UPDATE: Police Targeted Wrong Man in Deadly Las Vegas Raid
Last month, we wrote about the tragic slaying of Trevon Cole, a 21-year-old father-to-be who was shot and killed by a police officer in front of his pregnant fiancé during a raid on their Las Vegas home.
At the time, police claimed they had evidence that Cole was a marijuana dealer; undercover officers had reportedly purchased marijuana from him on three separate occasions and allegedly took an unknown amount from his home during the raid.
Cole’s fiancé said at the time that Trevon smoked marijuana occasionally but was not a drug dealer, and police were slow to answer questions about the validity of the raid itself, let alone the tactics used.
Now we know why: They raided the wrong Trevon Cole.
Read the details here in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
While police contended they were going after a major drug dealer, they in fact purchased only 1.8 ounces for $840 from Cole over five weeks. This was apparently the only confirmation police needed to raid the couple’s home with guns drawn. And the disproportionate and needless tactics that were employed ultimately claimed another innocent life in the government’s unjustified war on marijuana.
The family has not yet filed a lawsuit against the police department, and is waiting for the results from Cole’s autopsy, according to their lawyer.
Stay tuned to the blog for updates.
Tagged with: Bryan Yant and Las Vegas and Las Vegas Review-Journal and Trevon Cole and victim by the author
55 comments
I hope this officer looses carrer, pension, & is punished to full extent of the law. further more i hope the family becomes very wealthy from this it is a tragic story that should not be. Pepole of yants caliber give all law enforcment a bad name. Its not as if we dont have enough child molest. to chase out there
….And the carnage goes on…here and cross the border….
Oh ya, thats a sign they are winning….lol winning what? Only thing they are getting is more headlines about people killed by these screwed up laws and tactics.
The country is watching…good luck on your …winning..
I will punch the next prohibitionist who uses the arguement, “what do you have to be worried about if you have nothing to hide?”.
This incident explains the need to legalize marijuana. I hope the undecided voters knows which side to pick because no one is safe from prohibition.
This is an outrage. Not only this person was shoot on a suspicion of dealing marijuana but now it turns out to be that it was even the wrong guy. I’m going through the phone book to see how many people are the with same name as mine and what are the chances that some of them are serious drug dealers.
This is a fuck up that cost an innocent person life. To those who didnt read the original story. The guy had a fiance and a child on the way. He was shot in the back after he was already searched and sprawled down on the floor just because he made some movement that seemed agressive to the acting officer.
If DEA thinks they can just come into any home and kill the person then I really think we should all own firearms at home for our protection. We can’t allow ourselves to be slaughtered because DEA agents thought this and that.
I hope Obama hears about this and really thinks about who he’s appointing to head the DEA.
End War on Marijuana. Free The Weed. Free The People.
That’s Fu**ed up! The DEA needs to pay for this, and I’m not talking just money. They need to be shut down permanently.
They claim they bought 1.8 ounces, who did they buy it from? Was it the Cole they shot in the back and killed, or did they buy it from the other Cole?
Something isn’t right about this cause they both had an arrest record which means both of their pictures were on file, so how does something like this happen?
apparently, to these police, Trevon’s life was only worth 840 dollars. It really is sickening.
I hope bryan yant is dead soon the police don’t help people any more ftp
I have NO use or respect for those FUCKING FUCKS, How many of us AMERICANS have to die because of some FUCKING ASSHOLE that thinks he is better than me. This will continue untill cannabis is legalized. NOW where is the cops that are supposed to protect us, they are killuing us, and for what. this is my word. FUCK YOU,FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU and FUCK YOPU SOMEMORE.
File Suite!
Holy Smokes! This is just more tragedy piled on to the original story. The war in Mexico is coming home soon. What will we do when drug gangs start car bombing our local LE agencies? I hope we have the courage to finally say enough is enough. We must end this prohibition to reduce the harm it has created.
Rev.sLeezy
Where is the mainstream media & outrage at this senseless murder of an unarmed citizen by the Marijuana Gestapo?
Time for a violent revolution. You all think after 73 years of this shit things are gonna change “peacefully” Keep fucking dreaming.
Why isn’t this one the headlines!? Fuck those pigs and the system! Over a plant.. Come on.. Go look for the killers , rapists .. Not pot smokers and for that matter the wrong guy!!!??? WTF has this place come to be? Is everyone corrupt ?
