Shoot First, Ask Questions Later Psychologist Teaches Cops — Then Makes Money at Their Murder Trials

Dr. William J. Lewinski demonstrating techniques to LAPD officers - Screenshot

By Tom Boggioni
A behavioral psychologist who trains law enforcement officers to shoot first and deal with the consequences later is profiting mightily when they go to trial and he is called upon to testify on their behalf, reports the New York Times.

Relying upon his own research — that an editor for The American Journal of Psychology calls “pseudoscience” — Dr. William J. Lewinski offers seminars to law enforcement departments around the country, telling police officers they can be shot by a suspect within a quarter of a second should the suspect be armed.

Should an officer go to trail, or face a grand jury indictment, Lewinski is there to defend their actions for $1,000 an hour.

While a string of high profile incidents involving police shooting unarmed suspects has roiled the country, Lewinski continues to tell cops that they can’t wait to act or they may end up dead.

According to attorneys who have faced off with him in court, Lewinski is consistent in his opinion that police acted properly, even when videos and forensics evidence say otherwise.

“He won’t give an inch on cross-examination,” explained Elden Rosenthal, a lawyer who represented the family of James Jahar Perez, killed in the 2004 Portland police shooting. Rosenthal added that attorneys defending cops can count on Lewinski to help their client’s case, saying “They know that he’s battle-hardened in the courtroom, so you know exactly what you’re getting.”

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