This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/07/sheriff-newell-normand-joe-mcknight-shooting

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sheriff's tirade over Joe McKnight shooting is his personal brand of theater Sheriff's tirade over Joe McKnight shooting is his personal brand of theater
(about 2 hours later)
Jefferson Parish sheriff Newell Normand stood before a crowd Monday to announce charges against the man who killed former NFL player Joe McKnight. He knew there were some hostile audience members, after his initial decision to set suspect Ronald Gasser free on 1 December in what investigators have described as a road rage incident in the New Orleans suburb of Terrytown. Jefferson Parish sheriff Newell Normand stood before a crowd Monday to announce charges against the man who killed the former NFL player Joe McKnight. He knew there were some hostile audience members, after his initial decision to set suspect Ronald Gasser free on 1 December following what investigators have described as a road rage incident in the New Orleans suburb of Terrytown.
So he was hostile. “Shame on you!” he yelled at his critics, banging his hands on the lectern. He shouted profanities. He accused the public, and people on social media of rushing to judgement over the incident. He threatened to jail any protesters who might dare to block highway traffic in his parish. “You will go to jail,” he said, all while extolling the virtues of patience and trust in the law enforcement process. So he was hostile. “Shame on you!” he yelled at his critics, banging his hands on the lectern. He shouted profanities. He accused the public, including people on social media, of rushing to judgment over the incident. He threatened to jail any protesters who might dare to block highway traffic in his parish. “You will go to jail,” he said, all while extolling the virtues of patience and trust in the law enforcement process.
“I truly believe that Sheriff Normand’s choice of words are words of division,” said Westbank NAACP president Gaylor Spiller. And across social media, many of the same people who Normand slammed responded with horror to the to the tone and of the announcement. “I truly believe that Sheriff Normand’s choice of words are words of division,” said the Westbank NAACP president, Gaylor Spiller. And across social media, many of the same people Normand slammed responded with horror to the to the tone and of the announcement.
Sheriff Newell Normand's press conference was a mess. He was defensive, authoritarian, racially charged and evasive. #JoeMcKnightSheriff Newell Normand's press conference was a mess. He was defensive, authoritarian, racially charged and evasive. #JoeMcKnight
The 28-year-old McKnight was shot and killed by Gasser on 1 December. After the shooting, Gasser admitted to killing McKnight, but was not initially charged with any crime and allowed to leave police custody while the investigation continued, prompting outrage especially among the city’s black residents. McKnight, who was unarmed, is black. Gasser is white.The 28-year-old McKnight was shot and killed by Gasser on 1 December. After the shooting, Gasser admitted to killing McKnight, but was not initially charged with any crime and allowed to leave police custody while the investigation continued, prompting outrage especially among the city’s black residents. McKnight, who was unarmed, is black. Gasser is white.
“The police department is certainly not operating like it does ordinarily,” said New Orleans NAACP president Morris Reed in a Friday press conference. “We think a black man was lynched yesterday and we’re demanding some answers.”“The police department is certainly not operating like it does ordinarily,” said New Orleans NAACP president Morris Reed in a Friday press conference. “We think a black man was lynched yesterday and we’re demanding some answers.”
Normand railed hard against those criticisms while announcing Gasser’s delayed arrest on manslaughter charges on Monday. “I can point to hundreds of cases whereby we’ve identified ... accused perpetrators that we know have committed a crime that we do not arrest at the point and time of us knowing that for strategic reasons. Normand railed against those criticisms while announcing Gasser’s delayed arrest on manslaughter charges on Monday. “I can point to hundreds of cases whereby we’ve identified ... accused perpetrators that we know have committed a crime that we do not arrest at the point and time of us knowing that for strategic reasons.
“In this state, whether we like it or not, we have a very forward-leaning ‘stand your ground’, self-defense, justifiable homicide laws,” Normand said. “In this state, whether we like it or not, we have very forward-leaning ‘stand your ground’, self-defense, justifiable homicide laws,” Normand said.
As the press conference drew on, however, Normand grew increasingly agitated and emotional, yelling: “We better look at ourselves and reflect in the mirror and decide what are we going to be about in our community. Are we going to continue to tear ourselves apart? We don’t even give people an opportunity to do what they’re supposed to do.”As the press conference drew on, however, Normand grew increasingly agitated and emotional, yelling: “We better look at ourselves and reflect in the mirror and decide what are we going to be about in our community. Are we going to continue to tear ourselves apart? We don’t even give people an opportunity to do what they’re supposed to do.”
MSNBC, which was broadcasting the conference live, cut away and apologized to viewers when the sheriff read from social media comments directed at local politicians in the case that included homophobic and racial slurs. Normand told reporters he read the comments aloud hoping to get “everyone to realize how crazy we’re getting”.MSNBC, which was broadcasting the conference live, cut away and apologized to viewers when the sheriff read from social media comments directed at local politicians in the case that included homophobic and racial slurs. Normand told reporters he read the comments aloud hoping to get “everyone to realize how crazy we’re getting”.
Normand accused the public, and people on social media specifically, of rushing to judgement over the incident and “castigating” the law enforcement officials who initially allowed Gasser to go free. The comments read aloud by the sheriff were apparently directed at a black councilman who stood with Normand at his initial press conference on Friday. Normand accused the public, and people on social media specifically, of rushing to judgment over the incident and “castigating” the law enforcement officials who initially allowed Gasser to go free. The comments read aloud by the sheriff were apparently directed at a black councilman who stood with Normand at his initial press conference on Friday.