I only wish this cop is charged with Murder One sounds like he planed it. One rifle shot?
It’s so out of control now. Obama told the police to lay off the medical dispensaries, yet the cops are still going strong busting and stealing. I feel like all this is a game between The People vs The Police. Like baseball, this cop will get off on a “technical foul.”
You know what, I don’t trust the police anymore. Not since a swat team surrounded my house twice in the last 3 months and mine was the wrong house.
Until Obama steps up to the plate and stops this stupid nonsense killings over pot, I am not leaving my house because I am scared of the police.
This is so typical. My best friend was killed because of cocaine prohibition (not cocaine, which he did not use) and the corrupting influence it has on cops. Not like the cops need any influencing on their corruption, this war on us through drugs merely makes it more profitable for them. It is not corrupt elements of the police either, for if that were the case one would hear stories of how a valiant police officer exposed a crooked cop, but one never does. Nope, that thin blue line they won’t cross makes all cops guilty of at least accessory after the fact and obstructing justice. You always hear the president and his cronies say how we are a nation founded upon law and order. This is patently not true, for we are a nation founded upon dissent and revolution. To be free, one must be a bad citizen.
OINK THESE OINK OINK OINK DRUG OINK OINK DEALING OINK OINK POTHEAD OINK OINK OINK SCUMBAGS OINK OINK OINK GOT OINK OINK WHAT OINK THEY OINK OINK DESERVED! OIIINK!
I’d rather be a pot head than a POT NAZI. At least we don’t murder unarmed people in front of there families.
” I will punch the next prohibitionist who uses the arguement, “what do you have to be worried about if you have nothing to hide?”.
I always answer “my extensive collection of marital aids.”
Would you want to explain the function of a fleshlight to a cop?
Now what is going to happen? Our gov’t today says it will let vets in hospitals in the 14 med mj states use cannabis. Are the DEA going to shoot all the vets now? I still say FUCK the DEA and any and all DEA supporters
The people that want it legal should have as much right to chose themselves…People who drink have that right as well as smokers and thier cigeretts …But please keep it away from our kids until they can choose thier selves… If the government could think it opens up a nex tax income@gas,cig,and wine and spirits….DUH? Just feel sorry for the Family!!
Alcoholic beverages (Legal Drug) have done so much damage and destruction to American families across the nation. Statistics shows that alcoholic beverages are responsible for most violent crimes, DUI, domestic violence and highway accidents. Despite all this our Government is fighting a losing battle with Medical marijuana and marijuana consumption. Millions of decent American citizens have been to jail for possession and use of marijuana. Millions of dollars are being wasted on this stupid and senseless war against Marijuana. In the meantime, most cocaine users are white color executives who make these laws against Marijuana. This is America, the land of the free. Then people rise up and voice your opinion and ask your Government to spend money building families, jobs, farms and education rather than raiding peoples’ homes and killing innocent citizens of this land because of marijuana. It is an evil and senseless taking a young man’s life over a natural and God given plant. God Bless America, my sweet home and God bless our free and brave nation.
I am a Republican, Christian, and employed in the criminal justice field. Please do not judge me because of my party affiliation, religious beliefs and the fact I wear a badge when I am at work. I will not judge you because you are correct in your belief that marijuana should be legalized. Please do not judge me because I know that marijuana should be legalized! The plant crosses all boundaries of race, religion, and political affiliation. It is an herb that has medical value beyond the scope of all other medications. The fight for The Good Life has just begun. As our creator said he gave the herb yielding seed to us and it was good. My job is to protect and serve and yes I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution as well. I will pray for this young man’s family. Stop the war and end the madness!
[...] presentation at http://live.norml.org at 1:45 pm Pacific) when I happen upon a Las Vegas story by Mike Meno at the MPP Blog. Remember the story we brought you about the Las Vegas man shot and killed by police in front of [...]
Another person dies over a natural substance that is less intoxicating than alcohol. Is this still the America that people love? Was this country’s legal system founded on the principle that you are innocent untill proven guilty? Is it true that you do not have to prove yourself innocent, they must prove that you are guilty?
Who was it that said “I would rather 10 guilty men go free than 1 innocent man be found guilty”?
Where are the tea partiers at now?
