Due to the recent outbreak of Range Rover terror America's finest were on the lookout for any black vehicle that looked out of place. Fortunately they were prepared and another national security threat was averted.
An emergency meeting was held at the White House to discuss how this could be prevented in the future. The president proposed installing a new stop sign at the end of the White House driveway.
A government task force has been assembled to research just what language the word "STOP" should be written in.
Sure a sad situation.
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It is a truly sad situation, and I think that the militarization of our police forces are responsible for the shoot now ask questions later mentality of the SWAT teams.
The Federalization of local police forces should be reversed.
Do you remember Brian Eggleston?
October 16, 1995, just past 7:30 a.m.
Brian Eggleston lived in Tacoma, WA in a neighborhood that is somewhat prone to crime, his house had been broken into before. The house was small, about 900 square feet. He was sleeping in his bed one morning when he heard a noise. He grabbed his gun and stepped out into the 7' long hallway, naked. He saw a dark shadow, then muzzle flashes. He suddenly felt excruciating pain in his groin. He was being shot at, so he shot back. A gunfight took place. Brian ended up on the floor in the small hallway, swimming in a pool of his own blood. Deputy John Bananola ended up dead on the living room floor. After it was over, Brian could not believe that the intruders were Pierce County Sheriff Department deputies.
Within seconds, the lives of so many people were destroyed.
Brian's mother, Linda Eggleston, had been asleep in her bedroom at the time of the raid. His father, Tom, was asleep on the couch in the living room. None of them heard the "knock and announce" that deputies claimed to have made as they walked through the unlocked door. The deputies' testimonies about how they identified themselves were inconsistent from one trial to the next and from one deputy to the next.
The prosecution's story was that Brian walked into the living room and stood over Bananola and shot him within inches, as all the other officers stood and watched. The truth is that Brian never left the hallway, he was severely injured and losing mass amounts of blood. He was shot in the testicles, knee and lungs. Brian and his mother were clinging to each other in the hallway as they slid around in Brian's blood. Linda was yelling "Call 911" and "Don't hurt my son!" as the deputies continued to beat Brian as he lay on the floor.
Brian faced men in ski masks and dark clothing. A neighbor saw the raid team run out of the house after the shooting and put on Sheriff's vests.
If it was indeed Brian's bullet that killed Bananola, it was done in self-defense because Brian thought his house was being robbed. Brian saw no sign that these men were deputies. It is also possible that within that tiny house and with so many people shooting at close range, one of the other deputies could have accidentally shot Bananola or a bullet ricocheted off of a wall or piece of furniture and hit him.
John Bananola's body was buried in Hawaii before Brian was officially arrested and assigned counsel eight days after raid. Thus, an autopsy on Brian's behalf was not possible and the evidence was buried. However, during those eight days, he was chained to a bed in a military hospital with police outside of his door and nobody was allowed to see him.
There have been three trials on this case, but the truth has not yet been heard. The first trial, in which Brian faced the death penalty, ended with a hung jury. Brian was sent to prison on drug charges, the longest sentence in WA history for someone accused of possession of marijuana. In the second trial he was charged with murder, but it was overturned. After Pierce County spent a huge amount of money on three trials, Brian was convicted of murder in the third trial and sentenced to 48.5 years in prison. The sentence was later appealed and reduced to 38.5 years.
Brian's family and friends know that Brian did not stand over John Bananola and intentionally shoot him. Brian is not a murderer, he is a kind man, a loving son, a wonderful brother and uncle, a very good friend. Those who know and love Brian are not giving up on getting Justice 4 Brian.