A Florida jury is currently deliberating whether Scot Peterson, 60, is guilty of 11 counts that include felony child neglect and culpable negligence. He has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Peterson’s case has added a legal and moral dimension to a fraught national debate over law enforcement’s responsibility to protect students during school shootings, which are a common occurrence in the United States.
The guy hid in an alcove and didn’t even try to help kids evacuate. I have no idea how the jury reached the conclusion that they did. The New York Times article said that prosecutors had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Peterson, who did not testify, should be considered someone “responsible for a child’s welfare.” If the school resource officer is not responsible for a child’s welfare, just what is their job?
I’m not sure this guy should be held guilty.
The one who SHOULD be charged is the commander who showed up on scene, left his radio in his car, failed to take command, and spent most of the next hour or two wandering around while innocent people were killed and nobody was giving any orders. And he says he ‘didn’t realize he was in command’ fucking bullshit dude that is your job to know that you are a part of the chain of command. When you, a command officer, shows up on scene you should establish where you fit in that chain- if someone else is in command report to them, if nobody else is then take command. That’s your DUTY. You personally don’t have to rush the gunman, you just have to take command of your men.
In the absence of orders, ‘do nothing’ became the de facto order until a border patrol team (different chain of command) showed up and said fuck you all we’re ending this.
Let’s charge that commander with gross negligence.
Ah, America, where this happens so often that this type of mistake is common and understandable:
You’ve got the wrong mass slaughter of school children by gun violence there. You’re describing the events that happened at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in 2022; this case is about the events that happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.
Ah yeah I know they are different. What I meant was this guy has a clear defense under Warren v. DC (namely, that he had no specific duty to save lives) and he can simply argue that in his estimation he didn’t have the ability to effectively engage, whereas the Uvalde commander is clear dereliction of duty.
Funny how they don’t have the same issue when killing unarmed civilians.
Cops do not have an obligation to protect you.
