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Mississippi Drug War Blues: Cory Maye | 25 comments (25 topical)

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I don't know that life in prison is much better (none / 0) (#3)
by dianem on Thu May 08, 2008 at 11:57:55 AM EST
Somewhat better, yes, but the point here is not that this man was sentenced to death but that he was defending his home from an invasion and ended up in jail. The fact that the invasion was under a court order should not be relevant. The question is whether, in the panic, it could be reasonably expected that he knew that 1) the people invading his home were the police and 2) they meant him no harm. It seems that everybody is sympathetic to his plight, but the concern is to get him off death row not to clear him. I'd rather see him at home with his daughter. The fact that a police officer was killed was tragic, but do we have to destroy another life in retribution? If he is innocent, as seems possible, then we should be railing against the injustice of his conviction, not his sentence.

[ Parent ]
To me, it all boils down (none / 0) (#4)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:52:10 PM EST
to whether Maye knew, or reasonably should have known, that the guys busting down his doors were LE officers.

That issue seems to balance on whether the LE "announced" before they broke into Maye's apartment.

If they did, then Maye should pay the price for knowingly slaying a LE officer.

If LE didn't announce, then Maye has every right to defend his home and child against unidentified intruders.

Not surprisingly, Maye claims LE didn't announce and LE claims they did.

[ Parent ]

Sarc (1.00 / 1) (#6)
by Patrick on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:31:17 PM EST
I believe that question has been answered repeatedly.  First it was the "no-knock" warrant that wasn't, then it was ad-hoc group of police who weren't, then they were again, now it's the ME who may or may not be a crank, but the cause of death in this case is not in question.  more smoke and mirrors.  

[ Parent ]
Yep. (1.00 / 1) (#7)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:41:32 PM EST
I thought maybe if I left enough unsaid that some people might spend some of their own time in researching the incident and then they'd have more invested in what they learn rather than just have someone else spoon-feed them the facts that they'd simply disregard because the facts didn't support their biases.

Probably just a waste of time on my part...

[ Parent ]

I hope (1.00 / 2) (#8)
by Patrick on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:06:42 PM EST
people read the linked threads as well.   That shold clarify some of the misinformation that's out there.   I took the time to watch the video (Time I can never get back) it's well done, but it's pure propaganda, and it plays the race card very well.  Moore would be roud.

If they want the truth, people should read the court transcripts.  They used to be available at a link on Balko's site, until the truth got too inconvenient.  Hey someone should use that as a movie title.  

[ Parent ]

There is reasonable doubt (none / 0) (#10)
by dianem on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:01:33 PM EST
I doubt that police always announce before they break into apartments. They wouldn't want to alert the suspect so that they could hide evidence or arm themselves. But in the absence of video, how do you prove it one way or the other? It's the word of a bunch of police officers v. the word of a criminal defendant. It's easy to see how a jury is likely to rule.

What it comes down to for me is that I cannot see why this man would have endangered the life of his child by firing a gun at police officers, who were most certainly armed. I can see how he could fire defensively if he thought it was thugs in a home invasion, as a last resort to protect his child.

[ Parent ]

There's also no (1.00 / 0) (#15)
by Patrick on Thu May 08, 2008 at 06:58:44 PM EST
argument that the police were outside his residence for some time, trying to find a way in.  I mean even the video depicts officers going to the front, then Officer Jones going to the back of the residence, trying to kick in the door, leaving and returning once another officer is sucessful in getting through the door.   And during this whole time, no one says anything?  No the police? Not Corey Maye, who claims to be in such fear for his life and his daughter's that he's willing to shoot someone he says he has no idea who?  That's difficult to believe as well.  

And again, no mention that the gun Maye used to kill Officer Jones was stolen.  Even though apparently possession of a stolen gun in Mississippi isn't a crime according to some, I suspect that's a good enough motive for someone to worry about getting caught with it.  

[ Parent ]

Mistake in title (none / 0) (#11)
by dianem on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:04:16 PM EST
I meant to say "Is there reasonable doubt" not, "There is reasonable doubt"

[ Parent ]
Yours is a valid point, (none / 0) (#13)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:46:24 PM EST
in the cold light of 20-20 hindsight it does seem odd that Maye would do something so dumb.

But, just to point out, police do always announce before breaking into a home, it's a pretty big part of the law. Unless the LE has a special "no knock" warrant, which is apparently not the case here.

[ Parent ]

Mississippi Drug War Blues: Cory Maye | 25 comments (25 topical)

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