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View From The Middle
Ironic that the anniversary coincides with the recent tragedy in Jamaica, Queens, where a groom was killed in a hail of police bullets while leaving a club where his bachelor party was held. The case is still being investigated thoroughly by parties on all sides, including the victim's family and friends, police and the Queens district attorney. The Queens D.A., Richard Brown, says he will leave "no stone unturned" and, "Let the chips fall where they may," and many other cliché-ridden phrases, but he is a guy who supposedly can be trusted, according to cops and the public, who have watched him through the years. They say he won't be swayed by public comment, including Mayor Bloomberg's unfortunate suggestion - as a citizen, not a public official - that the 50 shots by police "seemed excessive." Even though there are voices of protest and expressions of grief - deep grief - on every corner, it might do well for us to revisit the circumstances police officers - such as Ray Cannon - face every time they are on duty (and off, in some cases). And while we're at it, we might think about the two detectives who were killed in Staten Island in 2003 during an undercover operation, Rodney Andrews and James Nemorin. The trial in that particular case is being held this week in Federal Court in Manhattan. I remember well the circumstances of Officer Ray Cannon's death. He and his partner, Police Officer Kevin Murphy, had been called to investigate a possible holdup in Frenchie's Bike Shop in the shopping center at East 107th Street and Flatlands Avenue. Frenchie's was a pretty popular place and cops would once in awhile stop in and talk with Frenchie himself, with, obviously, bicycles as the main topic. It was close to 4 p.m. and Cannon and Murphy entered the store together and saw a man at the counter - a man they didn't know by sight, anyway. Cannon asked the man where the boss was and told him he and Murphy were there about the possible robbery, meanwhile bringing his right hand to rest on top of his gun. The man said there was no robbery and that they had made a mistake in calling police, but the officers noticed the cash register was open and, as they were asking about it, another man bolted out of a back room and started firing at them with a handgun, immediately hitting Cannon twice in the head. As his partner fell, Murphy exchanged gunfire with the robbers, meanwhile trying to shield Cannon with his body. He emptied his gun and reloaded, exchanging gunfire with four men and yelling through his police radio, "Ten thirteen. Ten thirteen," the police code indicating an officer has been shot or is in trouble and backup is needed. Murphy killed one of the robbers, 33-year-old Richard Larrier, and, as the shootout continued with other heroic officers, Cannon was pulled out of harm's way, as was Murphy. The other shooters proceeded to hide within the basement complex of the shopping center but, after at least two hours of canvassing, the other three - Demetrius Bennett, 15, and brothers Lavonne, and Vernon Smith, 16 and 17, respectively, - were found cowering under some boxes. I thought about mentioning my remembrances of Ray Cannon and his heroic death in this column long before the Jamaica, Queens incident and the killing of Sean Bell; therefore, the irony. And the trial of Ronell Wilson merely happened to coincide with the date; therefore, more irony. We seek justice in all the cases, meanwhile letting words like "excessive" unthinkingly slip by. It is true that a family and a fiancee are in the throes of grief at this time, and we must not dismiss or even dilute their suffering. At the same time, no matter what happened in Jamaica, Queens, right or wrong, let us not jump to wayward conclusions before giving it deep, deep thought. Just once, try walking in another man's shoes.
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