The cops who shot Louis Jiles last summer have been cleared. At a traffic stop, the police mistook a beer bottle in Jiles’ hand for a gun, and shot him in the wrist. Months later, “independent arbitrators” and the Hampden County District Attorney rule that the cops did nothing wrong.
So, what’s the punishment for these cops shooting an unarmed, African-American teen? Not even the customary slap on the wrist. Instead, the officers are lauded as heros. In the words of Commissioner Fitchet, “These officers exemplify the type of courage that our officers display every day and night in the city of Springfield.” Somehow, to Fitchet, the cops are the victims: “They’ve gone through a tremendous amount of stress, not only during the incident but as a result of the review by the D.A. and police department.”
Jiles is still recovering, and his lawyer, Perman Glenn, is considering filing a Civil Rights lawsuit against the city.
Check out CBS 3 Springfield for video footage of Glenn discussing the Jiles case.