We have too many cops. Or, excuse me, too many “Law Enforcement Officers” as many of them pompously call themselves. But WE are the problem. WE expect cops to keep our kids off drugs. WE expect cops to protect us from murder, rape, and robbery. WE expect cops to protect us from home invasion in three minutes. The joke is on us: cops have NO duty to protect us from anything. The joke is on us: enough cops to protect us from home invasion in three minutes means enough cops to Taser old ladies and gun down the wrong man for two ounces of weed. WE citizens, right here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, have become a nation of sniveling COWARDS. Sure, there are some really big, strong criminals out there who will rip you apart; horrors, many of them are really black. Not OJ Simpson black; African Dictator black. So what? A 12 gauge shotgun will stop any home invader in the world. If you suffer a home invasion, call the cops and ask for a body bag. Listen to the Donna Jackson 911 call on YouTube and tell me if why you can’t show the courage under attack that an old farm lady did when she killed her home invader while he was out of his mind on angel dust. Next time YOUR city has to lay off some cops, rejoice. Help your friends and neighbors grow a spine. Spend time raising YOUR kids instead of playing golf. Or take the little bastards WITH you to play, like Tiger’s dad. Stop asking the government to do for you what your lazy ass should do for yourself.
One Love…….
The answer is yes, they are all corrupt…..I worked for DoD for over twenty years…Mom, Dad, Brother….all corrupt law enforcement or court personnell……everyone in government is corrupt to some degree or another….although there are souls who try to do the right thing, the right way……often though, the system chews ups the folks like a tiger on a zebra flank, only to identify, crush and remove those honest people from the system……what is left are the psychopathic 5 % who rise to positions of power……BTW…the feds will let the “medical” system grow in each state, allow everyone with property and acreage to register……then swoop in and seize the most valuable property…based upon the legal registry of the “state program”
….it will be vulgar…….look for it!
Regards,
O’Guillory
I really truly hope that officer has a very unfortunate accident that may or may not cause death. Honestly the po po are ruining their reputation by doing this bullshit. They say they are here to serve and protect..yeah serve and protect themselves. Not all cops are bad. But I am very willing to say that most of them are and it’s cops like yant that need to oh I don’t know..choke and die. Tell ya what you pig faced cops. If we need your god damn help. We will fucking ask for it. Until then, do you what cops like you do best. Stick your thumb up your ass and go fuck yourself.
now, the officers will get leave WITH pay!!! and nothing morally or legally will happen.this is how it goes! my heart goes out to his family and child, something you WON”T hear from the cops. were is the value of life these cops are suppose to be protecting?
“but cops have it hard and need to be protected because they job is so hard”, then get some smarter cops in there that doesn’t just support an agenda for a god damn paycheck. cops all around the world are shooting to kill!!! how do people protect ourselves frolm these immature douche bags ???? we can’t shoot back, because of his fucking title! REALLY WHAT CAN WE DO??? they shoot us that’s it, we can’t fight anymore, just hope that someone like MPP will pick up the story and hope for the best from its members and the media. but when is enough enough?? seriously? they get away with murder day after day and right it off as a moral victory for the law. what the fuck man!!! what the fuck!! i’m gonna go smoke and calm down, because m bud doesn’t cause any fucking side affects like all these anti-depressants that big pharm and the police and law protect!! what a fucking ball buster these guys are! can’t take it anymore.
Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you?
That is the truly face of America: crimes committed in uniform aren’t punished – those must be the legend heroes.
Ever wondered why US police likes black uniforms the color of former Nazi Storm Troopers?
[...] presentation at http://live.norml.org at 1:45 pm Pacific) when I happen upon a Las Vegas story by Mike Meno at the MPP Blog. Remember the story we brought you about the Las Vegas man shot and killed by police in front of [...]
to dirty dirty. I remember two stories of my grandfather that apply to your story. The first was when he was about 12 years old and was hunting near a neighbor’s moonshine still. His dog went up to the revenuer (staking out the still) and the revenuer kicked his dog. My granddad shot him in the leg (410 shotgun). Also, there was this mean cop beating up a drunk in town (he had passed out, it was a hard-drinking community) and my granddad went up behind him, pulled out his knife, and told the cop he thought he had beat him enough. The cop left. The point is, fight back always. He lived into his 80s as well without ever living a life as a slave to any man or state. The problem is not the law or the state. The problem is that people refuse to be free and will not stand up to their oppressors. This country was founded in blood. Blood is what makes land yours. Blood is what you shed to assert your rights. And by the way, rights are never given to you, that would be privileges. Rights are taken. Take your right from the state.
