Pubdate: Sat, 14 Nov 1998
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Copyright: 1998 Houston Chronicle

NO THREAT FROM OREGON

I take great offense to District Attorney Johnny B. Holmes' statement,
"If it's OK to kill a guy dead, it is OK to kill him dead, dead, dead"
(Chronicle, Nov. 5).

I understand that deadly force can be used when police have reasonable
cause to believe someone is in imminent danger. But if someone is dead or
incapacitated, there is no imminent danger. A gravely wounded man, lying on
the floor with a gun in his hand, could pose a continuing threat to police,
but that has not been alleged in the Pedro Oregon Navarro case. What
Holmes' statement condones is using a man who presents no immediate threat
for target practice.

Jim McMahon, Houston

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