Okay so I am writing my script ( Yes its awesome!, just sitting here letting my mind flow with ideas and words just coming out like crazy for each page). But I am a little stuck right now. Okay so I have my character who is a cop getting suspended from the force for like 3 month. Maybe 2. Okay but he gets suspended from shooting a suspect running from the the bank he just robbed. Now the suspect has the bag of money, while the rest of his team got away. So the cop shoots him in the alley after the suspect jumps a fence and is about to get away. Could he get suspended for shooting him?
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Question about my script
- Thread starter DesperadoMan17
- Start date
I talked to a cop about this for a script I wrote. He said that if a suspect is armed you can't even shoot him to stop him from running into a crowded area of innocent people, in some circumstances, and that you can only shoot, if the threat is 'immediate'. By immediate, that the suspect is going to kill someone in the next second, rather than potentially in the next couple of minutes.
So that is quite serious circumstances in order for it to be legal to shoot someone. A fleeing bank robber that is not an 'immediate' threat, will probably not count in any legal way therefore. Maybe some states are different though. I live in Canada. In Point Break, Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent shot at bank robbers in open traffic, just to stop them from getting away in their car. So maybe in the states it's different? Or that was made up for the movie that an FBI agent could do that, or laws were more harsh in 1991.
So that is quite serious circumstances in order for it to be legal to shoot someone. A fleeing bank robber that is not an 'immediate' threat, will probably not count in any legal way therefore. Maybe some states are different though. I live in Canada. In Point Break, Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent shot at bank robbers in open traffic, just to stop them from getting away in their car. So maybe in the states it's different? Or that was made up for the movie that an FBI agent could do that, or laws were more harsh in 1991.
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Is the suspect armed? Was the suspect shooting? Did he present a threat? Where and when?
I just watched Place Beyond the Pines, and it seemed like detectives cared most about
I just watched Place Beyond the Pines, and it seemed like detectives cared most about
who shot first
From a armchair observer standpoint this seems quite legit.
Can the cop claim that the suspect threatened to kill a bystander during his escape?
If so then that can/may be a justifiable use of deadly force by the cop.
You can complicate the scenario to justify that rather lengthy two to three months suspension.
However, that length of time is rather problematic.
I imagine most suspensions are administrative suspensions where beat cops get to process dept paperwork pending an investigation into the killing, which I imagine rarely take more than a few weeks.
Has your law enforcement investigation turned up substantiating evidence of two to three month suspensions?
Also, for whatever reason you originally designed the story to hinge on this two to three month suspension can that period be shortened or it be justified by another reason other than a killing investigation?
The suspect is not armed. He doesn't pose a threat. The cop shoots him cause he has the bag of money. I could make it a one month suspension if that makes it more realistic. The previous day the cop made a havoc in the streets costing thousands in damages. So he was warned. So that's why he gets suspended.
I'd guess longer than a month. Killing an unarmed suspect, and costing the city thousands in damages would probably get you in a little more trouble
Year? Location?
It takes place in 2010s. Right now location is set on Los Angeles. But I could always change that if I needed to
Alright, you need to either make this a Frank Miller-esque cartoon drama thing - or - start doing some of your own serious homework.
This scenario is FUBAR from stem to stern until you figure out how the law actually works and how you can craft some very special circumstances around it.
Also, since you're in Ohio and this story's setting is in L.A. then it's obviously not a writer/director screenplay you're writing.
You're writing a spec script.
Plain and simple.
And the story's structural "problems" that you bang out on your computer are going to be someone else's "problems" to fix before production, meaning almost everyone spending THEIR money on YOUR story is gonna read over this, call bullsh!t, and pass it over - UNLESS YOU FIX THESE RUDIMENTARY STORY STRUCTURE PROBLEMS!
GL!
This scenario is FUBAR from stem to stern until you figure out how the law actually works and how you can craft some very special circumstances around it.
Also, since you're in Ohio and this story's setting is in L.A. then it's obviously not a writer/director screenplay you're writing.
You're writing a spec script.
Plain and simple.
