Overland Police Officer charged with Manslaughter-updated

Now I generally am a big fan of the police, until the police force in question proves that they are not heroes. Some have, don't get me wrong. But people who put their life on the line to protect mine are a cut above and I am more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Here is a run down of the story. Police are called to a gas station for an altercation. Assailant has gone home. Police go to home to follow up.

Now, in my mind, if the person in question has gone home and his victim knows where that is, or at least his name, this isn't random. If the police know where to go, he is known to them. I mean seriously, I can be mad at my neighbor and call the police and say her dog bit me. They will come to me and if I have no scratch they aren't going to follow up w/ her. There must have been something to cause these officers to continue their investigation.

So police go to the home. In the midst of subduing the 49 year old suspect, he is injured, but its clear it was not with weapons or tasers. He later dies. All the police are put on suspension with pay. A few days later Officer Ringeisen is charged with manslaughter, and an arrest warrant is issued with a 40k cash bond.

Posters on various news sites are alternately calling for his head, all their heads, and for the criminals' family's heads. Some are screaming scapegoat. I am not ready to scream any thing from my little mountaintop yet.

a) If the gentleman was in a previous altercation, and then another with the police, who is to say it was not a heart attack from excessive physical exertion? What if several officers laid blows, and he fell onto this guys car? What if he wiggled while in a choke hold, lost blood to his brain, and the family decided to pull the plug? True, death would've been from the injury, but was the force excessive?

b) If you're known to your victim, and to the police, and you know the police are coming and you leave anyway, doesn't that give you some of the responsibility?

I am reserving judgment until more facts come in. Like perhaps the autopsy results. Bad cops give good cops bad reps. That's harder to type than it is to say. We so often hear of cops hurting criminals, and criminals hurting criminals and innocent bystanders, but seldom do we hear of police injured in the line of duty unless it's something truly horrendous. We don't hear about the hit and runs unless its a slow news day. We don't hear about a stray shot let off when someone gets jostled, or the dog bites, or human bites for that matter. Remember, you do not leave your house for work with the intention of getting hit, spit on, bled on, ran over, fought with, ran from, or shot at. Officers do.

Post Dispatch Article

Ksdk Article

**UPDATE**
According to new details published this morning by the post, the officer in question pushed the original assailant down some stairs.

Apparently, the original incident appears to be road-rage, and the accused has lights and a siren on his jeep. When police responded to his home, a verbal argument ensued, and the man was pushed down some stairs by the officer. Overland asked SLCPD to investigate.

I am still waiting for a verdict, and I need to digest this info before I decide what I think.... but if the guy rides around in a rusty jeep with lights on it, pulls people over with it in a road rage situation, I would almost guess he's nuttier than a squirrel's breakfast.

***3/31/10
Just saw a picture of the steps. Its like 3, not a flight like some (including me) thought. I'd say SLCPD got it right. Good job, Overland, for turning this over right away. Stupid? Yes. Reckless? Sure. Excessive? Probably not.