Brattleboro Reformer 12/19/01

Friend can't rest

Editor of the Reformer:

As a person who considered Robert his closest
friend, a position no doubt not unique
to myself, I am utterly shattered by his loss, and
by the horrible manner in which his
life was ended. My life has come to a standstill as
I struggle to come to terms with
this shocking event. I will not be able to rest
until all of the following questions are
answered.

1) Why was Robert -- who had no history of mental
illness, did not use drugs, and
was known for his calmness, equanimity, and
rationality-- in such great fear that
morning that he decided to go before a church
congregation to plead for sanctuary?

2) Once the officers arrived, was Robert given an
opportunity to surrender?
Eyewitness accounts vary on this issue.

3) If Robert failed to surrender immediately, why
did the officers not then negotiate
with him? Eyewitness accounts are consistent that
the elapsed time between the
police entering the church and their firing the
shots was short, under two minutes and
perhaps much shorter.

4) Why was no such negotiation attempted, given that
one of the officers was trained
in hostage negotiation?

5) How is is possible that the officers could have
considered Robert, a man of 140 lbs
holding a small knife toward himself, such a threat
to themselves that they felt
compelled to use force against him; particularly
when each was standing at least 8
feet away from him presumably training their
40-caliber semiautomatic weapons on
him?

6) If the officers were convinced they needed to
subdue Robert by force why did they
not use the pepper spray each was carrying, or a
body tackle, or, if necessary, a
shot to his leg, instead of resorting to lethal
force?

7) Why was the lethal force used by the officers so
overwhelming? Had the officers
used only one or two rounds instead of seven, his
friends and family might not be
facing the unbearable reality they are today.

8) Why did officers continue to fire shots into
Robert's body even as he fell, as at
least one eyewitness account asserts?

9) Why were these actions resulting in the death of
Robert taken by two of three
experienced officers all of whom were veterans with
considerable experience,
including, one would presume, skill in risk
assessment?

10) Why was Robert handcuffed after the shooting,
and what role did that have in
impeding the ability of the doctor present to
administer first aid to Robert?

James T. Hoffman
Berkeley, Calif.