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Boy, the Houston Police Department wastes no time when it comes to Daddy Drama, do they?

Though I'm no real keen on the police shooting people, I'm not shedding a lot of tears for UNNAMED DAD. I think this officer saved this baby's life.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/HPD-Officer-shoots-kills-dad-holding-baby-hostage/-/1735978/18540876/-/6uopy6/-/index.html

HPD: Officer shoots, kills dad holding baby hostage

Author: Robert Arnold, Investigative Reporter

Published On: Feb 13 2013 09:46:52 PM CST
Updated On: Feb 14 2013 06:14:23 AM CST

HOUSTON - A Houston police officer Wednesday shot and killed a man who was threatening to hurt his son with a large butcher knife, according to authorities.

Police said the father was trying to light what appeared to be a crack pipe at the time.

It happened at the Woodchase apartment complex on South Gessner near Westheimer about 6 p.m. Police said neighbors dialed 911 when they heard a woman screaming inside an apartment.

A man and woman were arguing in the apartment when officers arrived, police said. After police entered the unit, the woman dropped a 1-year-old boy and ran outside, according to investigators.

Police said that's when the father picked up his son and threatened to stab the child with a large butcher knife. Officers said they spent several minutes trying to coax the man into releasing his son, at which time they could see him trying to light a crack pipe.

The SWAT team was called to the crime scene. As officers awaited the arrival of hostage negotiators, the man retreated to a bathroom and tried to close the door, police said.

"They can see him at that point put the knife to the baby's throat and that's when the officers weren't taking any chances on that baby's life and decided to discharge their weapons. One officer discharged a weapon," said HPD spokesman John Cannon. "Suspect was dead at the scene."

Authorities said the child was not hurt. The baby's mother was seen tending to her son while answering questions from homicide detectives.

Police said it is still unclear what relationship the child's father had with the woman he was seen arguing with when officers arrived.

The man's identity has not yet been released. Police said the officer who fired the shot is J. Fisher, a 10-year veteran of the force assigned to the Midwest Patrol Division.

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The Chicago Crime Commission named a new Public Enemy No. 1 on Thursday, a designation originally crafted for Al Capone. The new holder of this dubious distinction, however, is not American nor believed to be in the United States. He is Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the infamous Mexican drug lord who is Chicago's most wanted because his Sinaloa cartel supplies a majority of the narcotics in the city.

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After a commission recommended changes to Washington, D.C. criminal procedures to avoid wrongful convictions, courts and police have settled on a number of reforms. Since eyewitness misidentification and informant testimony are leading causes of wrongful convictions, police will change how they conduct lineups, and the courts will better notify defendants before police informants testify. Officials will also retain trial records permanently to ease post-conviction procedures.

D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield created the committee in response to requests by the D.C. Public Defender Service following the December 2009 exoneration of Donald Eugene Gates, reported the Washington Post. U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., whose office is reviewing cases for any forensic errors, welcomed the recommendations.

"In addition to remedying past wrongs, we understand the importance of establishing best practices that will protect the integrity of our criminal justice system," Machen's office said in a statement.

Led by former presiding judge of the criminal division Superior Court Judge Russell F. Canan, the 14-member commission included judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, police, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), aides to the deputy mayor for public safety and the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.

Commission members will continue to meet twice a year to review innocence issues.

Read the full article.

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