Quick Review
Just a quick review of some of the statements from the Ghetto News Network and local media outlets since Friday night:
“He was on his knees with his hands in the air when he was shot in the back by a police officer.”
No, he wasn’t.
“Oh, he was shot in the head? He was on his knees with his hands in the air when he was shot in the head by a police officer.”
No, he wasn’t.
“He was an officer in the military.”
No, he wasn’t.
“He is in he military and home on leave.”
No, he wasn’t.
“He didn’t have a gun.”
Yes, he did.
“He was never suicidal.”
Yes, he was.
You have to give attorney Andy Savage props for doing what the media, the police and the coroner won’t do on their own - providing information that puts the lies to all of the above statements and more. Unfortunately, it is too little, to late. The authorities apparently prefer to keep quiet and allow some in the community to advocate violence against police as revenge for the death of a young man. As it turns out, the police had almost nothing to do with that death, other than approaching the guy.
While CPD hemmed and hawed and kicked pebbles around all weekend the story of how an “innocent” young man with his “hands in the air” was “shot in the back by police” propagated across the web. The story is now the focus of hundreds of anti-police websites, Facebook and Twitter pages. The statements of “witnesses” who didn’t actually see a damn thing are now taken as gospel. And those stories will never be updated with facts or removed from those sites.
Funny how a city so attuned to information control so it doesn’t affect the tourist dollar completely blew it in this incident. Mullen and Riley should be learning a very important lesson right about now. Suddenly changing the course of an investigation in mid-stream to cater to a bunch of racial grievance mongers will always bite you in the ass. And no, Mayor Riley, they don’t give a damn that you are a Democrat.
Savage has spoon fed some facts to the P&C for their latest story on the death of Denzell “Jaba” Curnell. Thanks to Savage we now know Curnell did enlist in the Army, but failed to make it through basic training. By the admissions of his friends who have posted here, Curnell was a sheltered fellow who spent most of his time indoors with his video games rather than engaging in outside activities. He was also deeply disturbed by the recent death of his mother.
Therefore, it is no surprise he had problems in basic training. The Army expressed concern over his “depressive behavior” and the possibility he was a suicide risk, even placing him on suicide watch while they processed him out. Curnell was given an administrative discharge, otherwise known as “for the good of the service”, and sent home in December.
Savage also tells us that a firearm, a .38 revolver, has been reported missing by Curnell’s step-father. The family, however, does not believe Curnell committed suicide. In fact, they will probably never believe it. Families have a hard time coping with suicide and a refusal to believe it happened, in spite of all the facts, is very common.
Now that suicide has come to the forefront there are folks still blaming the police officer. “Why did the officer approach him in the first place?” Well, that’s what cops do. And believe it or not, they really don’t need a reason to approach you. They can just step and say, “Hey, how are you tonight?” Yeah, we know, they shouldn’t be allowed to talk to or approach anyone, period.
This just HAS to be a police shooting. In fact, no matter what the investigation shows, and no matter what facts Savage feeds to the press (who never bothered to investigate anything in the first place due to having their own agenda) this will always be a police shooting in the eyes of a lot of people.
The P&C, in defiance of the facts, continues to stoke the community fire in their articles with intentionally misleading statements like:
“Curnell, 19, was shot in the head during an encounter with a police officer at the Bridgeview Village apartments.”
How about an accurate portrayal? Something like:
“Curnell, 19, shot himself in the head during an encounter with a police officer at the Bridgeview Village apartments.”
And then there is this one from the same article:
“Curnell, known among friends as “Jaba,” was shot around 10:30 p.m. Friday. He had come across Officer Jamal Medlin, who was working an off-duty security job at the North Romney Street apartment community that Curnell was visiting.”
An accurate representation? Nope. How about:
“Curnell, known among friends as “Jaba,” shot himself, probably with a revolver taken from a family member, around 10:30 p.m. Friday. He had come across Officer Jamal Medlin, who was working an off-duty security job at the North Romney Street apartment community that Curnell was visiting.”
Andrew Knapp just spent a whole article telling you about the facts he received from the family attorney. Facts that included key phrases like “depressive behavior”, “suicide watch” and “missing gun”, yet he still felt it necessary to include these vaguely worded sentences which would lead some to still believe Curnell was shot by a police officer. You have to wonder at the ability of the folks at the P&C to present facts, then turn around and completely ignore those facts in the same piece.
