DIGITS

Disillusioning

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Columbia SWAT Team Shoots Family Dogs with Suspect, Wife, and Child in the Home

Sat May 8, 2010 5:44 PM EDT

us-news, video, human-rights, dogs, animals, pets, civil-rights, law-enforcement, missouri, war-on-drugs, libertarian, pot, police-brutality, cops, animal-rights, swat, liberties

By Digits

Jonathan E. Whitworth, his wife, and small child were helpless as Columbia, Missouri SWAT raided their home and shot their dogs.

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My exposure to this story began as I viewed a disturbing SWAT video showing a Columbia, Missouri SWAT team shooting Jonathan Whitworth's family dogs while his wife and child were present with him in their home. SWAT was there to serve an arrest warrant for marijuana.

The video shows Jonathan E. Whitworth getting arrested after SWAT storms his house, shoots his dogs, and shuffles his wife and small child out of the way shouting, "Move past him! Move past him!." A gentler SWAT Officer takes note of the child and wife and makes the comment, "You're fine. You're fine." Whitworth does the right thing and asks for an attorney. He breaks down in what sounds like tears upon learning his dogs have been shot. But this is just the video.

Whitworth pleaded guilty to drug paraphernalia and received a $300 fine.
All other charges were dropped.

So what would the charges be on a Columbia, Missouri person that would have a SWAT team barging this family's home around 8:30pm and shooting the family pets on sight? Here were his charges according to the Columbia arrest record: Jonathan Eric Whitworth, 25, of 1501 Kinloch Court, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana, second-degree child endangerment, $1,500 bond.

Charges: Drug paraphernalia. 35 grams or less of marijuana. 2nd Degree Child Endangerment.
35 grams is a little over an ounce of pot.

Of course, now, other articles are out showing that the warrant was based on an informant and that SWAT was looking for *large* quantities of marijuana. And the cops will argue that since 8 days lapsed, Whitworth could have sold the big ol' stash by then. But here are a few of my questions:

If Whitworth was such a big scary drug dealer that needed SWAT attention why wait 8 days? (The warrant expired in 10)
In none of those days, SWAT couldn't have apprehended Whitworth without his wife and child present?
Why was it done at night and with little time for anyone to answer the door? Why bother knocking in the first place? "Search Warrant!"

Watch the Video (if you can stand it). Read some of the below articles. What do you think?

-------------------------------------------------------------

Columbia Tribune Ongoing Interest Articles:

Columbia Tribune - May 07, 2010: Chief: Warrant Information Too Old

Columbia Tribune - May 06, 2010: Timeline of the February 2010 SWAT Pot Raid

Columbia Tribune - May 06, 2010: Procedure for SWAT Changing

Columbia Tribune - February 23, 2010: Family questions SWAT drug search that led to dog’s death

Other Good Resourceful and Blog Articles:

NORML article, Missouri SWAT Shoots Family Dog, discusses this headline.

NORML urges in-person activism with Police Respond to Furor over SWAT team killing Family Pet

Copblock: Video: Missouri Officer Discusses SWAT Tactics in the Wake of Columbia, Missouri Pot Raid

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Regions: Columbia/Jefferson City

Public Discussion (40)

Digits

I loved that he asked for an attorney right away. This is precisely why I "WatchCop" like I do. If there is only one lesson I could ever hope to convey to anyone it's to unlearn the childhood message of "The police are your friends." No. They are not.

ALWAYS ask for an attorney. NEVER answer questions. If you think this cop is your pal and that you're doing him a solid by "co-operating," do not be surprised when he flips everything you said back onto you. They do that. It's their job.

Andy Griffith is on TVLand for a reason.

8 votes

#1 - Sat May 8, 2010 6:08 PM EDT

Dr Know

"Anything you say can and will be used against you"

The part they don't say...

"NOTHING you say CAN or will be used FOR you."

It is a crime for YOU to lie to THEM. It is NOT a crime for THEM to lie to YOU.

REMEMBER THAT - cops lie routinely. Some even lie under oath in open court.

4 votes

#1.1 - Sun May 9, 2010 4:39 PM EDT

Digits

It is a crime for YOU to lie to THEM. It is NOT a crime for THEM to lie to YOU.

This is true! AND true about lying under oath. I vouch for that first-hand.

The part they don't say...

"NOTHING you say CAN or will be used FOR you."

I remember I had that silly childhood notion of "Police are my friends" well into a time when this belief brought harm in one situation. I actually thought if I didn't engage in talking with this Detective and cooperating within the best of my ability, that that may pervert justice. [And he seemed so friendly anyway. "After all, don't the police want justice?" I remember thinking.]

