HALTOM CITY — An internal investigation is under way after a Haltom City police officer fatally shot a Jack Russell terrier Monday afternoon while officers were serving a search warrant.
The officer, who was not identified, remained on duty, police said Friday.
But family members at the house where the shooting occurred said Friday that Willy, the 40-pound terrier, never attacked the officer.
"I was sitting on the couch when the door busted open," said Don Burns, 85, of Haltom City. "I heard someone say, 'Everyone on the floor. Police.’ "
Burns said Willy was sitting in a chair, jumped down and stood in front of the officer when he was shot. "It all happened so fast," Burns said. "But he [Willy] never attacked the officer."
Burns noted that another dog in the room, a pit bull terrier named Janie, ran to a bedroom when she heard the gunshot.
Haltom City police Sgt. Terry Stayer said Friday that a preliminary report on the incident showed that the animal was aggressive. The incident happened Monday afternoon in the 5300 block of McQuade Street.
Just four days earlier, police had arrested Dustin Keeble at the house on suspicion of stealing a car, evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance.
Keeble, 20, has nine convictions ranging from theft to assault with bodily injury dating to February 2005, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. He was last sentenced to six years in prison in April 2007 for unlawful possession of a firearm, theft and burglary, records show.
Police have responded 65 times to the house since March 2003, according to Haltom City police records.
Haltom City police were involved in another dog shooting in June.
Kevin Valenzuela was shot by a Haltom City police officer’s stray bullet intended for his dog. Officers had gone to Valenzuela’s North Richland Hills house in the 3400 block of Willowcrest Drive to arrest his friend Jaime Moreno on suspicion of burglary, police have said.
A Haltom City officer fired two shots at Valenzuela’s 80-pound pit bull terrier when the dog charged at him, officials have said. The dog was grazed, and Valenzuela was shot in his left leg and grazed on his right.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Warrant Officer Suspened for Drinking on the Job
A part-time warrant officer in Bethany, Oklahoma, has been suspended on suspicion of drinking on the job.
According to police reports, another officer smelled alcohol on the man's breath while he was booking a prisoner. A supervisor was told and sent the officer home. Police said the warrant officer has been suspended.
No charges were filed.
According to police reports, another officer smelled alcohol on the man's breath while he was booking a prisoner. A supervisor was told and sent the officer home. Police said the warrant officer has been suspended.
No charges were filed.
Officer Christopher Donovan Accused of Having Sex with Dispatchers While on Duty
TORRINGTON, Conn.
Officials in Torrington, Conn., said a city police officer had sex with two female dispatchers while on duty and used a city messaging system to arrange the encounters.
The city released nearly 700 pages of documents on the internal investigation into 36-year-old Officer Christopher Donovan on Wednesday.
Donovan resigned in June after the affairs were uncovered. The dispatchers, Catherine Goodfield and Jennifer Street, quit in June after being confronted with evidence of the alleged affair, city officials said.
I think they should have resigned, they are supposed to set examples for high school and younger kids and therefore should not being doing stuff like that," said Torrington resident Michael Koltuniak.
The internal report said Donovan had sex with the dispatchers in the women's locker room at the Torrington Police Department while on duty as well as in the parking lot of Torrington Middle School and the Torrington Industrial Park.
The documents show Donovan flirting with the dispatchers and trading sexual comments using an internal messaging system that's supposed to be used for official communications.
The reports say Donovan began having sex with Goodfield in February or March, and he began an affair with Street in April.
"I think it's ridiculous and immature and it's bad for the community to know they are not doing their jobs," said Torrington resident Amanda Soucier.
Donovan, a seven-year veteran of the department, said in his statement that he knew he had acted inappropriately and wanted help "in getting things straightened out."
"I truly regret everything I've done in regards to this and wish to do what it takes to correct this," he said.
Torrington Police Chief Robert Milano condemned the conduct of Donovan and the dispatchers. He said the inappropriate acts did not jeopardize public safety because they took place during lunch breaks.
More Information: http://www.koco.com/news/17513907/detail.html
Officials in Torrington, Conn., said a city police officer had sex with two female dispatchers while on duty and used a city messaging system to arrange the encounters.