As the story of a police officer shooting an innocent in the back continues to devolve, the NAACP is still looking for a way to make a dime or two from the incident. They initially jumped right in on this case, but skulked away when word got out this was not a racially motivated killing by a police officer. Now they have scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. today.
We can’t wait to hear what the new angle is going to be. Maybe it will be, “This police officer approached a black man he should have known was armed and suicidal. The police caused this boy to shoot himself in the head and they should be held responsible.”
Or maybe they will just say, “Hey, we screwed up initially. You dumb shits should stop lying to the police so we don’t come charging in and looking stupid!”
Which do you think it will be?
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Maybe the naacp is holding the press conference to discuss how many black on black crimes have taken place since Jaba shot himself. Yep. I’m pretty sure that’s it…
This will be moderated and probably not posted. BUT anyways blacks are corrupt and kill each other all the time in SC. They shoot each other, steal from each other, lie on each other, do all kinds evil fucked up shit to each other and then call the NAACP to blame the police. If this were a depressed white kid who committed suicide the phony NAACP wouldn’t care one bit about the loss of a young person.
Actually, a very similar case occurred in North Charleston a couple of months ago. The only difference being the suspect who shot himself in the head with a police officer nearby was white. Not a peep from the NAACP.
I am ashamed of the NAACP. They dont represent all.
Maybe the naacp is holding the press conference to discuss how many black on black crimes have taken place since Jaba shot himself. Yep. I’m pretty sure that’s it…
This will be moderated and probably not posted. BUT anyways blacks are corrupt and kill each other all the time in SC. They shoot each other, steal from each other, lie on each other, do all kinds evil fucked up shit to each other and then call the NAACP to blame the police. If this were a depressed white kid who committed suicide the phony NAACP wouldn’t care one bit about the loss of a young person.
I am ashamed of the NAACP. They dont represent all.
Thank you for giving us as accurate information as possible! I will tune in to watch the news conference and hope for the best that they will do the right thing. It really is disheartening when the media is quick to jump on something that puts the blame on someone else, especially those in authority, but are slow to back off and make things right when what they have reported is wrong or just plain misleading. For God’s sake, if you’re wrong admit it, apologize and get on with it. Why is it so hard to make corrections? We - somehow - must be able to keep this site up and running for the good of the community. You guys/girls are the best!
Thank you for giving us as accurate information as possible! I will tune in to watch the news conference and hope for the best that they will do the right thing. It really is disheartening when the media is quick to jump on something that puts the blame on someone else, especially those in authority, but are slow to back off and make things right when what they have reported is wrong or just plain misleading. For God’s sake, if you’re wrong admit it, apologize and get on with it. Why is it so hard to make corrections? We - somehow - must be able to keep this site up and running for the good of the community. You guys/girls are the best!
I don’t think it is going to be the second one. It is a real shame that so many poor black folks allow themselves to be baited into believing this type of stuff.
Its a shame the kid is gone. From all accounts, it seems like he was a good, if depressed kid. Sure, he might have said some racist shit, but a lot of people have had a racist thought from time to time. We’re getting better as a society at evolving past centuries of racism, but its a slow process. Change like that isn’t going to happen overnight, but we’re definitely improving. That is another topic all together.
He might have just been toting around his stepfathers piece to act cool. But how many of the kids on this site started out doing that type of shit? Maybe just a few. Everyone did stupid stuff when they were young. Just because he had the gun, doesn’t mean he was necessarily up to no-good (at least compared to most of the other young men featured on this website, having an illegal firearm is still a very serious crime), he could have just been showing off, trying to act cool. If this website is any indication of what it is like to be a young man growing up in that enviroment, he might just be trying to fit into a culture that is very bizarre to someone looking in from the outside.
It seems like a lot of people that join the armed forces nowadays see it as a calling, akin to people that grow up wanting to be doctors and police officers, people that want to grow up and help others. Maybe being confronted by the officer, with the gun in his possession, knowing full well that one of the consequences of being caught with his step-fathers firearm is that he would probably not going to be able to return to the armed services with a felony criminal record (although judging from the outcomes of many other similar cases on this site, it probably wouldn’t have gone anywhere after it was knocked down to a misdemeanor, or dropped altogether) and in a split second decision decided to do the unthinkable.
