Family Questions SWAT Drug Search That Led To Dog's Death

[Jim Finnel]

A man arrested on suspicion of drug charges and child endangerment said he is concerned with the actions of police who shot two dogs they described as “aggressive” while serving a drug-related search warrant at his home earlier this month in southwest Columbia.

Police arrested Jonathan E. Whitworth, 25, of 1501 Kinloch Court on Feb. 11 on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and second-degree child endangerment.

A police SWAT team entered Whitworth’s residence around 8:30 p.m. suspecting a large amount of marijuana at the location, police spokeswoman Officer Jessie Haden said. SWAT members encountered a pit bull upon entry, held back and then fatally shot the dog, which officers said was acting in an uncontrollably aggressive manner.

Whitworth was arrested, and his wife and 7-year-old son were present during the SWAT raid, Haden said. A second dog, which Whitworth’s attorney Jeff Hilbrenner described as a corgi, also was shot but was not killed.

“The family is concerned with what happened,” Hilbrenner said. “We don’t feel like what happened in the home was appropriate. The priority right now for us is the misdemeanor charges.”

Police discovered a grinder, a pipe and a small amount of marijuana, Haden said. Because the SWAT team acts on the most updated information available, the team wanted to enter the house before marijuana believed to be at the location could be distributed, she said.

“If you let too much time go by, then the drugs are not there,” she said.

Drug distributors traditionally have a history with firearms, which is why the SWAT team is used when executing such warrants, Haden said. If the SWAT team believed they could have executed the warrant successfully during the daytime when the wife and child were not present, they would have, she said.


NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: The Columbia Daily Tribune
Author: Brennan David
Copyright: 2010 The Columbia Daily Tribune
Contact: Newsroom Staff Directory | The Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, Missouri
Website: Family questions SWAT drug search that led to dog?s death | ColumbiaTribune.com

• Thanks MedicalNeed for submitting this article.

 

[Jim Finnel]

seems like it was swat that did the endangering by shooting off their guns with a child in the house. they must be so very proud of themselves for protecting the public in this way.

 

[Warbux]

Police discovered a grinder, a pipe and a small amount of marijuana, Haden said. Because the SWAT team acts on the most updated information available, the team wanted to enter the house before marijuana believed to be at the location could be distributed, she said.

"If you let too much time go by, then the drugs are not there," she said.

This really constitutes the "jack booted" mentality expressed by LEO...When will we finally stand up against these barbaric practices??? It's time to say enough is enough...

 

[RastaMoses]

They shot two dogs to get a guy with a small amount of cannabis, a pipe and a grinder? That corgi must have really intimidated those brave men in blue. Corgis are about 12" tall with three inch legs.

 

[MedicalNeed]

That town is also one of the few in the US with a decriminalization and Medical law.
So this is going against the will of almost 70% of the voting populace!

This is the kind of thing that needs to be prevented, thus proving that "Prohibition" itself does more harm and the plant itself.


Missouri
Voters Nationwide Embrace Marijuana Law Reform Proposals - NORML

 

[Velodrone]

We have MUCH bigger issues to deal with and they are worried about a Grinder and maybe an 8th of grass. All LEO are pathetic that have any hand in this type of behavior. From the judge that sign's the warrant, to the clerk that files the paperwork. When are WE going to fight back. Lets go raid a Cop shop for donuts because we know that they are unhealthy. What DOUCHBAGS!

 

[CocoJoe]

Thanks for the story User.
Their behavior will not be tolerated for ever. I'm sure.

 

[Jim Finnel]

Thanks for the story User......

Thanks MedicalNeed for submitting this article.

 

[Myzz617]

We have MUCH bigger issues to deal with and they are worried about a Grinder and maybe an 8th of grass. All LEO are pathetic that have any hand in this type of behavior. From the judge that sign's the warrant, to the clerk that files the paperwork. When are WE going to fight back. Lets go raid a Cop shop for donuts because we know that they are unhealthy. What DOUCHBAGS!

HAHA good one this type ish makes ppl nervous bout growing though. Like how do they get their information? I have heard about them flying over houses with heat sensors in helicopters but you must have to run a few lamps in order to emit a large heat signature.

 

[Oddnonsmoker]

Who the fuck in their right mind called the SWAT team in for this guy?

I think that somebody had a grudge against this guy and knew he smoked weed, so they told the pigs that he was a big drug trafficker. All they said was that they "suspect[ed] a large amount of marijuana at the location." The SWAT team was bored and hadn't filled their quota, so they jumped on the idea of conducting a little raid.