And the story's structural "problems" that you bang out on your computer are going to be someone else's "problems" to fix before production, meaning almost everyone spending THEIR money on YOUR story is gonna read over this, call bullsh!t, and pass it over - UNLESS YOU FIX THESE RUDIMENTARY STORY STRUCTURE PROBLEMS!
GL!
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I have done some research but cant find anything on my situation. That's why I came here and see what you guys think.
I have found my answer. If the suspect is unarmed and fleeing from the scene, the cop cant shoot him. Unless he is a threat to society. So thanks for everyone's answers.
If you want to sell your screenplay then understand it is a hugely difficult task. To sell your screenplay has to hugely impress people, knock them off their feet - make them hyper-eager to turn the page to see what comes next.
What Hollywood mostly wants these days is scripts that can bring an established and large multi-million fan base to the cineplex. Hence the huge number of comic-book based scripts, top selling-book based scripts, real-story based scripts etc. It it immensely difficult for a non-pro (read: no studio production credits) scriptwriter to sell an original spec script - it does happen but not that often.
You say "Yes its awesome". I thought my first screenplay was damn good. I have written five now... My first screenplay - I now know it was pretty damn bad really, very average.
Anyway, getting the story right is critical. That often involves doing research too. There are probably police forums out there who will happily help with your law enforcement questions. You have had good and solid advice from others here.
What Hollywood mostly wants these days is scripts that can bring an established and large multi-million fan base to the cineplex. Hence the huge number of comic-book based scripts, top selling-book based scripts, real-story based scripts etc. It it immensely difficult for a non-pro (read: no studio production credits) scriptwriter to sell an original spec script - it does happen but not that often.
You say "Yes its awesome". I thought my first screenplay was damn good. I have written five now... My first screenplay - I now know it was pretty damn bad really, very average.
Anyway, getting the story right is critical. That often involves doing research too. There are probably police forums out there who will happily help with your law enforcement questions. You have had good and solid advice from others here.
Without knowing if the other suspects are armed, what if the other robbers were armed and fired at the responding officers during the robbery? After which the one with the money is seen escaping, the officer (to be suspended) fires at the suspect, unaware that he was unarmed, but maing a decision in the heat of the moment based off of the immediate, previous incident? An investigation will be triggered and due to him being wrong about the suspect being armed, discplinary action (e.g. couple months suspension) will be taken him.
It seems like he would be suspended during the investigation regardless of whether the final decision is the officer acted inappropriately. That would seem routine even if hadn't had the prior incident you mentioned. Firing a shot during a crowd scene would only add weight.
Whether or not it is real, as an audience member I would buy it if I were watching. Credible film logic will not distract the audience. Most viewers expect that a cop will shoot at a fleeing felon whether that's actual protocol or not.
Whether or not it is real, as an audience member I would buy it if I were watching. Credible film logic will not distract the audience. Most viewers expect that a cop will shoot at a fleeing felon whether that's actual protocol or not.
I like that idea. I was gonna do something like that but didn't know the best way. Your idea sums it up
Why don't you make it so that the cop believes the suspect is armed? Maybe the suspect has his hand beneath his shirt and turns to look at the cop and the cop shoots him. I'm sure that's happened before. Although I doubt cops get suspended for shooting people. They probably get reassigned to something else.
First off, it is legal for a law enforcement officer to shoot a fleeing felon (even in the back) if that use of deadly force is required to effect the arrest or the subject is an immediate danger to the public. In order to qualify as necessary, the officer must be able to articulate that the felon would have made good his escape and not been able to be brought to justice subsequently. An example would be a rapist getting into a private plane with a flight plan to a country with no extradition. I don't know of any real-life scenarios that fit this requirement. It would be better if your robber was armed but the gun flies out of his hand after he is shot and goes somewhere that it can't be seen. Your cop would have to not have seen where the gun went. His side of the story would be that the bad guy was armed but the homocide/IAD investigators can't find any weapons. This puts your cop on indefinite suspension, pending the outcome of the investigation into the shooting. If the cop has a history of complaints he might be sent home instead of being reassigned to desk duty. Generally, indefinite suspension is used when somebody is going to be fired and/or arrested and the agency is dotting the Is and crossing the Ts.
FUBAR From Stem to Stern
Now that would make a great movie title
http://www.imdb.com/find?q=fubar&s=all