This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
What would you do?
Imagine sitting in your parked vehicle minding your own business when suddenly you're startled by two strange men aggressively shouting, swearing, surrounding you, pounding on your car windows, brandishing firearms, and trying to get you to unlock your doors. What would you do? What would any reasonable person do in such a harrowing situation?
I think Danielle Willard did what any reasonable unarmed person would do when violently approached by two armed strangers in such a terrifying manner. She tried to flee.
As it turns out the armed strangers were undercover narcotic officers, and, according to Judge Dever, Danielle's actions to flee constituted obstruction of justice and "potentially" attempted murder to where the use of deadly force was justified.
The only real obstruction of justice I see in this senseless tragedy is Judge Dever's court ruling. Police power and authority without accountability is nothing less than tyranny.
Donald Johnstun
Magna