June 6, 2004

Denver did the right thing in settling a lawsuit over the shooting of Paul Childs, but it would be an outrage if it offered a similar deal to the family of Gregory Lee Smith, who was shot to death by police in January 2002. So far, officials say they have no intention of doing so.

The similarities between the cases are threefold: Childs and Smith were both shot by Officer James Turney (along with another officer in the Smith case), both wielded knives and both suffered from a disability.

Advertisement

But there the similarities end. When police began ordering Smith to drop his knife, he was not already nearby. He was at the bottom of a basement stairwell and they were at the top. In fact, he drew the knife as he started up the stairs and did not drop it despite orders from both officers to do so.

Smith was hearing impaired, and that may have been a factor in his behavior. But the officers were wearing uniforms and their meaning was clear. If the family believes there was an injustice, so be it. Let a jury decide.

Copyright 2004, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.