False witness testimony, a black man with a criminal history of violence being falsely portrayed as a respectable "gentle giant" . . . it is beginning to look like protesters, the media and Obama may have once again rushed to judgment in at least one and possibly both of the two recent fatal police shootings of blacks in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both instances have been portrayed as cold blooded murders of harmless, respected black men; however, it is becoming increasingly clear that the initial reports and impressions may be less than truthful.

In the Minnesota shooting, Philandro Castile was shot from outside his car when the police officer claims that he reacted to "the presence and display of the gun" and the act of reaching for it. Though the victim does appear to be a respectable and well-liked member of his community with no major criminal history, it is disturbing that the eyewitness who streamed the aftermath of the shooting has changed her story in multiple ways, including why they were pulled over and why she did not film the shooting itself. The bottom line is that if the police officer reasonably believed that Castile was reaching for a gun he was justified in using deadly force. The officer may indeed have panicked, but it was not a cold-blooded murder.

Then we come to the really sticky case of the shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. The victim of that shooting, Alton Sterling, was shot by police after someone shouted a warning about a gun. The police maintain that Sterling was reaching for a gun, but the incident has been reported as a cold-blooded murder of a friendly and well-respected black man who was just trying to sell some CD's - another "gentle giant" as the media and administration initially tried to portray the Ferguson thug Michael Brown, complete with smiling innocent-looking photo. As it turns out, Sterling has a lengthy rap sheet and criminal history that is less than "respectable". As a matter of fact, Sterling had an eerily similar encounter with Baton Rouge police seven years ago after a report was made of someone brandishing a gun. Sterling fit the description, failed to answer the police's questions, resisted being pat down and a gun fell out of his waistband after he ended up getting into a stuggle with police and being taken to the ground. Here is Sterling's rap sheet:

9/09/96 – Aggravated battery
10/31/97 – 2nd degree battery
1/06/98 – Simple battery
5/04/00 – Public intimidation
9/20/00 – Carnal knowledge of a juvenile
9/04/01 – Domestic violence
5/24/05 – Burglary of an inhabited dwelling place

7/11/05 – Receiving stolen things
9/12/05 – Burglary of inhabited dwelling place
3/17/06 – Simple criminal damage to property, simple robbery, simple theft, drug possession, misrepresentation during booking, simple battery, aggravated battery
4/12/06 – Aggravated battery, simple criminal damage to property, disturbing the peace, unauthorized entry
4/04/08 – Domestic abuse battery
6/03/09 – Resisting an officer, drug possession, receiving stolen things, possession of stolen firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon with CDs, sound reproduct without consent
10/12/09 – Illegal carrying of weapon, marijuana possession
8/13/15 – Failure to register as a sex offender
4/08/16 – Failure to register as a sex offender
6/14/16 – Ecstacy and marijuana possession

One again, there has been a rush to judgment before the facts are completely known. Right or wrong, the damage has been done and now we have five dead policemen in Dallas, other attacks against police, and now a "Day of Rage" planned and financed by the evil George Soros, where no doubt we will see many of the protesters repeating the "hands up, don't shoot" false mantra that began with Michael Brown and refuses to go away. We can only hope and pray that there is no further violence.