I made a post a few days ago about ‘good riddance thug’ etc, and from all appearances, that doesn’t really seem to be the case with this kid. But I could be wrong. Having an illegal firearm is certainly very, very serious, especially when coupled with a severe, untreated mental health impairment. So why is no one calling for the step-father to be charged? There sure seems to be a lot of fervor right now over gun access as it pertains to the mentally handicapped in the wake of all the mass killings featured in the media. If this kid was depressed enough to get booted from the Army, why did he have access to this gun in the first place? Why wasn’t his family, or the NAACP trying to get this kids head together?
The questions are getting answered, slowly, as the facts are released to the public. But as the public we are just going to have to sit back and chill until all the details are known. I would also like to say that I in no way believe anything that I’ve laid out to be the truth, I am merely theorizing what MAY have happened. They have already ruled his death a suicide. There is a myriad of evidence to support it. That DID happen.
And no amount of race baiting is going to bring any of these young men back.
(And to the guy that said that young black males never kill themselves, it is older black females that -never- commit suicide. Look it up!)
Unlawful carry of a handgun (§16-23-20) is only a misdemeanor. Penalty section: §16-23-50.
I don’t think it is going to be the second one. It is a real shame that so many poor black folks allow themselves to be baited into believing this type of stuff.
Its a shame the kid is gone. From all accounts, it seems like he was a good, if depressed kid. Sure, he might have said some racist shit, but a lot of people have had a racist thought from time to time. We’re getting better as a society at evolving past centuries of racism, but its a slow process. Change like that isn’t going to happen overnight, but we’re definitely improving. That is another topic all together.
He might have just been toting around his stepfathers piece to act cool. But how many of the kids on this site started out doing that type of shit? Maybe just a few. Everyone did stupid stuff when they were young. Just because he had the gun, doesn’t mean he was necessarily up to no-good (at least compared to most of the other young men featured on this website, having an illegal firearm is still a very serious crime), he could have just been showing off, trying to act cool. If this website is any indication of what it is like to be a young man growing up in that enviroment, he might just be trying to fit into a culture that is very bizarre to someone looking in from the outside.
It seems like a lot of people that join the armed forces nowadays see it as a calling, akin to people that grow up wanting to be doctors and police officers, people that want to grow up and help others. Maybe being confronted by the officer, with the gun in his possession, knowing full well that one of the consequences of being caught with his step-fathers firearm is that he would probably not going to be able to return to the armed services with a felony criminal record (although judging from the outcomes of many other similar cases on this site, it probably wouldn’t have gone anywhere after it was knocked down to a misdemeanor, or dropped altogether) and in a split second decision decided to do the unthinkable.
I made a post a few days ago about ‘good riddance thug’ etc, and from all appearances, that doesn’t really seem to be the case with this kid. But I could be wrong. Having an illegal firearm is certainly very, very serious, especially when coupled with a severe, untreated mental health impairment. So why is no one calling for the step-father to be charged? There sure seems to be a lot of fervor right now over gun access as it pertains to the mentally handicapped in the wake of all the mass killings featured in the media. If this kid was depressed enough to get booted from the Army, why did he have access to this gun in the first place? Why wasn’t his family, or the NAACP trying to get this kids head together?
The questions are getting answered, slowly, as the facts are released to the public. But as the public we are just going to have to sit back and chill until all the details are known. I would also like to say that I in no way believe anything that I’ve laid out to be the truth, I am merely theorizing what MAY have happened. They have already ruled his death a suicide. There is a myriad of evidence to support it. That DID happen.
And no amount of race baiting is going to bring any of these young men back.
(And to the guy that said that young black males never kill themselves, it is older black females that -never- commit suicide. Look it up!)
Unlawful carry of a handgun (§16-23-20) is only a misdemeanor. Penalty section: §16-23-50.
