Californias vigilante police justice: Trial by machine gunRuth Hull Downey, California: May 4, 2013. Family and friends of Michael Nida gathered at the Memorial site where he was machinegunned to death by Downey Police officer Steven Gilley. The purpose of the gathering was to remember the father of four who lost his life on the way to celebrate his birthday with his wife. On October 22, 2011, Michael Lee Nida and his wife Naily were on their way to celebrate his upcoming birthday. They had stopped at an Arco station at the corner of Paramount and Imperial Highway in Downey. Michaels father, after whom Michael was named, recounted the events of the night his son died. He recalled that his son already had been afraid of the police because of what he had seen in Los Angeles. That night, that fear proved justified. The following information is based on the fathers account. While Michaels wife waited for him at the gas station, he walked across Imperial Highway to a strip mall to pick up cigarettes. However he was stopped for jaywalking by Officer Blanca Reyes and forced to sit down on a curb. Fear of the police caused him to get up from the curb and take off back across Imperial Highway. After crossing the street, Michael continued between the gas station and a Walgreens. According to Michaels father, after being shot, Michael proceeded between the gas station and what was then a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant towards Paramount. He got to the sidewalk and continued south, falling into the street near a tree, a little past the KFC. Instead of being able to celebrate her husbands birthday, wife Naily was present when her beloved Michael died. Her children had to learn that the father they loved had been machine gunned in the back by the police though he was innocent and unarmed. A point of interest is that these people wanted to help others. Nobody showed any animosity towards the police and there were no exhibitions of anger. Instead of expressing resentment, they held hands and prayed together. Their concern was educating and protecting the public. They were worried about the danger posed to other potential recipients of police bullets.. Michaels supporters have taken the name Nidas Rydas and have been handing out cards advising people of what to do if stopped . They hope the advice will help limit the number of future victims. A legal case was filed against the officers and the City of Downey and will be heard soon in downtown Los Angeles. This writers uncle was on the LAPD for 18 years, and told about how officers are trained to shoot to kill. America, while disarming a citizenry that is not trained to kill, is arming police forces with bigger and deadlier weapons, weapons that could be turned on anyone you love. Why is gun control solely aimed at disarming those who have never killed and do not plan to kill? If there is gun control, shouldnt it also apply to those who have killed and are willing to kill again and again? Ruth Hull is an activist and writer whose career has included work as a criminal defense attorney, a licensed private investigator, and an educator. linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 