Anthony Diotaiuto – update
A piece on the one year anniversary of the day Anthony Diotaiuto was killed by 10 rounds of 9mm to the chest for having less than an ounce of marijuana and a handgun permit in a pre-dawn raid. This bit of info is new to me:
A year later, only two new details have come to light: Sunrise police cleared the two officers who shot Diotaiuto, and the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office acknowledged police waited three hours after the shooting to contact a coroner.
Why would they do that? That’s a lot of time. More:
Sunrise police declined to answer a dozen questions submitted to them this week, including whether SWAT teams are still being used to serve search warrants. Lt. Roger Torres, speaking for the department, said city attorneys suggested the department not comment. Diotaiuto had a concealed weapon’s permit, a “major factor” in justifying use of the SWAT team, police have said.
And some details:
A judge approved the search warrant on Aug. 3, 2005.
Details of what happened next are in dispute.
Diotaiuto got home from work about 4 a.m. Two hours later, the SWAT team assembled on his property.
Police have said the team knocked on his front door and announced themselves that morning. But at least two of Diotaiuto’s neighbors, who stated they watched the raid, said police did neither. The SWAT team smashed open Diotaiuto’s oak door, and kicked in his bedroom door.
By 6:15 a.m., Diotaiuto was dead in his closet with 10 gunshot wounds.
Police gave three different accounts of the confrontation the week it happened. First, police said Diotaiuto pointed a gun at officers. Then, police only said Diotaiuto was armed with a gun. Finally, police said he was found dead next to a gun. Police also said they seized 2 ounces of marijuana from the home, despite an inventory afterwards that showed 1ounce was found.
On the officers, an attorney says:
“Each is the type of officer you would want protecting your neighborhood, protecting your wife and your family,”
Let’s see, over aggressive; evidence of cover up; three inconsistent stories regarding the shooting. The Hell they are.
August 8th, 2006 at 9:23 am
Three hours to call for a coroner? Sounds like elimination of a witness to me. Just let the dude lie there till the blood bubbles stop, then call the meat wagon.
Officers like that don’t need to be fired, they don’t need to be prosecuted and jailed. They need to be HUNG*.
*after a jury trial of course.
August 9th, 2006 at 1:14 am
I don’t even want the sonsabitches on the planet. Under it, maybe.
August 9th, 2006 at 2:38 am
How can the city stonewall like that? Dont judges tend to rule against defendents who refuse to cooperate with subpoenas?
November 27th, 2006 at 10:40 am
[…] Did the libertarians jump the gun? Maybe. But I cannot buy that a small amount of weed justifies busting someone’s door in and shooting them dead. Or that such an amount even justifies busting a door down to begin with. Or that having a small amount of weed and a handgun carry permit justifies busting their door down and putting ten rounds of 9mm into their chest. I’m weird like that. Now, I am not saying that there are not instances in which busting someone’s door down is justifiable but these should be the exception and not the rule. It’s done too often and too many innocent people die as a result. And it doesn’t do a lot for the image the police have these days. And busting people’s doors down should be limited to violent or serious crimes. Maybe the cops were legally justified in their actions. But that don’t make it right. […]