In the news..

What’s the going rate for a dead cop on the open market? Apparently its fifty million dollars. That’s how much Officer Hernandez’s mother is asking from the city in her wrongful death suit. Officer Hernandez is the NYC officer who after a night of drinking was beaten in a Bronx White Castle and then later shot and killed by another officer in a case of mistaken identity. Moments before his death, Officer Hernandez held his police issued 9mm weapon against the temple of an innocent bystander in a drunken daze, mistaking this person for one of the assailants that had so brazenly kicked his ass with the aroma of grilled onions and burgers wafting in the air.

While I sympathize deeply for this woman’s loss as his death was one of the more tragic events to take place in the New York City area over the past 10 years, I just can not understand the rationale behind this lawsuit. I can think of 100 things the city could do with 50 million of the tax payer’s money, and no where on this list is an entry for paying off Eric Hernandez’s grieving mother. Here we have a 48 year old woman who still has not grasped the concept of personal accountability blaming the shooting officer and ultimately the city for the death of her son. It sometimes feels as if everyone in this country is waiting to hit the lawsuit lottery where they are merely litigation away from becoming a multimillionaire. Will fifty million dollars really provide a sense of closure and adequately comfort her for this incredible loss, or does she have her eye on the new Hummer and some beachfront property? I’m sure if she hired the right people she could instead parlay this tragedy into a book and movie deal while drying her tears with 200 dollar linen handkerchiefs on Oprah’s couch, and save the taxpayers of NY a heckuva lot of money.

Police officers have been using deadly force for years; shooting kids, applying stun grenades to the homes of senior citizens; choking those who commit civil disobediences. At no time did this mother take up a position advocating the rights of citizens or disapproving departmental procedures when it comes to applying deadly force in various circumstances. I’m sure if the situation were reversed and it was her son staring at a drunken, belligerent suspect holding a gun she would have admonished him for not emptying his clip and asking questions later.

If she’s looking for someone to blame in this unfortunate tragedy, look no further as I have done all the finger pointing for her.

Officer Hernandez-No drunken 24 year old needs to be running around New York City with a loaded weapon. Most 24 year olds still can not hold their liquor, let alone remember to follow departmental procedures after downing shots of tequila. Any question as to his sense of judgment at the time was made clear by his decision to go to a Bronx White Castle at 4o’clock in the morning. I’m not saying you asked for it but damn…who does that?

The Four Thugs-It takes four toughs from the Bronx to take down one guy and then once the beating is over, he still has the capacity to stumble outside and draw his weapon? What kind of beat down is that? Had they applied a proper Bronx beating on this guy, he never would have made it out the White Castle without the assistance of EMT.

White Castle-Probably the party most responsible for everything. Those burgers are so good people are willing to forgo their personal safety just to satisfy their irrational cravings. Not only that, people are willing to commit assault should they feel their place in line threatened by anyone else. What’s sad is the beat-down the officer received was probably less damaging than what four of those grease burgers collectively did to his internal organs.

His fathers balls-Clearly at blame for this whole mess. Had he not produced the sperm that ultimately fertilized his mothers egg, he would not have been born, become a cop, gotten drunk, gotten the munchies, gotten his ass kicked and then gotten shot. I say screw everything and haul his nuts into court.