No wrongdoing, no accountability
by digby
Sadly predictable:
A Habersham County grand jury has decided not to charge any of the law enforcement officers involved in the botched drug raid that disfigured a toddler.
Nineteen-month-old Bounkham “Bou Bou” Phonesavanh’s nose was detached from his face after a stun grenade landed in his playpen during the raid, carried out by a Habersham SWAT team in May. According to an incident report obtained from the Habersham sheriff’s office, deputies were told to anticipate a cache of weapons and armed guards at the home.
A search inside turned up neither guns nor drugs. Wanis Thonetheva, who didn’t even live at the house, was arrested later that day without incident and charged only with possession of methamphetamine.
Mawuli Davis, the attorney for the Phonesavanh family, said the family was “devastated” to learn no criminal charges would be brought.
The 23-person grand jury heard evidence for six days before releasing their 15-page presentment.
The Feds are looking into the case now. But it doesn't change the fact that the de facto police immunity from prosecution for negligence in this country is now killing a lot of people. Some things are beyond the pale and to fail to check to see if children are on the premises before throwing incendiary devices into it is one of them. Obviously, there was no need to use these battlefield tactics for such a low level crime in the first place but if they insist on using their robo-cop gear they have a special responsibility to ensure that innocent people are not in the line of fire. No one is more innocent than a baby. They should have to pay a price for that failure. Any of the rest of us would for doing something this derelict and irresponsible.
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