A Tulsa volunteer sheriff--
Robert Bates is his name--
Who happens to be seventy-three,
Has a claim to fame:
As part of a weapons sting
Of an illegal handgun sale
Involving someone named Eric Harris,
Who happened to be a black male.
The police, pursuing Harris,
Brought him to the ground.
"Taser! Taser!" cried Deputy
Bates.
And then there was a sound:
POW! A single bullet
Hit Harris in the back,
Fatally killing the unarmed man.
(Did I say he was black?)
"Oh, I shot him," said Bates,
Holding his gun in his hand--
One that's a common policeman's firearm
Of a Smith and Wesson brand.
According to Deputy Bates
He mistook in the scuffle
His Smith and Wesson for his Taser!
That's caused quite a kerfuffle.
Bates--an insurance company
CEO by day--
Likes to play cop when he has time off.
An example of "pay to play"?
And how much training--one wonders--
When all is said and done,
Should it take for a cop to
distinguish
His Taser from his gun?
(4-19-15) By Bob B