The city released nearly 700 pages of documents on the internal investigation into 36-year-old Officer Christopher Donovan on Wednesday.
Donovan resigned in June after the affairs were uncovered. The dispatchers, Catherine Goodfield and Jennifer Street, quit in June after being confronted with evidence of the alleged affair, city officials said.
I think they should have resigned, they are supposed to set examples for high school and younger kids and therefore should not being doing stuff like that," said Torrington resident Michael Koltuniak.
The internal report said Donovan had sex with the dispatchers in the women's locker room at the Torrington Police Department while on duty as well as in the parking lot of Torrington Middle School and the Torrington Industrial Park.
The documents show Donovan flirting with the dispatchers and trading sexual comments using an internal messaging system that's supposed to be used for official communications.
The reports say Donovan began having sex with Goodfield in February or March, and he began an affair with Street in April.
"I think it's ridiculous and immature and it's bad for the community to know they are not doing their jobs," said Torrington resident Amanda Soucier.
Donovan, a seven-year veteran of the department, said in his statement that he knew he had acted inappropriately and wanted help "in getting things straightened out."
"I truly regret everything I've done in regards to this and wish to do what it takes to correct this," he said.
Torrington Police Chief Robert Milano condemned the conduct of Donovan and the dispatchers. He said the inappropriate acts did not jeopardize public safety because they took place during lunch breaks.
More Information: http://www.koco.com/news/17513907/detail.html
Former Officer Jimmy Fennell Jr. Found Guilty of Raping Drunk Woman
GEORGETOWN, Texas
A judge on Friday convicted a former Georgetown police officer accused of raping a drunk woman after responding to a domestic disturbance call.
Jimmy Lewis Fennell Jr., 35, pleaded guilty in May to kidnapping and improper sexual activity with a person in custody, but state District Judge Burt Carnes later rejected a deal that recommended a two-year prison term, 10 years of probation and a fine.
During Friday's hearing, Fennell waived his right to a jury trial and decided not to withdraw his guilty plea, the Austin American-Statesman reported in its online edition. Carnes convicted Fennell on the two charges and set sentencing for Sept. 26.
Fennell faces up to 10 years in prison for the kidnapping charge and up to two years in state jail and a $10,000 fine for the improper sexual activity charge. The judge will decide on punishment after reading a pre-sentencing report that contains evidence from the case.
In October, Fennell and another officer responded to a disturbance in which a woman and her boyfriend were fighting. Fennell was accused of driving the intoxicated woman from her home to a secluded area, making her dance for him and then sexually assaulting her, according to court documents.
Fennell was fired Dec. 20 but reinstated and placed on paid administrative leave two weeks later. A week after that, he resigned.
Before pleading guilty, Fennell was charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, improper sexual activity with a person in custody and official oppression. Those sentences could have exceeded two 99-year terms if he had been convicted by a jury.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=220163
Officer Amado Martinez Charged with Forgery and Theft
FLORENCE, AZ
An officer with the Pinal County Jail has been arrested Friday by invesigators with the attorney's office on theft charges.
A system of checks and balances at the jail triggered suspicions from a staff member of the alleged theft of inmate money.
The staff member filed a complaint with the Pinal County Attorney's Office, requesting an investigation into the matter.
The investigation resulted in Amado Martinez being charged with forgery, theft and identity theft.
Martinez has been booked into the Pinal County Jail with a $100,000 bond.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/09/19/20080919evbriefs0920.html
Three Chicago Officers Fired
Three Chicago police officers were fired last month by the Chicago Police Board, according to records made public Friday.
Officer Nathan Hicks ran away when a shoplifting suspect drew a gun, leaving another officer to confront the man alone, the records said. Hicks had finished his probationary period just a few months before the incident on June 3, 2006, at a Dominick's.
When the suspect, James King, pulled the gun, Hicks and two probationary officers ran toward the back of the store, according to testimony given to the board. The other officer fatally shot King, 47. Hicks and the two probationary officers returned with their weapons drawn after the shooting ended, the records showed. The probationary officers were fired earlier.