So they barge in, shoot both his dogs, and arrest him in front of his wife and kid And for what? A pipe, a grinder, and a teeny bit of green.

This is in no way an example of police doing their job. It is an example of police being cruel, self-serving pigs.

 

[1gsourD]

what the hell, they shot 2 dogs? First off, swat isn't needed for a tiny bit of cannabis. second off, the only people/person who is endangering kids are the swat. They are just sitting their firing their guns away at barking dogs.

 

[BWC BayArea]

THis shouldn't be a surprise. For drug cases like the article states, there is a history between drugs and weapons. Find one likely to find the other. As far as the dogs go, thats what happens especially on a warrant for drugs. The dogs get shot. Is it right? I think not. On the other hand if I were an officer and entered a home on a search and there were dogs barking I'd deal with the situation similarly (I think). They have kids and families to get to. This article makes their PD look slow (Rainman slow not turtle). They shot a corgie, damn. Really this is common practice in California and its not shocking.

 

[Irish]

Police just got away with murdering a dear family member and maiming another in front of a child over a pipe and a little herb and that's okay? In what world is that kind of thing okay? Nevermind that they were "just dogs," that argument never ever washed for me. And what of their grieving family? There is NO recourse. According to the "law", Dogs are no better than inert property, not living, breathing, feeling beings that are parts of our family units. And there is no undoing the fear and terror experienced by this family, especially their child. And WHO is going to pay the vet bill for that valiant little Corgi?

Those officers must feel like BIG fracking heroes, alrightie. I want their names, each and every one. They're not always wearing badges, and they've got to have some sort of life other than professionally bullying people for a living. Turnaround is called for. Take it to THEIR HOMES. In a "peaceful" way, of course, but let them begin to worry about their families and private sanctuaries being violated in like kind and at any moment by a justified public. Hand the fear they've dished out right back on them as private citizens, responsible for their own actions, which in the end, they ALL are. Don't let them hide behind those badges as if they have no mind of their own and are absolved of their crimes by reason of their association with law enforcement. It is only legal for them to do this IF WE LET THEM.

Let's not let them.

 

[Jim Finnel]

.....According to the "law", Dogs are no better than inert property, not living, breathing, feeling beings that are parts of our family units. .......

unless they are a police dog

 

[RPsmoke]

Its time to get verbal.

Does this article make you mad?

What are we going to do about it?

 

[MedicalNeed]

People who want to do something about this should simply just spread this story around the net, the best thing to do is to draw as much attention to this article as possible as the Police in question have done everything they could to cover this up. So that is the last thing they want done and it is a simple task for those that frequent this board.
I'm sure this is what these people who were wronged would want done, being they took the story right to their local paper, who refused to run this story until then.

 

[RPsmoke]

In my dealing with pro-pot prohibitionist... they don't care.

This man was a "threat" because he had Cannabis. He obviously smoked it, and he was "endangering his kid". The cops killed a Pit Bull... Again Pit Bulls "are evil man eating creatures that only bad people own."

There are many people who would not read this story as some awful tragedy, but instead as a victory. A drug user was taken off the street and a kid was protected is all they see.

It's sad.

This will not change without proper education.

I don't know. Toking and thinking out loud.

 

[Irish]

Look, just making this public knowledge is not enough. Talking about it is not enough. What has to happen is a total change of mind by the very people that do these things--not the ones that order it, but the ones that follow those orders in a blind, military fashion. The ones that order these atrocities are the very ones that will not change, and it is therefore our task to influence those that take orders from them to not be players in the game on the grounds that it is morally, ethically wrong to do such irreparable harm to our brothers and sisters. This is stuff they can't make up for, and it is imperative that they understand the gravity of that.

Back in the 60's we asked, "What if they put on a war and nobody came?"

I'd like to see that in my lifetime....

 

[Warbux]

Look, just making this public knowledge is not enough. Talking about it is not enough. What has to happen is a total change of mind by the very people that do these things--not the ones that order it, but the ones that follow those orders in a blind, military fashion. The ones that order these atrocities are the very ones that will not change, and it is therefore our task to influence those that take orders from them to not be players in the game on the grounds that it is morally, ethically wrong to do such irreparable harm to our brothers and sisters. This is stuff they can't make up for, and it is imperative that they understand the gravity of that.

Back in the 60's we asked, "What if they put on a war and nobody came?"

I'd like to see that in my lifetime....

GO IRISH!!!!

 

[TorturedSoul]

seems like it was swat that did the endangering by shooting off their guns with a child in the house. they must be so very proud of themselves for protecting the public in this way.

Sadly, a lot of them really are.