Cops just murdered a guy in my town the other day. Shot him from across the street. Oh yeah, I forgot, he had a gun in his vehicle. And he was drunk. The 5 year on the Poulsbo PD Farce ‘rookie’ broke every rule of engagement in the book, and MURDERED this guy, but nobody will pay. The cops will WHITEWASH IT and say it was a justifiable shooting.
but you know what?? Let them try that shit on me. I’m armed, and I know how to fire mine. And I won’t hesitate to use it now!
When I lived in Vegas, The Military style police shot an unarmed man for carrying a basketball and jaywalking. The cop stated at the coroner’s inquest that the guy gave him a look that he interpretated as a “I’m going to kill you”, and the pig was exhonorated by the inquest. The Vegas police are the most dangerous thug gang I have ever seen.
This is called population control. Prior to the crack boom in Los Angeles in the late 70′s, the agenda of the day was to clean up poverty stricken neighborhoods, that was quickly averted to the war on drugs which had the same goals, but was just a little more radical.
LEO are trained to do this, and look the other way. Things like this are not just a MJ crime or concern, but exist in every facet of society and our lives.
The entire system is corrupt. Why should it not be? It’s based entirely upon business and making a buck.
When gaining the edge on consumers is as simple as poisoning our water and foods to keep us mentally enslaved, what else did you expect?
In the end, the people are just consumers and can be disgarded just as easy as they can be persuaded to fund their own imprisonment.
This is your life, your world. It is indeed what you make it. If enough people decided enough is enough, the tables will turn as we are the majority. Too many assume we are suppose to be subservient to them, because they intentionaly bully us about and use traditional “black knight” scare tactics to sustain some level of control.
We are the people.
We will not lay down.
We will never forget.
All Cops are Bad. You all witness cops committing crimes and do nothing about it. This makes all of you an accessory. So, don’t come crying to us saying a handfull of cops give the rest a bad name. You are all guilty. You are all scum.
Having recently dealt with the Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. in the capacity of Manager of a local apartment complex that was hammered by their drug units I say lets hire 6yr olds so we can improve the intelligence level of our police department. Metro converged on my complex in early june and kicked 7 doors in, did approx. $35,000 dollars in damages and put the complex out of business and me out of a job without as much as an apoligy.
The facts are as follows:
1) The early morning raid on seven units produced no evidence.
2) Of the 7 units that were targeted, 2 were unoccupied.
3) Metro police had assisted in the eviction of all 7 of the named persons in the warrants over the passed months.
4) Metro police never contacted the management to ask if the se persons still resided there.
5) The warrants were dated in January or earlier.
Wow we have some inteligent officers trying to combat the “drug war” going on in Las Vegas, maybe they should smoke another bowl before they decide whom and when to raid someone
i live in Marshalltown Ia, some people know of it due to the movie Cover UP(2008). and Meth. I could See this bullshit happening here too. we have alot of cops, here, that are corrupt in their own way. meanwhile my state is dicking around with our own medical laws. Feds have drawn more attention upon themselves (raids, and such) since the idea was first passed through the Board of Pharmacies. Our house maj. leader just screwballed us with an old law saying it was up to the board of pharmacies. They said yes already, but i see no medicine. instead I see more raids and arrests. this story is indeed tragic just like the little girl who was shot by the cops 2 months ago. Where’s Obama on that? he wants change, but he introduced this DEA lady to stonewall patients. i feel terrible for this family
Piggie recently asked me what I had in the bag on the seat next to me and I told him”the secret to invisibility”. He wanted a look and even tried to intimidate me but I’m not a stupid fourteen year old anymore LOL.
Sergent823 You ask us to not judge you but when you get “orders” you follow them, in spite of your so called solidarity, because you want to keep your job. Well good for you, keep yer freakin job but you get no respect from your victims here. If you’re a cop and you let other cops violate the law then you’re either corrupt or stupid. If you did try to actually change things you and I both know that you would be an ex cop. There are NO good cops, only bad cops and ex cops.
