Vote for Ron Paul. He will pardon and release all non-violent drug offenders.

Once again I'm impressed by Radley Balko of the Cato Institute. I tend to be pretty far to the left on most issues, but there seems to be an increasing number of overlapping concerns on the right and the left. This is good news if it eventually brings the majority of the population to political unanimity. No matter where you stand it's important to at least look at the other side's opinions, and try to see things the way they do. It doesn't mean you have to agree with their perspective, but if you can get beyond their rhetoric you can think more clearly about working toward solutions.
I know this doesn't specifically address the outrage we feel about this raid, but I'm encouraged by the fact that 300 people in Lima, a small town in a conservative district of Ohio were motivated to speak their minds. Let's see if we can increase that number both locally and nationally.
D. Witt

Go after the drugs that KILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh for goodness sake. Atleast do soem reserach before you print these stories. you have left much out of this report. I live in Lima, Ohio and have for 55 years. First of all, this was immediately turned over to BCII and the FBI as well as an out of area prosecutor.

Second, the man they were after was a known drug dealer who had previously tried to use deadly force against police officers. He and the woman that was killed had both been in prison on drug charges. She had 6 illigitimate children by various men living in what she knew was a drug selling enviornment. The home had 2 pit bulls who had both had their vocal cords removed.

Now as for the cop. He is a 31 year police veteran who has been on the SWAT team for 22 years. This was the first time he ever fired his weapon at work. You want to tell me you think you know everything there is to know about this incident? Its good you think you know all that becuase no one seems to have all the information you have. the Ohio Attorney General (Mr. Dann) was here the other day giving us some updates over this situation.

Now, what do you think of a mother who uses her own child as a human shield?

Your comments about mr. Pitts are laughable. trust me when I tell you that most lima residents are embarrased over this sorry excuse of a city councilman. He has two sons who are both currently in prison for being drug dealers. He is a complete moron!!

I agree, no more SWAT raids. But first, YOU must tell all drug dealers to not own any weapons and that when the police come to their door to arrest them, they will politely answer, surrender and show the police where the drugs are hidden. EASY as that. Better yet, don't deal friggin drugs, get a real job thus keeping you and your family out of danger.

David............... David! This is a promblem across the nation! Why don't we ever here about these kind of killing on meth lab drug raid? This only happen on the crack raids. This is really a promblem in the black community and people like you never want to speak the truth. The same thing happened in Atlanta, with 92 year old woman that didn't have nothing to hide behind nor did she have drugs. Explain to me why the cops planted drugs and called an informant to lie for them that he brought drugs the house . Another case where people like you protect dirty cops........face it.

jay
[email protected]

Did anyone ever consider that this happened due to the choice in her baby daddies. I have read that all of her children have drug dealers as fathers. If she didn't want the cops to come after her, why did she continue to hang around these type of people. I'm sorry but just like the case in Indianapolis, this is what happened. Why did the cops have her address on the warrant if they wanted this guy? I have read that pitt bulls were in the house? Did she or someone sic the dogs on the cops? I'm sorry I have no sympathy for any one who willingly live this type of life.

this makes no sense,what would have happend if he would have killed the baby??? there is a right way and a wrong way and that clearly was the wrong way.It always happens and some self righteous sob defends a bad cop like that may he burn in hell,police make and break the laws all the time and any person with eyes see this everday and shame on those cowards who chose this profession as a means to bully people it used to be serve and protect now its shoot and break necks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It didnt have to go that way and the SWAT TEAM knows that. They could of solved it better. Now there is somebody dead and one injured. The injured could of been worst. They should of did Better. They knew she had kids so the should of handle it better. Nobody should have never got hurt. Justice needs to be done now. Thats not right that baby could of died. Thanks to the SWAT TEAM. They should think before they act.

I'm not white but I don't live in Lima, I live in Dayton, born and raised. I’ve also have lived in Atlanta and Houston after I left the military where I was an Infantry Officer for 4 years.

People are so quick to jump on the band wagon with out knowing the full story about something, and guess what it usually takes a long time for the full story to come out anyway. Protestors and just generally ignorant people are so quick to jump on a police shooting every time the fire their weapon and then the race card comes out. But black people shot black people more than white on black. The same goes for white on white. "Bad guys", drug dealer’s murders will not hesitate to fire at John Q Public or the police. Police are trained and expected to make split second decisions on life or death for the bad guy and themselves. And I'd say 9.5 times out of 10 they are correct. I would say most officers would hesitate in the same situation and get killed them selves.

You sell drugs, you do bad things, you put yourself and your family in a dangerous situation. You people want safe streets and want to take walks at night and want to go where ever you want, when you want. You want to be able to send your kids down the street without them being in danger, but you don't know what that takes defiantly aren’t willing to take measures yourselves to insure it can happen.

It takes milk toast, head turning the other way people to actually do the work to make change (Become a Cop, Run for Office) or just take a stand and cooperate with the authorities. You're scared to "snitch", you’re scared to confront the bad people your self. But when it gets to the point when some actually does you want to second guess and critique. Shut up! If you are not part of the solution, you part of the problem in some way. You don't like the cop’s way of doing things, go start making some citizens arrests. You apply for the police department; send you kids to school and start pushing the FBI or ATF on them so you know some is doing it the "right way".

My thinking is she and the boyfriend were in the wrong period and so they put the kids in a dangerous position. But I still expect that house to be raided and my community to be cleaned up. You people cater more to the criminals than the people that are trying to keep you and your own family safe.

Major
[email protected]

Very well put indeed Major.

Major,

You said it all.

The police and SWAT are very well trained in what they do and how to do it. This case is only one of MANY like this where somebody is killed when they shouldn`t have been. It doesn`t matter what her background is or how many children she has from different daddy`s or even the color of her skin. A police officer should NOT fire his weapon unless he is in danger for his life like when they SEE a "SUSPECT" holding a weapon. Way too many innocent people are getting ruffed up,hurt,and even killed for something they had nothing to do with. Because the police had the wrong information or the wrong address. There is no war inside this country.USA so there is no reason to respond as if they are in a war situation. For those of you who don`t believe the police did anything wrong,just think of it this way. What if it was YOUR home that SWAT raided by mistake and killed your dog or a family member? SOME cops are out of control and need to be realed in BEFORE things like this happen. Also,cops are very well trained on how to shoot their weapons and have to qualify regularly,so have you ever wondered why EVERY person who gets shot by a cop is killed? Or why 5 cops have to put 30 rounds into a person at point blank? Things have gotten out of control in the USA and it is scary when the police are part of the problem. I have a few cops as friends and I know they have a very stressful job at times,but doing your job with honor is what earns you respect,not killing unarmed people and most of all children.

why was the swat team there? because there was drug traffic through this house day and night. this city has been knocked to its knees because of all these gangsta wannabe's. take a ride through town, and you will see kids from 5 to 15 wearing their pants around there knees, shouting obcenities, and being confrontational to people walking and driving by. its a shame that there are so called "parents" that act in this manner and allow their kids to do the same. maybe the parents of the parents are to blame. they run the block with no parental guidance whatsoever.  you see toddlers playing outside by themselves on the sidewalk with out supervision. teach your kids to make better decisions for themselves and watch over them, maybe the swat team wont have to take them to jail or worse!!  yes its a shame that someone was killed and a toddler was shot, but theres a reason why Jessie says: " DRUGS BRING DEATH" !!!