Beating Death Ruled “Objectively Reasonable”

By: John Semmens

During the January 6, 2021 melee at the US Capitol, DC Metro Police Officer Lila Morris beat Rosanne Boyland to death with a steel baton and a large wooden stick at the entrance to the West Terrace tunnel. At the time, Boyland was lying unconscious on the floor. While the beating took place Justin Winchell, Boyland's traveling companion, pleaded with police to provide medical aid. Since the unconscious woman was not resisting arrest or posing a danger to anyone, the beating appeared unnecessary and cruel.

The DC Metro Police conducted its own investigation of the incident and Capt. David Augustine, director of the Risk Management Division of the MPD Internal Affairs Bureau proclaimed the beating “objectively reasonable. The invaders of the Capitol were insurrectionists, traitors. Officer Morris was within her rights to simply shoot Boyland, like Lt. Michael Byrd shot Ashley Babbii. The fact that Morris eschewed the use of her service weapon and settled for a less dangerous method to punish this invader was laudable.”

Morris' “heroic actions” were rewarded with a trip to the Superbowl as “an honored guest.” Her steel baton is now on exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute. Augustine invited “patriotic Americans to stop by to see this and other new exhibits memorializing the brave officers who risked their lives to kill the enemies of democracy who disrupted Congress' duty to affirm the election of President Biden.”