"In case you missed it, here's how it played out: A Connecticut cop knocked on the door of a man accused of ripping off a PlayStation 3. There was an argument, and shots were fired. The alleged thief and his dog ended up dead.

Yesterday it was reported that the cop, Christopher Long, was charged with second-degree murder for the lapse in judgement. Ooops... turns out he wasn't. Frome GameSpot:

"In a dramatic turn of events, murder charges against Long have been dismissed, after the grand jury foreman admitted to incorrectly checking the wrong box that would decide Long's fate.

Upon hearing the news, Strickland's parents released the following statement: 'Yesterday, our son's murderer was going to have to answer for what he did. Today, we just don't know what is going on in Wilmington. We are upset, confused and searching for answers.'"

The other two cops on the call were cleared of any wrongdoing. More details as they appear.:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6163060.html

"the officers mistook the black object in his hand for a weapon,"

What, peope no longer have 2nd amendment rights anymore. There is no law dissallowing you to have a weapon in your own home and that includes weather or not you are holding it. I don't see anything here that states they demanded he drop the weapon. So using that as justification to shoot is bullshit.

"The officers ordered him to open the door and another sheriff's deputy began using a battering ram to enter the premises"

This is boardering on a 4th amendment right of unlawfll search and seisure. If they claim they saw a controler, then they had the right. But they claimed it was a weapon, which is not illegal to have in your own home, so they had no right using a battering ram.

Cops are so smart. I wish I was a cop. I was gonna be a cop but I didn't get my application to Harvard in on time. And to be a cop you have to be really... really...... smart.

Was the dog holding a controller too?