLEAR after kicking down the door, FBI, POLICE, search warrent and then proceed entering and searching the premises.
Now she using her wits, called to have a defense at which her husband has ruled out because he heard the officers, and lying close to him she also heard. I do however feel sorry for the children Truly, but how much more can their parents feel for them inviting this way of life into their realm leading only to 2 roads death or prison. We care out of compassion, but can't really sympathize with them for their ignorance. Unless husband, who seems to be cooperating in this whole regime be truthful he'll be given a lesser term that the children may have another chance at a wholesome life; unless they fall into the hands of the system. Some of you neighbors who feels "deeply concerned" and knows how this woman feels about her children ( regardless of what drew her to drug dealing) step up and give the two a home until the parents return, that they are not uprooted, mentally not physically deprived neither abused. I know there some good in that neighborhood as they all seem to have an outpour of love for the woman.
Agent Breaks into Home
Lets get this right here, a coward agent can break into someone's home and shoot and kill an innocent person and will walk free? what a load of BS.
Someone brakes into my home in the middle of the night you better believe it I am going to shoot first and ask questions later, its MY HOME to protect for goodness sakes! and my job to protect my family, what would an agent do if some one broke into his home?? you already know the answer..
COKED UP
No-knock warrants are very, very dangerous. But Google pages has Cocaine very popular. Very studied. Lab rats will trip levers 15,000 times to get another fix. The rodents REFUSE to trip the water or food ones. They die of exhaustion. Human "Female Coke-Ho's" are a lil funny also. Set out a line of blow for em....they'll do about anything for it. We don't care if they're married or have kids...nor do they. This idiot hubby here is an idiot. We got standard proto-call to follow if HEAT shows up. EVERYONE knows it. This Gal should walk on charges. No way can prosecutors "prove without ANY doubt" if she wasn't within CONSTITUTIONAL rights. Defense lawyers NEED to only raise doubt. No law, local or stae, can over-ride the Constitution. However, this idiot hubby is screwed. That clown is "walkn-dead". You can't pull nor use heat against John Law...nor ALLOW it under your crew/watch. Unlike "Coke-Ho's", we don't cross sum linz over powder linz. We don't sign our own death warrants nor are stupid enough to let others.
smiley
But if it stops just one child from viewing a cheech and chong movie at least one time, then wasnt this agents life worth it?
Police abuse of power
I am not going to be specific, this is one of many things I would like to forget and put behind.
In the early 1990's I was working in a retail establishment, a lot of the business was done in cash. Many customers were shady at best.
Most of the employees wore a side arm, I did as well.
One evening as we were closing and locking up, one of the other employees stated to me he thought something was going to happen, that night, he was right a trap had been set for me. I had my nickel plated 1911 Colt in my right hand as the door was being locked. A automobile tore into the parking lot and locked up all four wheels and came to a stop, right in front of me. All of the other employees ran and hid behind various cars in the parking lot, they all had been tipped off, and were part of the plan. I faced the driver of the car and brought my right hand up along with my left hand, I hid the 45 behind my left hand with my left thumb on the hammer. I was ready as I could be without aiming my weapon, cocking and aiming would be just one motion.
What I did not know was it was a unmarked police car, there was also one other unmarked car about 100 yards away, with a rifle sharpshooter with his rifle in a rest, had he seen my weapon his orders were to shoot to kill, me. This is an example of 8 to 10 individuals conspiring to kill someone, 5,6 or 7 were police.
Reason I have no idea.
War on Drugs - Home invasion - Whatever
The government as well as recent Supreme Court rulings are stripping US citizens of their rights and essentially taking away the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
Furthermore, Police, FBI, Prosecutors are given a "free pass" to trump up anything they so desire with NO ACCOUNTABILITY and no repercussions for doing so.
I recently had a friend supposedly arrested for a PI at a concert âas the police report statedâ. They (the police) later charged him with a FELONY for destruction of >$2,000 to the door on the holding cell where he and 4 other individuals were being held. My friend hired a great attorney at a cost of $15,000. The door was subpoenaedâ¦all of the damage to the door was on the outside of the door and not the interior where arrested individuals are held.. The other 4 individuals that were held at the same time testified that the POLICE OFFICER was acting like a jackass and kept slamming the door in hopes of catching someoneâs foot in the door. They also stated that the police officer repeatedly kicked the door from the outside repeatedly. Ultimately the police officer broke the door on the outside but it did not stop him for filing charges and trying to blame it on my friend. Charges were eventually dropped. But who is going to pay for the $15,000 that my friend is out? What about those individuals that donât have $15,000 for a great attorney? Where is the justice? Not even an apology.
My friend is currently pursuing a wrongful arrest case and discussing with legal council other avenues available to pursue charges against the police officer.
IT IS TIME THAT WE, AMERICANâS, TAKE BACK THE RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN STRIPPED FROM US!
What about the kids you Fools Behaving Insane (FBI)
Did the "POLICE" raiding the home take into account the kids that were in the home? What if the "POLICE" would have killed one of the kids because the "POLICE" were mistaken that it was a suspect and not a kid?
Also what about tactics training? What happen to baiting or waiting a âSuspectâ out?! Maybe the budget got cut for that training session. I will not say that the âPOLICE PERSONâ deserved to die because I am sure that person has a family as well but the âMOTHERâ was doing what came natural to her which was âPROTECT MY KIDS!â at any cost.
Wow sounds like a lot of mothers out thereâ¦including mine.
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