Hicks testified that he didn't realize King had a weapon but that he ran for cover when shots rang out. Police officials said officers are trained not to retreat when confronted with a deadly threat but to take nearby cover and protect civilians and other officers from harm by firing at the threat if necessary.
The board also agreed with the Chicago Police Department's recommendation to discharge Wentworth District Officer David Gonzalez for knocking down a Summit police officer in a fight with another bar patron while drinking off-duty in a suburban bar in September 2004, the records show.
The board also agreed to fire Officer Marisol Rodriguez, a Lincoln District officer accused of submitting false medical documents while on the medical roll.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
Officer Nathan Hicks ran away when a shoplifting suspect drew a gun, leaving another officer to confront the man alone, the records said. Hicks had finished his probationary period just a few months before the incident on June 3, 2006, at a Dominick's.
When the suspect, James King, pulled the gun, Hicks and two probationary officers ran toward the back of the store, according to testimony given to the board. The other officer fatally shot King, 47. Hicks and the two probationary officers returned with their weapons drawn after the shooting ended, the records showed. The probationary officers were fired earlier.
Hicks testified that he didn't realize King had a weapon but that he ran for cover when shots rang out. Police officials said officers are trained not to retreat when confronted with a deadly threat but to take nearby cover and protect civilians and other officers from harm by firing at the threat if necessary.
The board also agreed with the Chicago Police Department's recommendation to discharge Wentworth District Officer David Gonzalez for knocking down a Summit police officer in a fight with another bar patron while drinking off-duty in a suburban bar in September 2004, the records show.
The board also agreed to fire Officer Marisol Rodriguez, a Lincoln District officer accused of submitting false medical documents while on the medical roll.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
Officer Roger Edwards Accused of Beating Man
A man serving jail time on drug and other charges has accused the Bradenton Police officer who arrested him of later beating him and using a stun gun on him, according to an internal affairs report.
Internal affairs investigators found Officer Roger Edwards' actions violated 10 general departmental orders during the March 5 incident, and have recommended that Edwards, a two-year veteran, be fired for using excessive force and lying in an official proceeding.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski declined to comment on the case, citing state law that prohibits him from speaking about open investigations involving officers. Police officials said they mistakenly released the report before a disciplinary hearing set for next week.
Edwards' accuser, Raymond Adams, 44, could not be reached for comment because he is serving a seven-month jail sentence for cocaine possession charges stemming from an arrest by Edwards two weeks before the March 5 confrontation. Considered a career criminal, Adams has been arrested 56 times in Florida, according to the report.
Edwards, who has been suspended with pay since Wednesday because of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.
According to the internal affairs report drafted by Lt. Warren Merriman, the incident in question started when Edwards stopped Adams while he was walking in the 800 block of Eighth Circle East about 11 a.m. March 5.
He asked Adams if he could question him. Adams said no and walked away.
The men gave different accounts of what happened next.
Adams said Edwards threw him against his squad car before he managed to break free and run. He said Edwards then fired a stun gun at him but he managed to pull out one of the prongs before jumping a chain link fence. Edwards followed and punched him in the face before handcuffing him, Adams said.
When other officers arrived on scene, they said Adams' mouth was bloody, according to the report.
Edwards consistently changed his story about the confrontation when he was interviewed by different law enforcement and withheld information when he was interviewed by Julie Binkley, an assistant state attorney, according to the report.
Both Adams and Edwards were offered the chance to take a polygraph exam. The test indicated Adams was being truthful in his account. Edwards declined to take it, according to the internal affairs report.
Internal affairs investigators found Officer Roger Edwards' actions violated 10 general departmental orders during the March 5 incident, and have recommended that Edwards, a two-year veteran, be fired for using excessive force and lying in an official proceeding.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski declined to comment on the case, citing state law that prohibits him from speaking about open investigations involving officers. Police officials said they mistakenly released the report before a disciplinary hearing set for next week.
Edwards' accuser, Raymond Adams, 44, could not be reached for comment because he is serving a seven-month jail sentence for cocaine possession charges stemming from an arrest by Edwards two weeks before the March 5 confrontation. Considered a career criminal, Adams has been arrested 56 times in Florida, according to the report.