Well. Yes, he Mirandized me and I remembered thinking, "Wow. He's funny."

Couple weeks later he goes into Court, under oath, and attempted to prevaricate my words precisely 180* from what they had been! Thank goodness the Defense Attorney had the sense to object on hearsay. But because the entire case of the Prosecution basically hinged on "this certain knowledge" they thought this Detective would be able to present in Court ....they lost.

So no. Cops are not in it for justice. They are political machines at worst and human at best. They want the arrest, the win and they want their bias. ALWAYS opt for your RIGHT to say nothing. ALWAYS. Even if they do not Mirandize you, say nothing because anything you say before your Mirandizing will be held against you, too, if they so desire.

3 votes

#1.2 - Sun May 9, 2010 11:42 PM EDT

Robert Wilson

If you're being interrogated by police and you're worried at what they will use against you....then you just might have a more serious problem on your hands...

#1.3 - Tue May 25, 2010 10:28 AM EDT

Dr Know

If you are being interrogated by police you already HAVE a serious problem on your hands.

The cops WILL lie to you. They have no compunction about that at all. They use YOUR premise all the time to get you to drop your guard. POLICE ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. (I used to be one...)

3 votes

#1.4 - Tue May 25, 2010 6:15 PM EDT

Calvin Tang

Totally agree with Dr Know. And the courts will always take the "sworn testimony of an officer of XX years on the force" over that of ordinary citizens in all cases but those with the most indisputable evidence.

1 vote

#1.5 - Wed May 26, 2010 2:11 PM EDT

Dr Know

Remember Rodney King? They had indisputable evidence of the police brutally beating him. It took a Federal prosecution on a Civil Rights violation to get a conviction.

There were over 20 cops there that ALL told the same lies.

#1.6 - Thu May 27, 2010 2:48 AM EDT

rottlady

I don't want to believe what I just saw and heard. This is so disturbing on so many levels. Is this kind of treatment really necessary? I don't think so! That poor kid, I bet he's afraid of cops for the rest of his life...

All for a misdemeanor drug charge...

6 votes

#2 - Sat May 8, 2010 7:53 PM EDT

Digits

No kidding that poor kid. And you're right, the sound was just too much for me. Cops are such fans of tasers. Why didn't they taser the dogs if they were so "scared" of them?

On a better note, I was very VERY happy to hear that one SWAT officer speak kindly to the wife and child. Even his voice intonations were kind. To me it seemed as if he really did have compassion for their situation. The first two cops who shouted at the wife and child to "Move past him!" seemed all junked up on testosterone and adrenaline, you know, like bullies get when they're excited.

Shots fired. Death of family pet. Injury of other family pet. Child getting shouted at by men in uniforms and guns. [More than likely scared to death.] Provoking fear [that can turn to anger, that can turn to others, society or self] in adults. Misdemeanor drug charges of which two were dropped. Pot. Weed. Marijuana. Does not compute.

4 votes

#2.1 - Sat May 8, 2010 8:30 PM EDT

agm65ccip

Digits

Cops are such fans of tasers. Why didn't they taser the dogs if they were so "scared" of them?

Unless the dog was very large a taser would probably be too much for a dog anyway then the headline would have been "cops torture dog to death with taser".

Now in the movie we don't see the dog(s) but being "scared" of dogs as a law enforcement officer or anyone else that comes to new people's houses is a legitimate concern in my opinion. You can always pull out the "but she was probably only trying to play with you" but dogs can be territorial and having never seen that dog before in your life you would have no idea what it was or was not trying to do or what it acts like normally.

That said unless the dog was making physically aggressive moves toward officers it probably didn't need to be shot.

On a better note, I was very VERY happy to hear that one SWAT officer speak kindly to the wife and child.

Attitude means a lot and I completely agree with you here. If this guy was someone who was known to have weapons and had run-ins with the law previously etc. the forcefulness of the other officers would have been more warranted, but as it appeared this was just some random person who was at most a simple user.

As with most other situations it seems that a few bad officers can ruin a routine arrest.

3 votes

#2.2 - Sat May 8, 2010 9:30 PM EDT

Carolyn Johansen

The two dogs were a corgi and a half grown pit bull. Both animals were in another room barking at them. The dogs did not charge the cops--they backed up. The only dog that barked was the corgi and the cops shot both of them. A corgi is a small dog--they average 20 lbs.

