New Mexico Cop Who Shot at Minivan Full of Children Appeals His Firing

Last month, a cop in New Mexico
shot at a minivan full of children when the driver, Oriana
Farrell, tried to pull away a second time after being stopped for
going 71 in a 55. Dascham video shows an officer trying to smash
the passenger side window before Farrell drove away the second
time. Police said they were trying to shoot out the minivan’s
tires, but as Jess Remington noted then, police experts don’t
consider that a safe practice. Police eventually arrested Farrell,
charging her with fleeing an officer, child abuse, and possession
of drug paraphernalia (two marijuana pipes were allegedly found in
the minivan). Her attorney has claimed Farrell drove away fearing
for the safety of her children in the presence of police, and that
if anyone ought to be charged with child abuse it should be the
officer who shot.

Now, after a disciplinary hearing, that officer, Elias Montoya,
has been
fired, a decision made by the state’s police chief, who said
the “buck stops” with him. But, because he’s a public sector
employee with public union privileges, Montoya is
appealing that decision. His attorneys provided no comment to
the AP on the merits of the case, only that they intended to appeal
on their client’s behalf. And being afforded that privilege, why
wouldn’t he?

h/t to sarcasmic, who pointed this out in my
earlier post about a sexually inappropriate middle school
teacher it’s taken too long to fire thanks to generous privileges
afforded public sector employees.