Deputy Regrets Shooting Unarmed Man
TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. The national lead now: the Tulsa County volunteer sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a man in a sting operation is now trying to explain how he mistakenly grabbed his gun instead of his taser. Reserve deputy Roberts Bates told Matt Lauer he was only at that undercover scene as backup, but when the man they were trying to arrest took off running, Bates says he had to react. Deputies tried to cuff Eric Harris, Bates didn't realize he fired his gun instead of his taser until after the fact. Bates is now also fending allegations that his supervisors forged his training background. CNN's Ryan Young joins me now. Ryan, you're going to try to explain this, because Deputy Bates is insisting this accidental shooting could have happened to anyone. Is that right?</s>RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jake. In fact, we watched that video over and over. Across the country, tasers and guns are usually separated on officers, and we watched that video, and he showed one of bullet-proof vest, usually have his taser up here on his chest and his gun either here on the side or somewhere in the back. But he said in the heat of the moment, he grabbed here and not up here.</s>YOUNG (voice-over): After intense scrutiny, Reserve Sheriff Deputy Robert Bates finally talks about the split-second act where he pulled his gun instead of pulling his taser. The shot he fired led to a man's death.</s>ROBERT GATES, TULSA COUNTY RESERVE DEPUTY: Oh, my god. What has happened? The laser light is the same on each weapon. I saw the light and I squeezed the trigger, and then realized I had dropped the gun. This was not an intentional thing. I have no desire to ever take anyone's life.</s>YOUNG: In this video, watched by millions, you can see the final run of Eric Harris. Tulsa's share itch deputies running an undercover operation tried to arrest Harris for selling them a gun but he takes off. You can hear Bates yell.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now! Now!</s>BATES: Oh, I shot him. I'm sorry.</s>YOUNG: The mix-up is something the 73-year-old part-time deputy, an insurance executive, tried explaining during his "Today" show interview.</s>GATES: My taser right here, on the front, tucked in a protective vest. My gun itself is on my side, normally to the rear.</s>YOUNG: Over the years, Bates has had a close relationship with the sheriff's office, donating five cars and equipment and money to the sheriff's re-election campaign. Now there are explosive allegations being reported by the "Tulsa World" newspaper. The paper details, three supervisors reassigned after not going along with the plan to falsify Bates' training records. A claim Bates and deputies strongly deny.</s>MATT LAUER, NBC NEWS: You did the training and you can prove you are certified.</s>BATES: That is absolutely the truth. I have it in writing.</s>YOUNG: Charged with second-degree manslaughter, Robert Bates a longtime supporter of the sheriff's department now faces the same system he was sworn to protect and serve, as well as a possible four- year prison term, and the Harris family contends fairness and justice is something they desperately want.</s>ANDRE HARRIS, ERIC HARRIS' BROTHER: So, as the world stands up to speak, for Mr. Eric Harris, we say to the sheriff's department, look out. Look out, because here we come.</s>BATES: Let me apologize to the family of Eric Harris. You know, this is the second worst thing that's ever happened to me, or first, ever happened to me in my life.</s>YOUNG: Jake, a lot of times I've watched officers go through their training when it comes to tasers. They make a great effort to make sure the gun and taser are separated, just in this case, here on the chest or here on the side. There's a reason for that, because they want to make sure the officer has to reach for one or the other. That's something that's something that has to come up now in court after all the questions are laid form.</s>TAPPER: All right. Ryan Young, thank you so much. Up next, it turns out a disturbing story about two TSA workers allegedly plotting to grope passenger -- well, that just might be the tip of the iceberg. A former screener has come forward and is now making cringe-worthy claims about what's really happening at airport security checkpoints. And he's one of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft, but could a new lawsuit tank Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston's career before it even begins?