SALEM
The trial of a former Silverton police officer facing sexual abuse charges is set to begin next month after attorneys in the case reached an agreement Friday.
Tony Gonzalez has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sex abuse. His trial before Marion County Circuit Judge Joseph Guimond is scheduled for Dec. 9 and 10.
Gonzalez was arrested July 13 after a woman told Keizer police he had been sexually abusing her daughter.
In a separate case, Gonzalez was cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of an unarmed Irish citizen June 30.
A Marion County grand jury determined in July that Gonzalez believed 20-year-old Andrew James Hanlon was armed when he charged the officer. His family later said Hanlon was mentally ill.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20081122/NEWS/811220318/1001
Showing posts with label Tony Gonzalez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Gonzalez. Show all posts
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Officer Gonzalez Not Charged with Shooting Man but Still Faces Charges of Inappropriately Touching Minor
A Marion County grand jury found that the police officer shooting of Andrew Hanlon on June 30 was a lawful use of deadly physical force.
Hanlon, 20, was an Irish citizen, and his shooting sparked an international outcry against police violence. The grand jury reviewed diagrams, autopsy reports, witness testimony, audiotapes and videotapes before making the unanimous decision.
Members of his family and friends admitted that he may have been suffering from some type of mental problems.
The Marion County District Attorney's Office put out a lengthy press release in order to "combat the accusations of a conspiracy or a cover-up that have arisen in the last three and a half weeks."
They said the incident started when Shannon Kelley heard pounding on her front door at 11:20 p.m. and saw a man, later identified as Hanlon, acting strangely.
Kelley asked him to leave, but Hanlon demanded to enter. Hanlon, according to Kelley, said he had a sword and yelled phrases such as: "Thou shalt let met in!" Though Hanlon didn't have a sword, he gestured as if he had one.
Kelley, who phoned police, said Hanlon howled at the moon and at one point screamed that he was the "angel of death." Kelley said she and her parents visiting from Montana had to put their bodies against the door to stop Hanlon from breaking it down.
Officers later found blood, blood spatter and even skin tissue on the family's front door where Hanlon had tried to knock it down, according to the report.
After repeatedly hurling his body against the door, Hanlon ran barefoot toward Oak Street, where he would meet Silverton officer Tony Gonzalez.
Gonzalez told investigators he heard the sound of shattering glass and thought Hanlon might be armed with a broken bottle. Kemmy and Hanson noted that investigators think Hanlon merely bumped into a recycling bin.
Gonzalez said he ordered Hanlon to show his hands and get down on the ground. After repeating the command, Hanlon appeared ready to comply.
But then he leaped at the officer, kicking and screaming. Gonzalez backpedaled, but could never get more than 5 feet away and started firing.
Gonzalez's version of events was backed up by Jeff DeSantis of Silverton, who was driving along Oak Street and stopped his vehicle when he saw the patrol car.
Witnesses -- including Hanlon's sister, his roommate and his best friend -- were called to testify to his character to give a better picture of whom he was as a person, according to the release.
Four officers were also called as witnesses to testify about the scene of the shooting, the proper use of force and the shooting officer's condition after the incident.
Gonzalez still faces charges from a separate incident in Salem where he is accused of touching an underage girl inappropriately.
Hanlon, 20, was an Irish citizen, and his shooting sparked an international outcry against police violence. The grand jury reviewed diagrams, autopsy reports, witness testimony, audiotapes and videotapes before making the unanimous decision.
Members of his family and friends admitted that he may have been suffering from some type of mental problems.
The Marion County District Attorney's Office put out a lengthy press release in order to "combat the accusations of a conspiracy or a cover-up that have arisen in the last three and a half weeks."
They said the incident started when Shannon Kelley heard pounding on her front door at 11:20 p.m. and saw a man, later identified as Hanlon, acting strangely.
Kelley asked him to leave, but Hanlon demanded to enter. Hanlon, according to Kelley, said he had a sword and yelled phrases such as: "Thou shalt let met in!" Though Hanlon didn't have a sword, he gestured as if he had one.
Kelley, who phoned police, said Hanlon howled at the moon and at one point screamed that he was the "angel of death." Kelley said she and her parents visiting from Montana had to put their bodies against the door to stop Hanlon from breaking it down.
