Excessive Force, No Charges?

Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane (who I respect and admire a great deal) says that a Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer used excessive force in shooting a suspect in the back after he refused to put his hands behind him and cooperate. But the D.A. also says the officer won’t face criminal charges because she “may have avoided a public safety tragedy to innocent bystanders'’ and had no “malice of heart'’ when she shot the intoxicated and uncooperative suspect.

I don’t agree with the decision. The D.A. admits she made a mistake. Yet she’s getting a free pass because she hypothetically “avoided a public safety tragedy”. How many other public safety tragedies could be avoided by shooting every drunken motorist who doesn’t cooperate with police? There were other options available. Her baton, for instance. The D.A.’s already determined you can beat the snot out of a suspect with a baton when he’s not following directions and that’s not “excessive force”. She also had pepper spray to try and subdue the drunk driver. Instead she shot him, and she’s getting away with it because she had no “malice in her heart”. A mistake was made, and no punishment will be inflicted. I can’t help but think that’s wrong.