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Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia issued a press release explaining their decision to not prosecute the officer who shot and killed unarmed protester (and veteran) Ashli Babbitt on January 6, 2021.
It states that DOJ officials, along with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, “conducted a thorough investigation of Ms. Babbitt’s shooting.” This included reviewing video footage, getting statements from officers and other witnesses, collecting physical evidence, and the results of Ms. Babbitt’s autopsy.
They explain:
“As members of the mob continued to strike the glass doors, Ms. Babbitt attempted to climb through one of the doors where glass was broken out. An officer inside the Speaker’s Lobby fired one round from his service pistol, striking Ms. Babbitt in the left shoulder, causing her to fall back from the doorway and onto the floor.”
No criminal charges for officer who fatally shot woman during Capitol riot By Cassidy McDonald New details emerge in U.S. Capitol riot
The Department of Justice will not bring charges against the Capitol Police officer who shot and killed an Air Force veteran as she climbed through a doorway inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Ashli Babbitt was killed as rioters broke into the Capitol while lawmakers inside were confirming the Electoral College results certifying Joe Biden s presidential victory.
An investigation found insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution and determined that the officer could reasonably believe it was necessary to shoot Babbitt out of self-defense or in defense of those evacuating the House Chamber.
US Capitol Officer Cleared Of Wrongdoing In Fatal Jan. 6 Shooting - Washington DC, DC - Federal officials will not file criminal charges against the U.S. Capitol officer who fatally shot Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt on Jan. 6.
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concentrating on the possible application of 18 U.S.C. § 242 …”
It appears to me that they selected a federal statute with a particularly high threshold for conviction – one which requires proving a state of mind, which by definition is near impossible for other-than-mind-readers.
If this were a White officer shooting a Black mostly-peaceful protestor, there would have been multiple counts citing other statutes with lower thresholds – and there would be a prosecution for public consumption, even if the prosecutors didn’t believe that they could get a conviction.
It is so disheartening to have to recognize that (apparently all) of the major institutions of this country I love are thoroughly corrupt and compromised: the military (at least its leadership); the intelligence agencies; DHS; FBI; DOJ; the judiciary and Congress (for going along with the coup / stolen election. And, of course, the “fourth estate.”