Chris Dorner is a former LAPD officer who was terminated for reporting that a police officer was beating a suspect. His reward for violating the unwritten “blue line” was to be unceremoniously forced out. Once he took his appeals as far as they would go, he snapped and decided to wage war against the department by killing people associated with the LAPD.
At this time of this writing, he has killed four people and is holed up in a burning cabin. The first victim was Monica Quan, the daughter of the LAPD lawyer that represented him when he fought his dismissal. He killed her because he believed the lawyer sought to protect the department’s interests before his own. His second victim was her fiance, who I presume was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His third victim was a police officer who he ambushed at a red light. The fourth was shot down around Big Bear Lake in California.
I took the time to read Dorner’s 11,000 word manifesto. Here are the highlights:
Even with the multiple conversations and ambient noise I heard Officer Magana call an indivdual a nigger again. Now that I had confirmed it, I told Magana not to use that word again. I explained that it was a well known offensive word that should not be used by anyone. He replied, “I’ll say it when I want”. Officer Burdios, a friend of his, also stated that he would say nigger when he wanted. At that point I jumped over my front passenger seat and two other officers where I placed my hands around Burdios’ neck and squeezed. I stated to Burdios, “Don’t fucking say that”. At that point there was pushing and shoving and we were separated by several other officers. What I should have done, was put a Winchester Ranger SXT 9mm 147 grain bullet in his skull and Officer Magana’s skull. The Situation would have been resolved effective, immediately.
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The LAPD’s actions have cost me my law enforcement career that began on 2/7/05 and ended on 1/2/09. They cost me my Naval career which started on 4/02 and ends on 2/13.
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I’ve lost everything because the LAPD took my name and new I was INNOCENT!!! Capt Phil Tingirides, Justin Eisenberg, Martella, Randy Quan, and Sgt. Anderson all new I was innocent but decided to terminate me so they could continue Ofcr. Teresa Evans career. I know about the meeting between all of you where Evans attorney, Rico, confessed that she kicked Christopher Gettler (excessive force). Your day has come.
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I’m not an aspiring rapper, I’m not a gang member, I’m not a dope dealer, I don’t have multiple babies momma’s. I am an American by choice, I am a son, I am a brother, I am a military service member, I am a man who has lost complete faith in the system, when the system betrayed, slandered, and libeled me. I lived a good life and though not a religious man I always stuck to my own personal code of ethics, ethos and always stuck to my shoreline and true North. I didn’t need the US Navy to instill Honor, Courage, and Commitment in me but I thank them for re-enforcing it. It’s in my DNA.
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Luckily I don’t have to live everyday like most of you. Concerned if the misconduct you were apart of is going to be discovered. Looking over your shoulder, scurrying at every phone call from internal affairs or from the Captains office wondering if that is the day PSB comes after you for the suspects you struck when they were cuffed months/years ago or that $500 you pocketed from the narcotics dealer, or when the other guys on your watch beat a transient nearly to death and you never reported the UOF to the supervisor. No, I don’t have that concern, I stood up for what was right but unfortunately have dealt with the reprocussions of doing the right thing and now losing my name and everything I ever stood for.
It’s hard not to root for him to get back at those who ruined his career when he worked his job with apparent integrity, but does the punishment he hopes to inflict (death) fit the crime of LAPD corruption? Dorner believes it is. He says, “Unfortunately, I will not be alive to see my name cleared. That’s what this is about, my name. A man is nothing with his name.”
His manifesto is surprisingly lucid and well-written. I never got the impression that I was reading the words of a maniac, though killing people he doesn’t know is maniacal to most. Court records shows that he has never been in trouble with the law.
Self Preservation is no longer important to me. I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09. I was told by my mother that sometimes bad things happen to good people. I refuse to accept that.
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From 2/05 to 1/09 I saw some of the most vile things humans can inflict on others as a police officer in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the streets of LA. It was in the confounds of LAPD police stations and shops (cruisers). The enemy combatants in LA are not the citizens and suspects, it’s the police officers.
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When the truth comes out, the killing stops.
He has given the LAPD an out, but it does not appear that they want to take him alive (there have been two incidents of trigger happy LAPD gunning down vehicles similar to Dorner’s). He can walk into a church, unarmed, but he will still die. He must die so that the issue can be swept under the rug instead of a public trial where LAPD corruption is brought to light.
Personally, I believe he was wronged, a silent victim of department corruption. Most people would ask Dorner to fight via the system, but when it’s the system that has ruined his name and doesn’t care for the truth, I can understand why he feels there is no other way out but through killing.
This department has not changed from the Daryl Gates and Mark Fuhrman days. Those officers are still employed and have all promoted to Command staff and supervisory positions. I will correct this error. Are you aware that an officer (a rookie/probationer at the time) seen on the Rodney King videotape striking Mr. King multiple times with a baton on 3/3/91 is still employed by the LAPD and is now a Captain on the police department? Captain Rolando Solano is now the commanding officer of a LAPD police station (West LA division). As a commanding officer, he is now responsible for over 200 officers. Do you trust him to enforce department policy and investigate use of force investigations on arrestees by his officers? Are you aware Evans has since promoted to Sergeant after kicking Mr. Gettler in the face. Oh, you Violated a citizens civil rights? We will promote you.
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Those lesbian officers in supervising positions who go to work, day in day out, with the sole intent of attempting to prove your misandrist authority (not feminism) to degrade male officers. You are a high value target.
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Those of you who “go along to get along” have no backbone and destroy the foundation of courage. You are the enablers of those who are guilty of misconduct. You are just as guilty as those who break the code of ethics and oath you swore.
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I’ve heard many officers who state they see dead victims as ATV’s, Waverunners, RV’s and new clothes for their kids. Why would you shed a tear for them when they in return crack a smile for your loss because of the impending extra money they will receive in their next paycheck for sitting at your loved ones crime scene of 6 hours because of the overtime they will accrue. They take photos of your loved ones recently deceased bodies with their cellphones and play a game of who has the most graphic dead body of the night with officers from other divisions.
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How do you know when a police officer is lying??? When he begins his sentence with, “based on my experience and training”.
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I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, I’m terminating yours. Quan, Anderson, Evans, and BOR members Look your wives/husbands and surviving children directly in the face and tell them the truth as to why your children are dead.
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I have nothing to lose. My personal casualty means nothing. Just alike AAF’s, ACM’s, and AIF’s, you can not prevail against an enemy combatant who has no fear of death. An enemy who embraces death is a lose, lose situation for their enemy combatants.
The only thing that changes policy and garners attention is death.
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You said that I should have kept my mouth shut about another officer’s misconduct. Maybe you were right. But I’m not built like others, it’s not in my DNA and my history has always shown that. When you view the video of the suspect stating he was kicked by Evans, maybe you will see that I was a decent person after all. I told the truth.
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I thank my friends for the awesome shared experiences. I thank the unnamed women I dated over my lifetime for the great and sometimes not so great sex.
The media has interpreted his manifesto differently than what I read. They believe he’s fighting against racism and gun control. This makes for an easy motive that fits well in 90 second news stories, but those issues had minor roles in his manifesto (his gun control view is only to limit military grade weapons that even police forces don’t use). He does have typical liberal views with his support of Obama and the Clintons, but it’s obvious from the manifesto that his crusade is against the wrongs he’s been served. In his mind, he’s killing based on principle, and he’s ready to give his life for that principle. This is what makes him simultaneously dangerous, psychotic, and heroic, all at the same time. I don’t agree with him killing people, but I do understand. I hope he survives to tell his story to the public, even if it’s from a prison cell.