Constitution Expert: Capitol Cop’s Reason for Shooting Babbitt Is Dangerous

A constitutional expert is warning the excuse used by Capitol police officer Michael Byrd for shooting an unarmed protester at the January riot in Washington is more than dangerous.

“Under this standard, hundreds of rioters could have been gunned down on Jan. 6 – and officers in cities such as Seattle or Portland, Ore., could have killed hundreds of violent protesters who tried to burn courthouses, took over city halls or occupied police stations during last summer’s widespread rioting,” said constitutional expert Jonathan Turley.

“In all of those protests, a small number of activists from both political extremes showed up prepared for violence and pushed others to riot. According to the DOJ’s Byrd review, officers in those cities would have been required to see a weapon in order to use lethal force in defending buildings,” he said.

A report at Legal Insurrection explained the issue has arisen again because Byrd has publicly identified himself as the cop who shot and killed an unarmed Ashli Babbitt, a veteran, on that day.

I have long expressed doubt over the Babbitt shooting, which directly contradicted standards on the use of lethal force by law enforcement. But what was breathtaking about Byrd’s interview was that he confirmed the worst suspicions about the shooting …https://t.co/66xjvIK0hh

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 28, 2021