Quote:
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If my computer tells me your car is stolen and you can't prove it isn't, it is and you are going in.
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According to his interview Mr. Tolan was never given the opportunity to prove otherwise. He was on his front porch on the way into his house when he was lit up with a flashlight at gunpoint and ordered onto his face. He complied at that point. When his father came out to talk to the police officers he was compliant and himself assumed the position against his own vehicle. All the while explaining that the vehicle in question was not stolen. Keep in mind that Bellaire is a rather well to do suburb of Houston and the Tolan's had lived there for some 15 years and were prominent citizens.
Granted his mother probably was a little out of sorts, but I suspect many of us here would be if a quiet evening at home was interrupted in this way. When Mr. Tolan stood up he made a mistake. Shouldn't have nearly cost him his life IMO. Shouldn't have cost him his career.
I'm sure there is another side to this story, and a jury will eventually be the trier of fact. What I've seen and read of the story does not look good for the officers involved or the city, but we shall see I suppose.