Officers later found blood, blood spatter and even skin tissue on the family's front door where Hanlon had tried to knock it down, according to the report.
After repeatedly hurling his body against the door, Hanlon ran barefoot toward Oak Street, where he would meet Silverton officer Tony Gonzalez.
Gonzalez told investigators he heard the sound of shattering glass and thought Hanlon might be armed with a broken bottle. Kemmy and Hanson noted that investigators think Hanlon merely bumped into a recycling bin.
Gonzalez said he ordered Hanlon to show his hands and get down on the ground. After repeating the command, Hanlon appeared ready to comply.
But then he leaped at the officer, kicking and screaming. Gonzalez backpedaled, but could never get more than 5 feet away and started firing.
Gonzalez's version of events was backed up by Jeff DeSantis of Silverton, who was driving along Oak Street and stopped his vehicle when he saw the patrol car.
Witnesses -- including Hanlon's sister, his roommate and his best friend -- were called to testify to his character to give a better picture of whom he was as a person, according to the release.
Four officers were also called as witnesses to testify about the scene of the shooting, the proper use of force and the shooting officer's condition after the incident.
Gonzalez still faces charges from a separate incident in Salem where he is accused of touching an underage girl inappropriately.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
UPDATE: Officer Will Remain Behind Bars
A Silverton policeman will remain behind bars as the courts process sex abuse charges against him and investigators ready a case for a grand jury that will consider the killing of a 20-year-old Irish citizen.
Officer Tony Gonzalez, who fatally shot an Irish national during a burglary call earlier this month, was arraigned in court Tuesday on sex abuse charges.
Cop in court for alleged sex abuse
Gonzalez was accused of molesting a teenage family member on at least 60 separate occasions. During his arraignment in court Tuesday, he was visibly emotional but said little.
Judge Joseph Ochoa rejected a bail request. Gonzalez is due back in court later in July.
He faces five counts of sex abuse and up to 13 years in prison, if convicted.
Gonzalez was booked into jail on Sunday. According to a Probable Cause Statement written by investigators, the victim told police that “The first incident of sexual abuse occurred when she was in the sixth or seventh grade.”
The abuse eventually stopped. But, it started up again last week, say investigators. The victim, accompanied by her mother, reported the abuse to police on Saturday.
Officer Gonzales was already on paid leave and under intense scrutiny after the June 30th shooting of A.J. Hanlon.
The 35-year old officer was responding to a burglary call when he shot and killed the Irish national in Silverton.
Prosecutors say the two cases are unrelated and will be handled independently.
Gonzales is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom tomorrow morning.
Officer Tony Gonzalez, who fatally shot an Irish national during a burglary call earlier this month, was arraigned in court Tuesday on sex abuse charges.
Cop in court for alleged sex abuse
Gonzalez was accused of molesting a teenage family member on at least 60 separate occasions. During his arraignment in court Tuesday, he was visibly emotional but said little.
Judge Joseph Ochoa rejected a bail request. Gonzalez is due back in court later in July.
He faces five counts of sex abuse and up to 13 years in prison, if convicted.
Gonzalez was booked into jail on Sunday. According to a Probable Cause Statement written by investigators, the victim told police that “The first incident of sexual abuse occurred when she was in the sixth or seventh grade.”
The abuse eventually stopped. But, it started up again last week, say investigators. The victim, accompanied by her mother, reported the abuse to police on Saturday.
Officer Gonzales was already on paid leave and under intense scrutiny after the June 30th shooting of A.J. Hanlon.
The 35-year old officer was responding to a burglary call when he shot and killed the Irish national in Silverton.
Prosecutors say the two cases are unrelated and will be handled independently.
Gonzales is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom tomorrow morning.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Officer Who Shot Man has Now Been Arrested for Child Sexual Abuse
The US police officer charged with shooting 20-year-old Andrew Hanlon from Dundrum in Dublin has been arrested in Oregon on child sex abuse charges. He will appear in court tomorrow.
The girl and her mother reported the abuse on Saturday, and Mr Gonzalez was subsequently arrested. Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy said officers were contacted on by a woman and her daughter, who is the alleged victim. Mr Kemmy did not reveal the girl’s age.
