Off-duty officer charged with manslaughter after defending his wife and children from armed gentleman

[Reptile]

CHESAPEAKE, VA – Back in January of 2020, a woman with her children called her husband – a police officer that was off-duty – about a man armed with a knife threatening her.

Reportedly, when the woman’s husband arrived, a confrontation ensued that turned physical between the man armed with a knife and the off-duty officer.

Off-duty officer charged with manslaughter after protecting his wife and children from armed man

The officer fatally shot the man armed with a knife, and a judge recently ruled there's enough probable cause to go forward with a trial for manslaughter.

www.lawenforcementtoday.com

 

[OnTheRoad]

I would hardly call a miscreant who brandishes a knife at a woman an armed "gentleman".

Douchebag more like it.

 

[Bonesinium]

The story is light on details, specifically during the most important time that would help distinguish what happened from justified self defense and voluntary manslaughter.

" Upon Officer Hoyt’s arrival on the scene where his wife was threatened, Detective James Thomas with the Chesapeake Police Department says that a “hands-on” confrontation between Officer Hoyt and White took place."

How did this "hands-on" confrontation start? What was the guy with a knife doing? Without the specifics there's no way of knowing though I can easily envision scenarios in which is clearly justified self defense, and others in which it's voluntary manslaughter.

If he does get convicted, based on the details that were reported, assuming accurate, I can't imagine it would be anything at or near a minimum sentence unless something quite different during this vague "hands-on confrontation" took place.

 

[joe847]

Based on the name of the publication I don't expect that this is exactly bias free reporting.

If the guy was not an active threat when he got there and he picked a fight with him then he is an idiot. Sounds like that might be what happened. Being police he should know better. He should have called the local police and reported the crime just like the rest of us serfs are supposed to do.

 

[Reptile]

Based on the name of the publication I don't expect that this is exactly bias free reporting.

If the guy was not an active threat when he got there and he picked a fight with him then he is an idiot. Sounds like that might be what happened. Being police he should know better. He should have called the local police and reported the crime just like the rest of us serfs are supposed to do.

The gentleman was threatening the wife and children with a knife.

He needed to be put down.

 

[joe847]

The gentleman was threatening the wife and children with a knife.

He needed to be put down.

Glad you are qualified to make that call.

Personally I don't feel qualified to make that judgement about someone that isn't an active threat.

Nowhere in the article did it say what was happening when he arrived.

 

[Dennis in MA]

Next time call 911 AND your husband.

 

[greencobra]

huh! calling african thugs gentlemen now. i'll be damned.

 

[eboos]

Dude with knife: "Move bitch"
Karen: "Do you know who I am? I'ma gonna call my husband. He is a police officer."
Dude with knife: "Go ahead, I don't give a s@#$."
Karen: "Honey, there's a dark fellow with a knife being mean to me. Oh, you're on your way? Cool I'll see you in a few minutes. Yeah, I'll just wait here. Love you too sweetie."
- five minutes later -
Officer Hardo: "You just threaten my wife and kids <insert pejorative>?"
Dude with knife: "Well you see, good fellow, I suppose that would be a matter of perspective. I happen to be walking home from the corner store when I was examining this knife that I just found. I guess neither of us were paying attention when your wife, who was looking down at her phone, bumped into me. In the heat of the moment I reacted rudely and for that I apologi..."
Officer Hardo: <for dramatic effect> "PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!!!" *bang bang bang bang bang and maybe bang*

 

[Boris]

Black schizo dude wanted wife to get out of his way on a side walk. She calls her husband ... that's what started it all. If her life was threatened she should have ventilated him right there, if not, let the crazy dude pass and call 911 so that they could get him help, he is clearly off his meds.

Once the cop was on the scene nothing rational was going to transpire between him and a crazy person. The whole "I won't call 911" I call my cop husbands smells like f***ing entitelment though, makes it believable she would not move out of his way.

Do we get another year of rioting?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Do we get another year of rioting?

Crazy times for sure.

Bob

 

[headednorth]

Elections are over so I assume rioters are off the leash. Are people on the right ok to defend themselves and their property or is there some newly minted reason why we should sit on our hands/stick to the plan/whatever?

 

[Wrench75]

The story is light on details, specifically during the most important time that would help distinguish what happened from justified self defense and voluntary manslaughter.