Dot is at it again:
http://www.live5news.com/story/25879551/naacp-statement-on-denzel-curnell-shooting
Dot is at it again:
http://www.live5news.com/story/25879551/naacp-statement-on-denzel-curnell-shooting
I still think the PD did the best they could do under the circumstances. Let’s face it, no matter WHAT they said or how they conducted their investigation, the hood will always generate whatever version suits them best and that is invariably directly opposed to the actual truth. Good job highlighting this though, keep sticking it in the craw of the local racist organizations when they get it wrong, don’t let them forget it.
I still think the PD did the best they could do under the circumstances. Let’s face it, no matter WHAT they said or how they conducted their investigation, the hood will always generate whatever version suits them best and that is invariably directly opposed to the actual truth. Good job highlighting this though, keep sticking it in the craw of the local racist organizations when they get it wrong, don’t let them forget it.
Y’all called it these anti police sh*t starters are still trying to cover up there loud mouth allegations. Scott is a joke. If someone really listens to this guy and doesn’t get sick, please find the nearest bridge and jump. Thank you from the rest of us.
Y’all called it these anti police sh*t starters are still trying to cover up there loud mouth allegations. Scott is a joke. If someone really listens to this guy and doesn’t get sick, please find the nearest bridge and jump. Thank you from the rest of us.
Andy Paras asked, “If officer saw Jaba Curnell pull out a gun wouldn’t officer shoot first?” As a LEO, I’ll be more than happy to answer that. Everything is situational. There are times when it is not feasable to introduce ANOTHER firearm into a conflict. Those times are ones in which there is very close proximity to the other person. For instance, if I’m within arms reach of an individual who has already produced a firearm, what are the chances that I can draw my firearm from the holster, and accurately place rounds on target before that individual begins firing? Not good. Which is faster, action or reaction? Turn off the TV, Hollywood has no idea what really happens during a shooting (if they do, it is not accurately portrayed on the screen). Having not been on the scene, I don’t know what happened and will not Monday morning QB the officer. He has the ability to go home to his family at the end of the shift, job well done, sir.
Andy Paras asked, “If officer saw Jaba Curnell pull out a gun wouldn’t officer shoot first?” As a LEO, I’ll be more than happy to answer that. Everything is situational. There are times when it is not feasable to introduce ANOTHER firearm into a conflict. Those times are ones in which there is very close proximity to the other person. For instance, if I’m within arms reach of an individual who has already produced a firearm, what are the chances that I can draw my firearm from the holster, and accurately place rounds on target before that individual begins firing? Not good. Which is faster, action or reaction? Turn off the TV, Hollywood has no idea what really happens during a shooting (if they do, it is not accurately portrayed on the screen). Having not been on the scene, I don’t know what happened and will not Monday morning QB the officer. He has the ability to go home to his family at the end of the shift, job well done, sir.
The NWACP can’t let this go they just like to make ridiculous accusation. It’s the greatest example of the boy who cried wolf. The Charleston police Department should of easily handled the matter and informed the news that it was a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head ,on Saturday. The fact that they called in SLED in to assist with the investigation gave the impression that it was a police shooting. SLED has to do the investigation when a police officer shoots somebody. It’s amazing how they throw their hands up and let this simmer all weekend. They allowed the idiots and the news paper to make false accusations when it was a clear suicide . The NWACP and the media should be asking why this kid wasn’t getting any help after being discharged from the military for depression. But they would prefer to stir shit up with the black community and give the impression of some kind of conspiracy by a racist police department. The mental heath system in America is the first thing that gets cut because of the freeloaders sucking the social programs dry. All the mass shootings in America our done by people who fall through the cracks. The media loves to beat the drum of gun control instead of the real issue. It’s a shame that politicians and the people who run these agency’s don’t have the balls to stick up for police officers .
The NWACP can’t let this go they just like to make ridiculous accusation. It’s the greatest example of the boy who cried wolf. The Charleston police Department should of easily handled the matter and informed the news that it was a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head ,on Saturday. The fact that they called in SLED in to assist with the investigation gave the impression that it was a police shooting. SLED has to do the investigation when a police officer shoots somebody. It’s amazing how they throw their hands up and let this simmer all weekend. They allowed the idiots and the news paper to make false accusations when it was a clear suicide . The NWACP and the media should be asking why this kid wasn’t getting any help after being discharged from the military for depression. But they would prefer to stir shit up with the black community and give the impression of some kind of conspiracy by a racist police department. The mental heath system in America is the first thing that gets cut because of the freeloaders sucking the social programs dry. All the mass shootings in America our done by people who fall through the cracks. The media loves to beat the drum of gun control instead of the real issue. It’s a shame that politicians and the people who run these agency’s don’t have the balls to stick up for police officers .