The cops made no attempt to back the dogs into a room and shut them away--they just shot them. When the corgi kept screaming after the first bullet hit him in the paw--they shot it again to shut him up. NICE COPS! I wonder how they go home and face their families--I wonder if they have dogs?

5 votes

#2.3 - Sat May 8, 2010 9:54 PM EDT

Digits

AGM -

Now in the movie we don't see the dog(s) but being "scared" of dogs as a law enforcement officer or anyone else that comes to new people's houses is a legitimate concern in my opinion.

These SWAT people did not give enough time for the people to open the door, much less secure any lawful animals. So if a response were, "They had a warrant and they were busting in regardless," well then, why knock in the first place? To dot the i? To prove *some* semblance of protocol? Why?

Personally, I don't think the cops who shot the dogs were as much scared of the dogs as they were jacked up on adrenaline. Compound that with barking dogs and a little dog running up and chaos... I think it was more of an effort to "stop the chaos and/or barking" rather than "i'm scared so let me shoot." Which makes it so much worse.

Dogs are a part of many families here [in America] - for there not to be reasonable protocols in place to prevent harm from coming to them is ridiculous.

3 votes

#2.4 - Sat May 8, 2010 11:51 PM EDT

agm65ccip

Digits

So if a response were, "They had a warrant and they were busting in regardless," well then, why knock in the first place?

Because that is probably what the warrant said they had to do. For some really dangerous people the police are given "no-knock" warrants where they can just break the door down as soon as they roll up.

I think it was more of an effort to "stop the chaos and/or barking" rather than "i'm scared so let me shoot."

Perhaps, but I guess only one or two people know the real reason.

#2.5 - Sun May 9, 2010 7:09 AM EDT

Digits

I hear that. I didn't phrase myself well because you answered the question I did phrase perfectly.

I understand and, of course, believe they were going in regardless. Because they did have a warrant for drugs and in another video where the blog owner asks why SWAT is used in some circumstances, I still do not understand why they they would then knock at all.

Why even bother with the pretense of it then?

This is probably not relevant in the slightest, but when someone knocks on my door or rings my bell my dogs go crazy. Anyone outside can hear that. It's during this time - depending upon the person, as I open the wooden door to see - that I deduce the best way to proceed.

[Hold the dogs, give vocal commands to the dogs, go outside while keeping them inside, let them out the back, etc. Because one will jump on you. He is a puppy but his bark sounds like he wants you for dinner.]

I guess it may be one of those mysteries I'll need to live without knowing: "Why SWAT knocks but doesn't wait any reasonable time for you to respond."

I think it was more of an effort to "stop the chaos and/or barking" rather than "i'm scared so let me shoot."

Perhaps, but I guess only one or two people know the real reason.

Yes, you're right. That's for sure.

I appreciate this conversation, AGM.

1 vote

#2.6 - Sun May 9, 2010 9:31 AM EDT

Dr Know

I was a police officer for 7 years. I assisted many times in serving such warrants. Many times there were dogs. The aggressive ones quickly responded to pepper spray...

Bullies with badges, guns and bad attitudes.

NEVER FORGET, they believe it is a WAR AGAINST DRUGS.

4 votes

#2.7 - Sun May 9, 2010 4:43 PM EDT

Tedd Riggs

Such a sad story ! Geez those cops are shoot happy or something is wrong with them.

4 votes

#3 - Sat May 8, 2010 8:48 PM EDT

Digits

Hey Tedd! Good to see you! :-)

I found a poll from the Columbia Tribune:

Do you think SWAT action was appropriate?

3 votes

#3.1 - Sat May 8, 2010 8:57 PM EDT

Tedd Riggs

No way ! The SWAT Action was 100% inappropriate !

3 votes

#3.2 - Sat May 8, 2010 9:09 PM EDT

rottlady

It doesn't surprise me that out of 6000 some votes only 6% think what the cops did was right. I agree with the other 93%!

6 votes

#3.3 - Sat May 8, 2010 9:13 PM EDT

ekaeDeleted

Carolyn Johansen

A similar event occurred in VA about a year ago. A family brought in a FEDEX package sitting on their front porch. They did not even bother to open it. Then the cops broke down their front door and shot both of their Labrador retrievers DEAD! Then they handcuffed all the adults. Eventually it came out that they knew nothing about the package. It was filled with POT. Seems the crooks sent packages to addresses then followed the FEDEX truck and picked them up off the porches before the people at those addresses got home. In this case--the wife was home and got the package off the porch before the druggies showed up.

