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http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/feb/23/family-questions-swat-drug-search-that-led-to/

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.


J. Whitworth
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.

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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.

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Inverted said:

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Thebooedocksaint said:
So, what can WE do to express our disgust?

I really am wanting to let them know this is NOT right.

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Thebooedocksaint said:

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Inverted said:

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I meant the legal way.

I'm sending this to larger news networks, I hope it can get some attention.

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Im right there with ya man, I am extremely pissed off because of this, Ive been posting this article all over the place... I want it to get attention,
Its disgusting.

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Thebooedocksaint said:
It's going to be reported on today on CNN according to what I just heard.

I messaged someone and they said it is in the newscast today.

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

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Thebooedocksaint said:
It's going to be reported on today on CNN according to what I just heard.

I messaged someone and they said it is in the newscast today.

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Today?

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:
lol I meant today as in Thursday the are showing it?

I just sent an email to attorney general Chris Koster
Not sure how much that does anything at all but, its a step better than nothing...
We should all send him a message and tell him what we the people think of this matter...

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SpaceMonkey said:
I hope that guy can sue the police for excessive force! Shooting a dog such as a pitbull for looking "Vicious or Hostile" is just wrong. They all look intimidating, it is their nature.  But i heard 1 shot which obviously wounded the dog when they entered (heard yelping) the door and then 3 more later on to finish the dog(no more yelping)! That's just fucked up!!!


And all for cannabis! And such a small amount even for that much force!

Wrong I tell you!!!!!!!!!!          

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:
The only child endangerment I see is the bullets flying around the house carelessly.

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ShroomieGirl said:
done and done.

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FRACTALife said:

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ShroomieGirl said:
done and done.

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SpaceMonkey said:
thank you for all your support!

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Doitagain said:
Anyone see any reason why it's a bad idea to start mass calling their police department and complain/demand an explanation.  Perhaps we could get people involved and inundate these redneck fucks with so much phone traffic they can't get any real work done.

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no different from the tens of thousands of similar raids conducted every year, and that are probably conducted by his own department a couple of times per week

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Suspects will be under constant surveillance until the raid is carried out. And raids will be conducted within a shorter period of time from when police get the initial tip about a suspected drug dealer

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That said, Burton is deflecting. When the video first went viral, his department's spokesperson acknowledged that the police didn't know a seven-year-old boy was in the home, but explained that the department has to carry out drug raids quickly before dealers can move their supply. That was, as Burton would put it, "misinformation." You might even call it a lie. At the very least, it was another example of a police spokesperson reflexively defending the department before knowing all the facts. Eight days passed between the time the police were tipped off to the alleged marijuana stash and the time they conducted the raid

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