So, if this had been the dangerous drug dealer it would have been OK for DEA to shoot and kill an unarmed man???? The Nazis were just following orders too. This is not an isolated incident. It happens every day. No wonder, fewer and fewer Americans have respect for the law. Not every cop is a latent facist. But almost all gun-toting thrill-seeking fascists are cops.
Cops honestly disgust me. Whenever I see one, I’m hoping they get t-boned and their car explodes. I don’t care if its wife/husband is in it with them. Guilt by association. You merry a disgusting pig, you’re a disgusting pig too.
Unfortunately, shit like this does happen on a daily basis. What really chaps my ass is when they beat the fuck out someone, tase them, maybe even shoot them, it’s all caught on tape and these jackwagons have the balls to deny doing it. Serve and Protect. Ha! More like Harass and Arrest, Shoot and Kill, or Beat and Abuse. Better have 15 of them ready to tase and/or beat that 10 with an attitude. Or that 85 year old woman suffering from alhzeimer’s. I know I feel safer they’re protecting us from the very young and the elderly. Cops are the biggest cowards to ever walk this planet. Take away the gun and the badge and what do you have? A six foot dick/pussy/asshole with a god complex. They are abusive and I know I will never call them. I have no need for them as they are as useless as tits on a nun. We need to rally against these criminals and put them where they belong. In prison. Not only in prison, but in general population. I have zero respect for them and wish a slow painful death to each and everyone of them. The only good cop is one with no pulse. It’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. I do still have the right to my opinion, right? Or has that been taken away too. We as citizens need to require that these pieces of shit have mandatory drug, alcohol, and psychological testing on a regular basis. From an independent facility of course. They MUST be knocked down from the high horse they are currently riding. I loathe them with every fiber of my being. I’m just happy that there are a lot of cameras everywhere filming these abusive pricks in action. And sometimes they’re to stupid to shut the dash cam off when making up bullshit charges.
Sergeant823. Why not judge you? I have already been judged the second I walked out of my front door. Cops assume we’re all guilty until proven innocent. Or they lie through there teeth in a court of law to make us appear guilty.
I have one question: what is MPP doing to ensure that this case is front and center on every national newscast on the broadcast and cable news networks? This is at least as big as Shirley Sherrod. Does MPP have a publicity department that can wave this story in front of people like Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, Brian Williams, etc.? There is no reason this shouldn’t be front page news everywhere.
These men have subjected themselves to deadly sins. To put fear into the hearts of others is to subject to the deadly sin of Wrath. Deadly sins do not go unnoticed and this man will receive bad karma for killing an innocent man whose child will have no heart and hate for the world because of the loss of their father for a retarded reason.
Furthermore pride for passing judgment onto someone when he is not God.
It’s time to stop this insanity!
cops are murdering pricks. everytime they kill innocent people they should be put to death too.
Disband the DEA/ATF and use the savings to pay down the federal debt.
This is truly tragic. A young life needlessly snuffed out. One more widow, one more child without a father… victims of the war on drugs.
One day, when this is all just a bad dream from the “dark age’s”, we’ll construct a monument to all the victims.
Until that time…it is our duty, as citizens, to resist tyranny and remember:
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson
Murder in the name of the law is still murder,prosecute it as such.As many times as I have been to Las Vegas for business or pleasure I still wonder why(with their reputation as a adult oriented fun spot )that they are so hard on pot, legal or not.The main reason I do not frequent Nevada more is for that reason.Until they can get their pot laws together I doubt that I will spend any of my income there.Let them as a whole, suffer mightily in their bizarre quest for justice as I shall not spend one dime in Las Vegas until they relax the laws the MURDER of this man was caused by..Jack booted thugs enforcing ancient and decrepit laws..
To bad thhis was’nt a child molester , no one would give a SH.. , BUT THIS IS JUST A NOTHER REASON TO LEGALIZE…….
Unbelievable!!!! The officer’s involved should be punished. Jailed. That is straight up murder. If a non-officer did such a thing, say, just a citizen – they would be jailed. Now, there will be one more fatherless child due to the ignorance of a police department (who is suppose to serve & protect). I hope this familly sues the pants off of the department and the state!!! Blessings for the family…..
[...] raids like the one on Kathryn Johnston’s home continue to occur every day in places all over the country. Some compensation for Johnston’s family is a good start to repairing the [...]
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