Long and the short of it was that the charges against the adults were dropped. Their dogs were dead and they received no compensation--not even an apology for the murder of their pets. THE cops got away with it.

COPS can shoot family pets without any penalty if they are serving a warrant. If a cop shows up at your door--jump on top of your dogs--it may be the only way to keep the cops from shooting them. Cops don't like dogs unless they are K9's.

In this particular incident the cops shot a corgi--and a corgi is a little dog that barks. I guess they think they are all big brave HE MEN because they shot a 10 lb. bundle of fur that probably could not reach their knees. AS a pet owner--I am appalled that cops have that kind of power and can get away with being cruel to animals. If my neighbor shot my dog on my property he could be charged with animal cruelty--but if a cop does it, that is perfectly fine. It is time to get some laws on the books to protect pets from over zealous gun happy cops and give families upon whom EXCESSIVE FORCE is used the right to sue for damages when cops shoot their pets.

2 votes

#5 - Sat May 8, 2010 9:47 PM EDT

Digits

I remember that Carolyn. That was the most heinous story. Here is one such article on it. It was the first time I remember knowing about shooting dogs as being semi-routine during drug raids or arrests.

I really hate that that happens.

1 vote

#5.1 - Sat May 8, 2010 11:30 PM EDT

Soosalah

Corgies have little squatty bodies. They're longer than they are tall.

1 vote

#5.2 - Sun May 9, 2010 4:20 PM EDT

kerfufflefuss

I have real mixed emotions about police. If you need them, they never seem to be around. I'm a neighborhood block caption and I've noticed this about the police. They want all information you have and will share nothing with you. The fire department is easy to deal with, but they want something from you for whatever they think you are patting them on the back for. The cops have a gun and a license to use it.

There are so many reasons for having a police department,but the devil is in the details of having them.

rfy

#6 - Sat May 8, 2010 10:39 PM EDT

thwrt11

If these guys lose their jobs they shouldn't worry. I hear the taliban is look for recruits and after watching that video I think that these cops have a lot in common with them and would be perfect for the job.

3 votes

#7 - Mon May 10, 2010 12:05 AM EDT

cmach

Digits.

I have to agree with you that you should NEVER say anything to the police until you have a lawyer. Except for your name and address you should keep quiet.

As I said in your other post. These swat cops are pussies. Period.

3 votes

#8 - Mon May 10, 2010 5:10 PM EDT

hommie

Comment collapsed by the community

I think all you idiots need to do some research on this before you whine and cry about a dog being killed. The guy had previous criminal record with drugs. they had informants say they had large quanites of drugs. The dogs were not caged and were agressive to the cops. You idiots ever been confronted by a PIT BULL? Do your research before making idoitic remarks.

#9 - Wed May 12, 2010 8:34 PM EDT

Dr Know

The video fails to support your allegations. The dogs were in another room from the "suspect" when they were shot. There is NO sound of any aggressive behavior of these dogs. The cops were in full armor. There is no mention by any of them of being bit or even being confronted by the dogs. It was a simple execution.

One of the dogs that was shot was a corgi. Terribly dangerous breed that. It can take out an ankle... over and hour or two.

2 votes

#9.1 - Thu May 13, 2010 6:03 AM EDT

agm65ccip

Dr Know

The video fails to support your allegations.

Well Dr. if you want to be technical the video doesn't show much more than the living room. The first gunshot is heard before the video guy even gets to the door. As I mentioned before there are only 1 or 2 people that really know what happened with the dogs.

Helmet mounted cameras would have been extremely useful here.

#9.2 - Thu May 13, 2010 9:30 AM EDT

tyler

I think all you idiots

You idiots

Welcome to Newsvine, hommie. Ease back on the grenade-trolling. Read the first rule:

Above all else, respect others. Address issues and arguments and refrain from making personal attacks.

You're suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.

2 votes

#9.3 - Thu May 13, 2010 7:50 PM EDT

tyler

Great summary, by the way, Digits. That video's hard to watch.

1 vote

#9.4 - Thu May 13, 2010 8:04 PM EDT

Calvin Tang

The dogs were not caged and were agressive to the cops.

Most people do not cage their dogs in their own house. And, any good dog would have barked and alerted the owners if some guys dressed in black stormed through the door in the middle of the night. With all of that body armor on, don't you think they could've tried to subdue the dogs in some other way (taser?), if not for the dogs' sake then to avoid potentially inadvertently shooting one of the people?

1 vote

#9.5 - Fri May 14, 2010 3:41 PM EDT

Digits

Tyler - [8.3] - I just saw that. Thank you. [8.4] And yes, that video is very hard to watch and hear.