The 35-year-old police officer Gonzalez is on administrative leave from the Silverton Police Department, pending the outcome of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Andrew Hanlon (20), who was killed on June 30th in Silverton. Relatives claim that Mr Hanlon was shot seven times.
Mr Hanlon (20) was shot dead after police responded to a reported burglary in the small town where he had been living for the past year.
Mr Hanlon’s brother-in-law Nathan Heise said the victim had shown signs of mental disturbance in the months prior to his death.
The mother of Mr Hanlon travelled to Oregon on Friday in a bid to find out more information on the death of her son. She held a two hour meeting with prosecuters.
Dorothea Carroll plans to take her son’s body back to Dublin early this week.
The girl and her mother reported the abuse on Saturday, and Mr Gonzalez was subsequently arrested. Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy said officers were contacted on by a woman and her daughter, who is the alleged victim. Mr Kemmy did not reveal the girl’s age.
The 35-year-old police officer Gonzalez is on administrative leave from the Silverton Police Department, pending the outcome of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Andrew Hanlon (20), who was killed on June 30th in Silverton. Relatives claim that Mr Hanlon was shot seven times.
Mr Hanlon (20) was shot dead after police responded to a reported burglary in the small town where he had been living for the past year.
Mr Hanlon’s brother-in-law Nathan Heise said the victim had shown signs of mental disturbance in the months prior to his death.
The mother of Mr Hanlon travelled to Oregon on Friday in a bid to find out more information on the death of her son. She held a two hour meeting with prosecuters.
Dorothea Carroll plans to take her son’s body back to Dublin early this week.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Officer Killed Irish National Now Charged with Sexually Abuse
PORTLAND, Ore.
The Silverton police officer who shot and killed an Irish national while responding to a burglary complaint last month has been jailed on accusations he sexually abused a girl, Marion County authorities said.
Officer Tony Gonzalez, 35, was arrested Sunday and is being held without bail on multiple counts of sexual abuse, Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy said.
His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday.
Kemmy said a woman and her daughter in Keizer — 12 miles west of Silverton — reported the abuse to officers there on Saturday. The case was assigned to the nearby Salem Police Department, and detectives from that agency arrested Gonzalez without incident.
Kemmy declined to release the name or age of the alleged victim, or say if the abuse occurred recently.
It was not immediately known if Gonzalez has a lawyer. He joined the department in 2006 and got his police certification in March of last year.
He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Andrew Hanlon, a 20-year-old Irishman who died June 30.
Kemmy stressed that the investigations into the shooting and the sex abuse will remain separate.
The district attorney's office has released few details about its investigation into Hanlon's death, which has generated wide publicity and outrage in Ireland.
Hanlon had been in Silverton for about a year and had overstayed his six-month visitor's visa. Hanlon's sister and brother-in-law live in the town of 7,000.
Hanlon's family declined to comment about the officer's arrest.
"As much as we would like to comment, we can't right now on advice of our attorney," said Hanlon's brother in law, Nathan Heise.
The Silverton police officer who shot and killed an Irish national while responding to a burglary complaint last month has been jailed on accusations he sexually abused a girl, Marion County authorities said.
Officer Tony Gonzalez, 35, was arrested Sunday and is being held without bail on multiple counts of sexual abuse, Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy said.
His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday.
Kemmy said a woman and her daughter in Keizer — 12 miles west of Silverton — reported the abuse to officers there on Saturday. The case was assigned to the nearby Salem Police Department, and detectives from that agency arrested Gonzalez without incident.
Kemmy declined to release the name or age of the alleged victim, or say if the abuse occurred recently.
It was not immediately known if Gonzalez has a lawyer. He joined the department in 2006 and got his police certification in March of last year.
He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Andrew Hanlon, a 20-year-old Irishman who died June 30.
Kemmy stressed that the investigations into the shooting and the sex abuse will remain separate.
The district attorney's office has released few details about its investigation into Hanlon's death, which has generated wide publicity and outrage in Ireland.
Hanlon had been in Silverton for about a year and had overstayed his six-month visitor's visa. Hanlon's sister and brother-in-law live in the town of 7,000.
Hanlon's family declined to comment about the officer's arrest.
"As much as we would like to comment, we can't right now on advice of our attorney," said Hanlon's brother in law, Nathan Heise.
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