A criminal trial expected to be closely watched by law enforcement and gun owners around South Carolina opens Monday in federal court in Columbia.
At issue: whether Joel Robinson, 32, is guilty of a crime for shootinga DEA agent in the first few seconds of a surprise federal law enforcement raid last October at his Orangeburg house.
Agents expected to find a cache of drugs, but a search of the premises found nothing but a small amount of marijuana for recreational use, according to legal records in the case.
Robinson is expected to claim self-defense, saying he did what any citizen would have in assuming he was the target of a home invasion – grabbing a gun and firing a half-dozen shots in the direction of those he assumed were home invaders.
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no knock raids are an afront to liberty
ReplyDeleteIt's mind boggling to me that they are "legal".
DeleteIf a cop get shot during a "No Knock" and the specific items spelled out on the warrant are not present then there is no reason for anybody to be charged with anything. The judge issuing a "no knock" needs to be present during the execution of the warrant, along with EMS for any collateral injuries. Cops should be held accountable for their screw ups.
ReplyDeleteThanks and of course, there should be no such thing.
DeleteHe'll hang. Weed & a gun will do him in.
ReplyDeleteShould be exonerated.
DeleteEven with a public defender representing no jury in the US should convict this guy.
ReplyDeleteNo excuse for PDs to do this, who wouldn't shoot a violent intruder ?
Only those without one if they had any sense.
DeleteInnocent. Anyone raiding another's domicile in such an aggressive manner (even with drugs present) deserves to be sent home. In a bodybag.
ReplyDeleteNeed to get rid of no-knock, obviously.
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