Calvin [8.5]... Precisely so. Any good, family dog is supposed to bark when some stranger enters the residence especially when their Master/Mistress isn't privy. This is their job! Is it seriously supposed to fall on the dog to differentiate between law enforcement or law breaker?

My dog saved my life one night due to doing what she was supposed to do - bark and chase the intruder. [She did not bite him or even threaten to. She did keep him in one place til I could call 9- 1-1 since he cut my alarm. He stayed still out of fear because he did not know what she would do.]

Had it been an intruder with a gun he could have killed her yes. But he didn't have a gun. Had this been law enforcement snooping about my house she would have done the same thing but I would have heeled her if given the opportunity. I wonder how many people in law enforcement would have given me the opportunity?

#9.6 - Sat May 15, 2010 10:48 AM EDT

Dr Know

The video demonstrates the typical tactic of the cops.

"Don't move, do you understand?"

"Put your hands behind your back"

After which he was kicked for not moving.

The suspect was setup for failure. Move - get kicked or beaten. Don't move - get kicked or beaten.

2 votes

#10 - Thu May 13, 2010 6:11 AM EDT

haihaihai

just watched the video—almost threw up. raids in the presence of children like that are horrifically traumatizing. and shooting the dogs??????????

1 vote

#11 - Fri May 14, 2010 2:29 AM EDT

Digits

That poor kid. I wouldn't like to pronounce a dooming forecast for his life but it would be understandable were he to get an offshoot trauma from this. His parents are his protectors and they couldn't protect their home or the family pets from "lawful authority?" How does this translate to a 7 year old mind?

1 vote

#11.1 - Sat May 15, 2010 10:54 AM EDT

agm65ccip

Digits

His parents are his protectors and they couldn't protect their home or the family pets from "lawful authority?" How does this translate to a 7 year old mind?

To be perfectly honest Digits I don't know that all that complex thinking would translate to a 7 year old. Much more likely to me would be "the cops came and my dog died...darn cops!", then again I'm no authority on children whatsoever...

#11.2 - Sat May 15, 2010 1:18 PM EDT

Digits

AGM - I apologize. My question was rhetorical. What I meant to convey was that the 7 year old mind doesn't have world understanding, adult reasoning to the level of 'lawful' vs 'unlawful,' or is sophisticated enough to look at this situation from an adult perspective and the difficulties even *we* have with grappling the why's and whether it was 'right' or 'safe' or whatever.

You're right. All this 7 year old knows is prima facie cause/effect. [Not even 'cops', necessarily, because 'labels' and 'taxonomy' and 'hierarchy' aren't important to kids until they get brainwashed get taught differently through family, socialization, and the uneducational system.]

WE might say: "They were cops. Maybe they made an error in this, that, the other thing."

A 7 year old might say: "Scary men busted into where I sleep, shot my dogs, yelled at us, and took my dad." And 20 years later when he's in therapy because he has anxiety issues and can only sleep during the day, his therapist may enable him to get to the point of seeing it through adult eyes as well...instead of remaining stuck in the trauma of a 7 yr old mind.

I'm just very grateful to the kindness that one cop showed. It probably means nothing to most people who view that video...but if the boy heard him, it made a difference for the better.

1 vote

#11.3 - Sun May 16, 2010 1:47 AM EDT

Calvin Tang

Yeah, having an ounce of weed in the house is "child endangerment" and battering through someone's door in the middle of the night, then shooting pets with the kid nearby is not? Yay law enforcement. This Drug War is going really well for us....

4 votes

#12 - Fri May 14, 2010 3:38 PM EDT

Digits

I said the same thing! I know lots of small kids who like playing in dog crates [cages], too.

1 vote

#12.1 - Sat May 15, 2010 10:50 AM EDT

2hip4u

@!$%#ING PIGS.... CAN'T WAIT TO KILL SOMETHING!!!
America you think you are free? Well you are not, we live in a police state...

Hey BO, watch this with your kids and then tell them it's over POT, thats growes naturaly from a seed. In a world full of crack and Ice they pick on the pot people cuz they are asleep and won;t hurt them... where they just might get shot from a tweaker.

You guys are real tough... shooting little girls now!! GOD will have a special place for you, I promise!!!!!

3 votes

DIGITS

Columbia SWAT Team Shoots Family Dogs with Suspect, Wife, and Child in the Home

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DIGITS

Columbia SWAT Team Shoots Family Dogs with Suspect, Wife, and Child in the Home

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