Put a rush on ending police chases

In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down "shoot to kill" laws that allowed police to gun down fleeing felons. The ruling came after years of police excess in which some sheriff's deputies and beat cops used their guns to execute petty criminals. It's too bad the court refused to issue the same firm guidelines for high-speed chases. Cars traveling at high speeds can be as dangerous as a loaded gun fired into a crowd. And, just as they did by shooting at fleeing suspects, police too often hand down the death sentence by chasing traffic offenders. Last week, Katie Sharp, 21, and her 17-year-old passenger, Garrett Gabe, were killed when Georgia state police tried to stop her after a 66-mile chase. A state trooper deliberately rammed Sharp's SUV from behind; her vehicle spun and went airborne before slamming into a tree. [more ]