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bottomofthehill

(8,347 posts)
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 10:29 AM Aug 2023

Officer Jeffery Smith, A hero of 1/6 who took his own life after injuries sustained on 1/6

Officer Smith responded to the Capitol on 1/6 to defend democracy. In the process, he was injured at least twice in the battle at the Capitol. Forced to return to work too soon after the injuries, exhausted and most likely concussed, he took his own life. His widow was finally found eligible for federal benefits for spouses of officers who died in the line of duty.

The widow of a police officer who died by suicide after he was assaulted during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been found eligible for a federal benefits program for the families of fallen officers. Erin Smith, the widow of Jeffrey Smith, was instrumental in the passage of a renewed version of the Public Safety Officer Support Act that President Joe Biden signed into law last August. The legislation made the families of officers who died by suicide eligible for the federal benefits that go to first responders, so long as their death is found to have been linked to their official duties and exposure to a traumatic event.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/doj-finds-officers-suicide-jan-6-was-death-line-duty-rcna100648

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Officer Jeffery Smith, A hero of 1/6 who took his own life after injuries sustained on 1/6 (Original Post) bottomofthehill Aug 2023 OP
Such a tragic story Easterncedar Aug 2023 #1
Finally snowybirdie Aug 2023 #2
Blood is on his hands. tetedur Aug 2023 #3
Aside from the 1,111 charged for Jan 6th, Jarqui Aug 2023 #6
and the GOP is ok with 1/6. Disgusting. Any candidates calling it what it was? violent COUP Evolve Dammit Aug 2023 #4
Kick. N/T Upthevibe Aug 2023 #5
This man gave his life for his country. llmart Aug 2023 #7
About damned time! niyad Aug 2023 #8
Kickin' Faux pas Aug 2023 #9
Thanks for the kick bottomofthehill Aug 2023 #11
Thank you to all who recommended this thread and saw Officer Smiths pain and sacrifice. bottomofthehill Aug 2023 #10
KR NT ProudProgressiveNow Aug 2023 #12
Best line in that post? This one... Grins Aug 2023 #13
So true. Back to when Bill Clinton bottomofthehill Aug 2023 #14

tetedur

(820 posts)
3. Blood is on his hands.
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 12:20 PM
Aug 2023

Blood is on his hands. Those that were foolish enough to do his dirty work and those that tried to defend against the coup attempt.

Jarqui

(10,130 posts)
6. Aside from the 1,111 charged for Jan 6th,
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 01:33 PM
Aug 2023

Trump has 58 co-conspirators with his 4 indictments

That ignores a number of felons from his inner circle who he pardoned
That ignores all the Republicans who voted against impeachment .. twice
That ignores the Republican party who made him their leader when a bunch of the crap about Trump was already known

They all enabled Trump.
They all have blood on their hands for what he did and got them to do on Jan 6th

Evolve Dammit

(16,773 posts)
4. and the GOP is ok with 1/6. Disgusting. Any candidates calling it what it was? violent COUP
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 12:37 PM
Aug 2023

This death and the entire event is the most tragic assault on the rule of law. We have regressed and I'm not sure it's fixable given the millions who are fine with it.

llmart

(15,553 posts)
7. This man gave his life for his country.
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 01:39 PM
Aug 2023

He's a true patriot, not those military weasels who took part in the insurrection, violating the oath that they took when they enlisted. I have no use for those who think that all they have to do is fly the flag and pretend that's what it means to be patriotic.

And some people wonder why I have no use for anyone that is a self-proclaimed Magat or who is sitting in Congress and decided not to approve the election of our rightful President, Joe Biden.

bottomofthehill

(8,347 posts)
10. Thank you to all who recommended this thread and saw Officer Smiths pain and sacrifice.
Mon Aug 21, 2023, 10:01 PM
Aug 2023

Three Metropolitan Police Officers and 1 US Capitol police officer committed suicide soon after the violence directed at them by former President Trump. These were line officers who responded to defend democracy on 1/6. They did not need to respond, they could have found things to do on their beats but they deployed to the Capitol to protect democracy and third brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement. There was a lot of bullshit slung at their suicides here and in other places. These men took part in a brutal hand to hand combat battle fought at the Capitol and suffered from the trauma both physical and mental in the aftermath. Their family’s are big getting their loss recognized as in the line of duty deaths. Below are the hero’s, they along with Brian Sicknick lost their lives in defense of democracy.

MPD Officer Gunther Hashida
MPD Officer Kyle DeFreytag
MPD Officer Jeffrey Smith
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood

Grins

(7,231 posts)
13. Best line in that post? This one...
Tue Aug 22, 2023, 10:39 AM
Aug 2023
“…Act that President Joe Biden signed into law.”

Bill introduced by a Democrat, then signed into law by a Democrat.

Maybe police should pause and reflect on what Party has their back?
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