Dear Dot Scott,
Fuck you. You are a racist bitch and you know it. I know it by your response to me on the phone a couple months ago. The only reason that you supposedly “care” about the black community is this:
If there were no serious race problems, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE. You exist soley for the purpose of race baiting. You are no better and no worse than Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Barry Sotero and Eric Holder.
I tell ya what though; let me see you in the street. I’ll ambush journalism you and embarass the ever living crap out of you. I’ll call you out on every single point you have ever made. You and your kind are the reason that we still have racial issues in our country. Aside from the statement you made about a lefty shooting right handed (Interesting I might add), all you did was to further exacerbate the situation. You did NOTHING to difuse it.
So yeah, watch your back bitch. I’ve got a phone and a pen and I’ll damn sure use it.
Dear Dot Scott,
Fuck you. You are a racist bitch and you know it. I know it by your response to me on the phone a couple months ago. The only reason that you supposedly “care” about the black community is this:
If there were no serious race problems, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE. You exist soley for the purpose of race baiting. You are no better and no worse than Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Barry Sotero and Eric Holder.
I tell ya what though; let me see you in the street. I’ll ambush journalism you and embarass the ever living crap out of you. I’ll call you out on every single point you have ever made. You and your kind are the reason that we still have racial issues in our country. Aside from the statement you made about a lefty shooting right handed (Interesting I might add), all you did was to further exacerbate the situation. You did NOTHING to difuse it.
So yeah, watch your back bitch. I’ve got a phone and a pen and I’ll damn sure use it.
Everyone is making a big deal out of a left handed person shooting himself with his right hand.
Many of the Military personnel I served with were left handed of course. But at the range we were all trained to shoot right handed. If anyone has ever taken initial weapon training in the Military they can attest that the instructors are ball busters and it MUST be done the same way each time. The standard pistols we trained for were configured for a right hander (Magazine release, safety). We all shot right handed. There was always a left hander who resisted at first but they learned. The military trains and retrains, making these skills second nature. It wasn’t until our first duty station that they accomodated any left hand shooters. Remember the add on ejector for the M16? A friend waited 6 months before he received his “special” left handed pistol from the Armory. None of this is really available in Basic.
So, I suggest, a military trained shooter (this was probably his only formal firearms training) picks up a pistol configured for a right hander and shoots right handed. I don’t quite see it as definitive evidence he was “framed” as many are trying to say. Amy ex-military want to weigh-in?
Lastly many who shoot right handed but are lefties have problems not with the hand grips and shooting but due to eye dominance. Point your finger and pretend to point a gun. Which eye closes? For most it is the left eye. If your right eye closes, this is a bigger issue for a left handed shooter. Not much eye dominance going on if you point it straight at your head.
Everyone is making a big deal out of a left handed person shooting himself with his right hand.
Many of the Military personnel I served with were left handed of course. But at the range we were all trained to shoot right handed. If anyone has ever taken initial weapon training in the Military they can attest that the instructors are ball busters and it MUST be done the same way each time. The standard pistols we trained for were configured for a right hander (Magazine release, safety). We all shot right handed. There was always a left hander who resisted at first but they learned. The military trains and retrains, making these skills second nature. It wasn’t until our first duty station that they accomodated any left hand shooters. Remember the add on ejector for the M16? A friend waited 6 months before he received his “special” left handed pistol from the Armory. None of this is really available in Basic.
So, I suggest, a military trained shooter (this was probably his only formal firearms training) picks up a pistol configured for a right hander and shoots right handed. I don’t quite see it as definitive evidence he was “framed” as many are trying to say. Amy ex-military want to weigh-in?
Lastly many who shoot right handed but are lefties have problems not with the hand grips and shooting but due to eye dominance. Point your finger and pretend to point a gun. Which eye closes? For most it is the left eye. If your right eye closes, this is a bigger issue for a left handed shooter. Not much eye dominance going on if you point it straight at your head.