When I heard today about yet another manhunt in Florida for a man who shot and killed a police officer, this one a sheriff’s deputy who was transporting the criminal, it got my attention.  Twice within the past year or so, two other cases of officers shot and killed resulted in the suspect being hunted down and shot to death as officers swarmed into the area from all across the state.  Both of the suspects were African-Americans.  One of the two faced an especially brutal execution, as he was ripped to shreds by over 100 rounds fired by the police officers when they found him.  Instant justice.

Today’s situation had a different outcome.  He was Caucasian.  He already was serving two life sentences for armed robbery.  Today the sheriff’s deputy was driving him to court for trial on at least two other charges.  He also had a history of drug arrests, and was injured and endangered other people while eluding police when they previously tried to capture him following a robbery.

The man he killed today was 76 years old, and four hours later the suspect was captured carrying the dead officer’s weapon.  Apparently, no shots were fired when the arrest was made, and I read nothing in the account of officers high-tailing it to the area from other jurisdictions.

Does this mean the procedures have changed since the last time?  Or does it indicate a different standard of “justice?”

You figure it out.