I was present and a victim/witness to a crime against peace officer. I willingly gave a statement to the police. I asked to receive a copy of the police reports. There are several things that are not accurate to what I told the detectives. The report that I read says that I stated that I saw defendant pointing a gun at officer and I did not. Only one officer (the one who fired) stated that he saw a weapon pointed at him all other officers on scene did not see this or did not mention it on their report. In addition to this the firing officer stated that defendant was voicing that he was going shoot at him. All officesr were at same proximity & I was even closer all non shooting officers stated they heard "shoot me"which is what I heard no threats to be shot at like shooting officer states
Jennifer Snyder AdamsFamily Law AttorneyAtlanta, GA ·
You don't need a lawyer. Call the DA's office and find out what DA investigator is assigned to the case. Tell the DA investigator exactly what happened and how your statement was recorded inaccurately. Then, when the arrested person's lawyer contacts you about the case, make sure you let him/her know. I wouldn't waste my time calling the police dept to try to change it-they won't care.
Yes accuracy is very important. Nobody wants an innocent person to be convicted! You should get this error corrected. Because this error may be intentional and self serving on the part of the police, I suggest you at least consult with a local lawyer before trying to correct the report.
Joshua Mark GellerCriminal Defense AttorneyAtlanta, GA ·
This incident sounds terrifying. Sorry to hear you went through that. Inaccuracies are absolutely important to a criminal case. If the person is charged with a crime against the police officer, then your testimony would be important to exonerate the individual. I would notify someone at the police department that your statement has inaccuracies, but tread lightly. I would consider hiring an attorney just to speak for you.
Your question isn't based on the usual, "I said this but the officer wrote it down wrong" type of incident. Anytime a person is shot by law enforcement there is a VERY detailed investigation and the accuracy of all reports generated during the investigation are extremely important. If you believe there are inaccuracies in the report about what you saw or heard, you should contact the main investigator assigned to the incident and make sure your statements are accurate. I hope this information helps you.
George McCranie
