During the trial of Clyde Rector, it was claimed that he exited his Ford pickup with his hands raised and was speaking to officers.

Is that true—and does it even make sense? From the outset, I find this claim hard to believe. Based on the evidence and sequence of events, I don’t think it holds up.

Deputies providing security at the trial, reported that defense witnesses testified Rector had his hands raised and that they were empty—no weapon in sight. He had exited his vehicle and, by their accounts, was facing the officers. All three witnesses agreed that his hands were up, but disagreed on the specifics: one said they were raised to shoulder level, another said they were extended forward, and the third claimed they were out to the sides.

The inconsistency in these accounts doesn’t prove the claim false, but it certainly makes it murky. If we assume for argument’s sake that Rector exited the vehicle empty-handed—contrary to Deputy Sturmak’s statement—then he would have needed to position himself visibly and at sufficient distance to make a gesture of surrender. That intent would presumably be to show he was unarmed and non-threatening.

But when we place these movements into a real-time timeline starting from when the vehicle stopped, things begin to strain credibility.

According to his own testimony, Rector believed he needed his rifle. To act on that belief, he would have had to turn back toward the vehicle, reach inside, retrieve the weapon, and aim with enough precision to fatally shoot Patrolman Ren. When you incorporate this sequence into the same timeline, it becomes extremely difficult to reconcile with the notion of a genuine “hands up” moment—let alone one witnessed clearly and consistently.

In 1978 this photo was taken in Reno, NV. Deputies were there to discuss the events in Lincoln Country

with 60 Minutes personality Morley Safer.

From left to right, Deputy John Willems, Randy Hergeshiemer, Sheriff McMeekin. The author is on the left. Sadly Randy and Mike McMeekin are no longer living.