I think Professor Forbes and her attitude are as repulsive as her (late) rampaging son.
I wonder how long she has been at my old Alma Mater?
Jeff
Address:http://web.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/06/29/city/29shoot.htm
Thursday, June 29, 2000
Abraham says Lower Merion officer's fatal shooting of suspect was justified
By Michael Rubinkam
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The fatal shooting of a suspected robber by a Lower Merion Township police officer was justified, District Attorney Lynne Abraham said today.
Erin Forbes, 26, was shot once in the chest by officer John Salkowski after Forbes ran toward Salkowski brandishing a heavy walking stick, Abraham said.
Salkowski "was fully justified in using deadly force to repel the deadly force which was about to be inflicted upon him," Abraham said. "Had Officer Salkowski waited but a fraction of a second longer, I am convinced ... (he) could have very well been very seriously injured if not killed himself." Forbes was shot Jan. 10 around 5 a.m. after township police forced his car to stop on City Avenue, just a few feet inside the Philadelphia border. Minutes earlier, Forbes had clubbed a clerk with a night stick and stolen $4 from a Sunoco A-Plus store in the suburb of Bryn Mawr, police said.
When police ordered him to show his hands, Forbes got out of his car and ran at Salkowski, Abraham said. Salkowski, a two-year member of the force, ordered Forbes to stop and quickly backpedaled before firing when they were about 4 feet apart, she said.
Toxicology tests on Forbes' body showed evidence that Forbes had taken a "speedball," a combination of cocaine and heroin, about three to five hours before his death, the prosecutor said.
In February, Forbes' parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the township, Salkowski, Lower Merion Police Superintendent Joseph J. Daly and other police officers.
Ella Forbes, a Temple University professor of African American studies, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday. She previously said her son was "murdered" and alleged that skin color might have been a factor in the shooting.
Erin Forbes was black.
She has acknowledged her son had a history of drug abuse, but said he had been clean for three years. Erin Forbes spent two years in the Army infantry and was working as a night watchman at the time of the shooting.
"The family was absolutely dumbstruck by the fact that their son had begun to abuse drugs and perhaps alcohol again. It was a shock to them," Abraham said.
The Forbes' complaint alleges that Lower Merion police officers had no probable cause to stop their son and that he not resisted arrest or tried to flee.
He "was unarmed and held his hands in view of police" as he stepped out of the car, at which point police fired at him "without provocation," the complaint said.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah of Philadelphia has asked the Justice Department to investigate the shooting.
A note to our readers:
We recently have upgraded our online publishing system. If you are experiencing any problems with the Inquirer Web site, please let us know. Include the date and time of the problem and a brief description. Send your comments to comments@staff.philly.com
I wonder how long she has been at my old Alma Mater?
Jeff
Address:http://web.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/06/29/city/29shoot.htm
Thursday, June 29, 2000
Abraham says Lower Merion officer's fatal shooting of suspect was justified
By Michael Rubinkam
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The fatal shooting of a suspected robber by a Lower Merion Township police officer was justified, District Attorney Lynne Abraham said today.
Erin Forbes, 26, was shot once in the chest by officer John Salkowski after Forbes ran toward Salkowski brandishing a heavy walking stick, Abraham said.
Salkowski "was fully justified in using deadly force to repel the deadly force which was about to be inflicted upon him," Abraham said. "Had Officer Salkowski waited but a fraction of a second longer, I am convinced ... (he) could have very well been very seriously injured if not killed himself." Forbes was shot Jan. 10 around 5 a.m. after township police forced his car to stop on City Avenue, just a few feet inside the Philadelphia border. Minutes earlier, Forbes had clubbed a clerk with a night stick and stolen $4 from a Sunoco A-Plus store in the suburb of Bryn Mawr, police said.
When police ordered him to show his hands, Forbes got out of his car and ran at Salkowski, Abraham said. Salkowski, a two-year member of the force, ordered Forbes to stop and quickly backpedaled before firing when they were about 4 feet apart, she said.
Toxicology tests on Forbes' body showed evidence that Forbes had taken a "speedball," a combination of cocaine and heroin, about three to five hours before his death, the prosecutor said.
In February, Forbes' parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the township, Salkowski, Lower Merion Police Superintendent Joseph J. Daly and other police officers.
Ella Forbes, a Temple University professor of African American studies, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday. She previously said her son was "murdered" and alleged that skin color might have been a factor in the shooting.
Erin Forbes was black.
She has acknowledged her son had a history of drug abuse, but said he had been clean for three years. Erin Forbes spent two years in the Army infantry and was working as a night watchman at the time of the shooting.
"The family was absolutely dumbstruck by the fact that their son had begun to abuse drugs and perhaps alcohol again. It was a shock to them," Abraham said.
The Forbes' complaint alleges that Lower Merion police officers had no probable cause to stop their son and that he not resisted arrest or tried to flee.
He "was unarmed and held his hands in view of police" as he stepped out of the car, at which point police fired at him "without provocation," the complaint said.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah of Philadelphia has asked the Justice Department to investigate the shooting.
A note to our readers:
We recently have upgraded our online publishing system. If you are experiencing any problems with the Inquirer Web site, please let us know. Include the date and time of the problem and a brief description. Send your comments to comments@staff.philly.com