" Upon Officer Hoyt’s arrival on the scene where his wife was threatened, Detective James Thomas with the Chesapeake Police Department says that a “hands-on” confrontation between Officer Hoyt and White took place."

How did this "hands-on" confrontation start? What was the guy with a knife doing? Without the specifics there's no way of knowing though I can easily envision scenarios in which is clearly justified self defense, and others in which it's voluntary manslaughter.

If he does get convicted, based on the details that were reported, assuming accurate, I can't imagine it would be anything at or near a minimum sentence unless something quite different during this vague "hands-on confrontation" took place.

While we may not know who touched who first, it's reasonably certain that he didn't shoot the guy before his face was cut with the knife.

Either way, the wife should have called 91 before her husband, cop or not. Even worse if he, a cop who should know better, didn't call it in on his way there. If anything it will be the "he went there to handle it himself" angle that will screw him in the end.

None of this is to say that I wouldn't instantly level anyone I saw near my wife or son then deal with whatever comes after. It is what it is.

 

[Boris]

While we may not know who touched who first, it's reasonably certain that he didn't shoot the guy before his face was cut with the knife.

Either way, the wife should have called 91 before her husband, cop or not. Even worse if he, a cop who should know better, didn't call it in on his way there. If anything it will be the "he went there to handle it himself" angle that will screw him in the end.

None of this is to say that I wouldn't instantly level anyone I saw near my wife or son then deal with whatever comes after. It is what it is.

I don't know, he was smart enough not to leave a witness, a superficial laceration will play well in court. Also, who knows where that knife came from.

 

[eboos]

In defense of the officer and for others generally: the probable cause standard is too loose and subjective when it comes to justifiable homicide cases. It is as if the state feels: yeah we will charge you since your defense is a matter for the finders of fact to determine if reasonable, and if not guilty after several years and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars later no harm no foul.

 

[Wrench75]

I don't know, he was smart enough not to leave a witness, a superficial laceration will play well in court. Also, who knows where that knife came from.

I don't have a dog in the fight if for no better reason than the lack of details. I agree that the wound should play well in court. However, I doubt it will ever see a court. Once upon a time just his being a cop would have been enough to get him off easily. Now a days, it's more likely to get him convicted. Would you really want to stand in front of a jury as a white cop who killed a black man while off duty?

No way he risks 10 yrs. by going in front of a disenfranchised jury of a**h***s who just want to post on SM about how they helped send the evil white cop to jail. He'll take a plea deal and be ostracized for the rest of his life. The pols. will be happy. People will burn shit and the wheel will keep turning. Such are the times we live in...

 

[mothybee]

Elections are over so I assume rioters are off the leash. Are people on the right ok to defend themselves and their property or is there some newly minted reason why we should sit on our hands/stick to the plan/whatever?

It's called the age of accountability. Repent!

 

[alan226]

If the story is to be believed, the police officer had lacerations with blood, which means he let him get too close. Maybe trying to calm him down?

 

[Reptile]

If the story is to be believed, the police officer had lacerations with blood, which means he let him get too close. Maybe trying to calm him down?

The cop offered him a hug before he was slashed across the face.

He should have called 911 before saving is family.

 

[headednorth]

The cop offered him a hug before he was slashed across the face.

He should have called 911 before saving is family.

Only social workers are trained to deliver hugs

 

[Reptile]

Only social workers are trained to deliver hugs

Hugs For Thugs!

Anything less would be uncivilized.

 

[Reptile]

Just look at this mug...

Nobody can say this gentleman doesn't deserve a hug...

 

[fshalor]

Glad you are qualified to make that call.

Personally I don't feel qualified to make that judgement about someone that isn't an active threat.

Nowhere in the article did it say what was happening when he arrived.

How is threatening a female and a child with a knife.. For More Time Actively than it takes for a person called to arrive... Not an Active Threat?

That being a maybe. Still need to know how the hands on conflict started. And why and how the woman wasn't able to leave the situation and evade the action.

 

[Palladin]

love to know the time lapse between the phone call and hubby showing up

 

[Quantavious G]

Glad you are qualified to make that call.

Personally I don't feel qualified to make that judgement about someone that isn't an active threat.

Nowhere in the article did it say what was happening when he arrived.

I'm qualified to

 

[NHKevin]

huh! calling african thugs gentlemen now. i'll be damned.

That and 'jogger' appear to be used in lieu of another racial slur.