Amy Bishop, the University of Alabama professor who is alleged to have killed three and wounded three at a departmental staff meeting last week, presents a strange case.
It’s strange her husband told reporters he didn’t know she had a gun – until he remembered he’d accompanied her to a shooting range several times in recent weeks.
It’s strange the Bishops were questioned in a 1993 case in which a bomb was planted in one of their Harvard professor’s houses. (No one was ever charged with a crime in connection with the incident.)
It’s very strange that Ms. Bishop’s brother died of a shotgun blast 1986, a blast delivered by Ms. Bishop. The official story (until this week, that is) was the shooting was an accident. This was Ms. Bishop’s story, corroborated by her mother. Ms. Bishop supposedly was trying to unload the weapon, with which she was unfamiliar, when it went off – once into a wall, once into a ceiling and once into her brother. He died of the wound.
It’s strange that she then ran down the street with the shotgun, pointing it at drivers, apparently trying to hijack their cars. She was arrested and taken to the police station in her hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts for booking.
While that process was underway, Police Chief John Polio called the station and ordered Ms. Bishop released. Apparently, Ms. Bishop’s mother was a member of the town’s police personnel committee and called Mr. Polio for assistance.
Releasing someone who is at least a “person of interest” in a fatal shooting did not sit well with officers on the force, but the chief’s the chief, so Ms. Bishop was released to her mother’s custody. Apparently, Chief Polio told officers Ms. Bishop was “too emotional” to be interviewed and she would be questioned when she’d calmed down.
I used to be a police reporter and I have to say, I’ve never heard of police granting anyone a “cool down” period before questioning. (“Sarge, let’s let this fellow have a few hours to gather his thoughts. We want a nice, level playing field when we ask him questions. Wouldn’t want him to making contradictory statements or anything.”)
Ms. Bishop was given 11 days (!) to cool and eventually, her brother’s death was ruled an accident and everyone forgot about it – perhaps even during the 1993 Harvard bomb investigation – until Ms. Bishop (allegedly!) shot six people, killing three.
The case of Amy Bishop is strange indeed. What’s not strange is that kid-glove treatment is given to educated, politically connected white people. Can you imagine an African-American male wanted for questioning in a shotgun death being released to his mom for a “cool down” period?
In another Boston suburb last summer, educated, wealthy, politically connected African-American Henry Louis Gates was arrested after being found inside his own home. He was, by all accounts, agitated when he was accosted by the police officer. He was not given a “cool down” period. His mother was not called. He was taken away in handcuffs and charged, although the charges were later dropped.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department decided no federal charges will be brought against the five New York City police officers who fired 50 bullets into a car carrying Sean Bell, killing Mr. Bell on what was to have been his wedding day in 2006. Two men in the car with Mr. Bell were injured. None of the men in the car were armed.
No state charges were brought against the officers. They may be subject to internal department sanctions, but that possibility is currently unclear.
The only “cool down” period Mr. Bell received was in the morgue.
The Strange Case of Amy Bishop
Amy Bishop, the University of Alabama professor who is alleged to have killed three and wounded three at a departmental staff meeting last week, presents a strange case.
It’s strange her husband told reporters he didn’t know she had a gun – until he remembered he’d accompanied her to a shooting range several times in recent weeks.
It’s strange the Bishops were questioned in a 1993 case in which a bomb was planted in one of their Harvard professor’s houses. (No one was ever charged with a crime in connection with the incident.)
It’s very strange that Ms. Bishop’s brother died of a shotgun blast 1986, a blast delivered by Ms. Bishop. The official story (until this week, that is) was the shooting was an accident. This was Ms. Bishop’s story, corroborated by her mother. Ms. Bishop supposedly was trying to unload the weapon, with which she was unfamiliar, when it went off – once into a wall, once into a ceiling and once into her brother. He died of the wound.
It’s strange that she then ran down the street with the shotgun, pointing it at drivers, apparently trying to hijack their cars. She was arrested and taken to the police station in her hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts for booking.
While that process was underway, Police Chief John Polio called the station and ordered Ms. Bishop released. Apparently, Ms. Bishop’s mother was a member of the town’s police personnel committee and called Mr. Polio for assistance.
Releasing someone who is at least a “person of interest” in a fatal shooting did not sit well with officers on the force, but the chief’s the chief, so Ms. Bishop was released to her mother’s custody. Apparently, Chief Polio told officers Ms. Bishop was “too emotional” to be interviewed and she would be questioned when she’d calmed down.
I used to be a police reporter and I have to say, I’ve never heard of police granting anyone a “cool down” period before questioning. (“Sarge, let’s let this fellow have a few hours to gather his thoughts. We want a nice, level playing field when we ask him questions. Wouldn’t want him to making contradictory statements or anything.”)
Ms. Bishop was given 11 days (!) to cool and eventually, her brother’s death was ruled an accident and everyone forgot about it – perhaps even during the 1993 Harvard bomb investigation – until Ms. Bishop (allegedly!) shot six people, killing three.
The case of Amy Bishop is strange indeed. What’s not strange is that kid-glove treatment is given to educated, politically connected white people. Can you imagine an African-American male wanted for questioning in a shotgun death being released to his mom for a “cool down” period?
In another Boston suburb last summer, educated, wealthy, politically connected African-American Henry Louis Gates was arrested after being found inside his own home. He was, by all accounts, agitated when he was accosted by the police officer. He was not given a “cool down” period. His mother was not called. He was taken away in handcuffs and charged, although the charges were later dropped.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department decided no federal charges will be brought against the five New York City police officers who fired 50 bullets into a car carrying Sean Bell, killing Mr. Bell on what was to have been his wedding day in 2006. Two men in the car with Mr. Bell were injured. None of the men in the car were armed.
No state charges were brought against the officers. They may be subject to internal department sanctions, but that possibility is currently unclear.
The only “cool down” period Mr. Bell received was in the morgue.
© Mark Floegel, 2010