Both Normand’s decision to repeat the offensive language aloud on national television for shock value, and his overall emotional demeanor, have been par for the course during his tenure as sheriff.Both Normand’s decision to repeat the offensive language aloud on national television for shock value, and his overall emotional demeanor, have been par for the course during his tenure as sheriff.
Theatrics are a recurring feature of Normand’s command. In 2015, when an Evangelical Baptist church in the parish had relocated to a tent to accommodate construction on its building, the Jefferson Parish sheriff’s office began receiving noise complaints for neighbors. Normand wound up making more than one visit, in person, to the Sunday service with several deputies, examining the audio equipment to make sure it wasn’t being used and issuing a criminal summons. According to the Liberty Institute, the pastor was even fingerprinted in front of church members in connection with the violation. Parishioners described the visits as an act of intimidation. Theatrics are a recurring feature of Normand’s command. In 2015, when an Evangelical Baptist church in the parish had relocated to a tent to accommodate construction on its building, the Jefferson Parish sheriff’s office began receiving noise complaints from neighbors. Normand wound up making more than one visit, in person, to the Sunday service with several deputies, examining the audio equipment to make sure it wasn’t being used and issuing a criminal summons. According to the Liberty Institute, the pastor was even fingerprinted in front of church members in connection with the violation. Parishioners described the visits as an act of intimidation.
Emotional indignation is well within Normand’s repertoire too. After police shot and killed 26-year-old Desmond Willis during a shootout in April 2015, the sheriff showed press a video of Willis brandishing pistols and expressing contempt for police. “Where is the moral compass? I don’t see it, no way no how,” Normand shouted. “No one asks for the names of the innocent people that were scared shitless that day as bullets were flying by their head,” he added before launching into an attack on Black Lives Matter. Emotional indignation is well within Normand’s repertoire, too. After police shot and killed 26-year-old Desmond Willis during a shootout in April 2015, the sheriff showed press a video of Willis brandishing pistols and expressing contempt for police. “Where is the moral compass? I don’t see it, no way, no how,” Normand shouted. “No one asks for the names of the innocent people that were scared shitless that day as bullets were flying by their head,” he added before launching into an attack on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Normand, a Republican, has won his two elections for sheriff overwhelmingly, earning more than 90% of the vote in both. Like most of the state, Jefferson Parish voters lean Republican and last month the parish broke for Donald Trump by 15 points, while residents in next-door Orleans Parish handed Hillary Clinton a commanding 65-point win.Normand, a Republican, has won his two elections for sheriff overwhelmingly, earning more than 90% of the vote in both. Like most of the state, Jefferson Parish voters lean Republican and last month the parish broke for Donald Trump by 15 points, while residents in next-door Orleans Parish handed Hillary Clinton a commanding 65-point win.
Jefferson Parish residents are used to large and controversial personalities in their elected sheriffs. Harry Lee, Normand’s predecessor of 28 years and a hugely popular local figure, had several racist scandals bubble up during his tenure, including this remark in 1986: “If there are some young blacks driving a car late at night in a predominantly white neighborhood, they will be stopped. There’s a pretty good chance they’re up to no good.” Jefferson Parish residents are used to large and controversial personalities in their elected sheriffs. Harry Lee, Normand’s predecessor of 28 years and a hugely popular local figure, had several racist scandals bubble up during his tenure, including one involving this remark in 1986: “If there are some young blacks driving a car late at night in a predominantly white neighborhood, they will be stopped. There’s a pretty good chance they’re up to no good.”
Parish residents are also no stranger to blatant racism from their elected officials. Two years after Lee’s remark, voters in Metairie sent notorious white supremacist David Duke to the state legislature as their representative. Parish residents are also no strangers to blatant racism from their elected officials. Two years after Lee’s remark, voters in Metairie sent the notorious white supremacist David Duke to the state legislature as their representative.
In his press conference on Monday, Normand was effusive that race had “nothing to do” with the McKnight case, stating that no credible witness had indicated that Gasser expressed any racial animus on the scene. Normand said that charges came after 10 hours of examination with Gasser, and more than 160 witness interviews. It was from that investigation that Normand concluded charges were warranted against Gasser, while declaring that both men “engaged in bad behavior that day”. In his press conference on Monday, Normand was emphatic that race had “nothing to do” with the McKnight case, stating that no credible witness had indicated that Gasser expressed any racial animus on the scene. Normand said that charges came after 10 hours of examination with Gasser, and more than 160 witness interviews. It was from that investigation that Normand concluded charges were warranted against Gasser, while declaring that both men “engaged in bad behavior that day”.
Normand also heavily criticized one eyewitness whose account of the incident helped to spark the national outrage over Gasser’s delayed arrest. That witness stated that McKnight had tried to apologize to Gasser during the altercation, that Gasser had fired into McKnight’s windshield, pulled him from his vehicle, fired a shot while standing above him, and made a reference to President-elect Trump. “We had a witness who lied,” Normand said. “Shame on that individual … That started something going down a path that we should be ashamed of.” Normand also heavily criticized one eyewitness whose account of the incident helped to spark the national outrage over Gasser’s delayed arrest. That witness stated that McKnight had tried to apologize to Gasser during the altercation, and that Gasser had fired into McKnight’s windshield, pulled him from his vehicle, fired a shot while standing above him, and made a reference to Trump. “We had a witness who lied,” Normand said. “Shame on that individual … That started something going down a path that we should be ashamed of.”