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Flash Bang Baby

Flash Bang Baby20 posts
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30 May, 2014

DA launches investigation

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Habersham County DA Brian Rickman announces that he is investigating the raid to determine if charges should be filed, and will be interviewing everyone present at the scene.

They’re going to give us relevant reports and all witness statements for us to review.

Mother: Kids obviously live there

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The mother of injured toddler tells news sources that police officers should have been able to see that there were children living in the house before the raid was executed.

They say there were no toys.  There is plenty of stuff.  Their shoes were laying all over.

2 Jun, 2014

Attorney: Police negligent

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The family’s attorney asks state and federal investigators to review the raid.  He says that the sheriff’s story doesn’t add up, and that surveillance video should have shown the children, who lived in the home for nearly two months.  He also says that police also should have noticed a van in the driveway that night which had four child car seats installed.

We believe they were criminally negligent because of the children. This isn’t police work.  This is cowboys.

Governor awaits investigation

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Governor Deal makes a statement that he is awaiting the results of an investigation into the raid before further action, such as executive action or new legislation, is taken at the state level.

Any time you have bad facts like this one, it does give you cause for concern.  It’s one of those things that require a thorough investigation … to know what if anything we can learn from it.

24 Jun, 2014

Mother’s account published

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The baby’s mother, Alicia Phonesavanh, writes an article that is published in Salon, describing the events of the night and the traumatic effect it has had on the family. It also pleads for action against the war on drugs, the increasing militarization of police departments and their increasing aggression towards citizens.

The only silver lining I can possibly see is that my baby Bou Bou’s story might make us angry enough that we stop accepting brutal SWAT raids as a normal way to fight the “war on drugs.” I know that this has happened to other families, here in Georgia and across the country. I know that SWAT teams are breaking into homes in the middle of the night, more often than not just to serve search warrants in drug cases. I know that too many local cops have stockpiled weapons that were made for soldiers to take to war. And as is usually the case with aggressive policing, I know that people of color and poor people are more likely to be targeted.  I know these things because of the American Civil Liberties Union’s new report, and because I’m working with them to push for restraints on the use of SWAT.

26 Jun, 2014

Moved for rehabilitation

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Baby Bou Bou is moved to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite to begin his rehabilitation.  It is still unknown how much brain damage he has suffered, but as his father comments, the family is happy to see him awake.

I was able to hold my son and hear his voice for the first time since the grenade exploded. After all that has happened to him, I am amazed at his strength. He has a long way to go but our prayers are being answered. We feel like it’s a miracle.