Edwards, who has been suspended with pay since Wednesday because of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.
According to the internal affairs report drafted by Lt. Warren Merriman, the incident in question started when Edwards stopped Adams while he was walking in the 800 block of Eighth Circle East about 11 a.m. March 5.
He asked Adams if he could question him. Adams said no and walked away.
The men gave different accounts of what happened next.
Adams said Edwards threw him against his squad car before he managed to break free and run. He said Edwards then fired a stun gun at him but he managed to pull out one of the prongs before jumping a chain link fence. Edwards followed and punched him in the face before handcuffing him, Adams said.
When other officers arrived on scene, they said Adams' mouth was bloody, according to the report.
Edwards consistently changed his story about the confrontation when he was interviewed by different law enforcement and withheld information when he was interviewed by Julie Binkley, an assistant state attorney, according to the report.
Both Adams and Edwards were offered the chance to take a polygraph exam. The test indicated Adams was being truthful in his account. Edwards declined to take it, according to the internal affairs report.
Officer Daniel Coronado Charged with Illegally checking Backgrounds
A Mesa police officer has been charged in connection with illegally checking backgrounds on 10 people over the course of more than three years.
Officer Daniel Albert Coronado, 37, of Gilbert, was indicted Tuesday on four counts of computer tampering and four counts of unauthorized access to criminal history.
The case was first investigated internally by Mesa police after it was uncovered during a separate criminal investigation. It has since been turned over to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Coronado has been suspended with pay, police said.
"I don't know his motives," said Mesa police spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing.
According to the indictment, Coronado is accused of using police computer terminals to access the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System and computerized criminal history records between January 2005 and June 2008. The indictment accuses Coronado of illegally logging onto the computer terminals 149 times and accessing the criminal records of about 10 people, police said.
Since officers are assigned a login ID number, it's easy for investigators to see every time someone logs in and who they search.
Wessing said the people whom Coronado allegedly looked up were those he associated with in some manner.
"This (issue) is grilled into officers from Day One," Wessing said. "This is something we expect every officer understands clearly."
Officer Daniel Albert Coronado, 37, of Gilbert, was indicted Tuesday on four counts of computer tampering and four counts of unauthorized access to criminal history.
The case was first investigated internally by Mesa police after it was uncovered during a separate criminal investigation. It has since been turned over to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Coronado has been suspended with pay, police said.
"I don't know his motives," said Mesa police spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing.
According to the indictment, Coronado is accused of using police computer terminals to access the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System and computerized criminal history records between January 2005 and June 2008. The indictment accuses Coronado of illegally logging onto the computer terminals 149 times and accessing the criminal records of about 10 people, police said.
Since officers are assigned a login ID number, it's easy for investigators to see every time someone logs in and who they search.
Wessing said the people whom Coronado allegedly looked up were those he associated with in some manner.
"This (issue) is grilled into officers from Day One," Wessing said. "This is something we expect every officer understands clearly."
Two NYPD Officers Accused of Brutally Beating Firefighter
LONG BEACH, N.Y.
Two police officers are on the wrong side of the law, accused of brutally beating a firefighter on Long Island.
The two New York City Police officers assigned to the 101 surrendered in Long Beach, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and charged with third degree assault.
Officer Douglas Rome of Floral Park and Officer Jason Ragoo of Long Beach have been suspended without pay -- their weapons confiscated -- accused of beating up a local firefighter who objected when the off duty officers allegedly made a rude remark to the firefighter's sister.
The firefighter's colleagues had filled the courtroom.
Early Saturday, Long Beach police say off duty Long Beach firefighter Brian McNamara was leaving a bar near his home with his sister, and passed by a group of five men, when a crude remark was uttered.
According to court documents, 32-year-old McNamara said: "...they made comments about my sister. I yelled back at them. They walked over to me and the next thing I knew I was wrestled down to the pavement. I remember my sister screaming as they kicked my face and head."
The firefighter's housemates describe their friend as shaken to the core. Witnesses to the attack say McNamara doesn't want to stir up trouble between the many cops and firefighters who live here.
And that is why the firefighter was at first reluctant to press charges. Long Beach police say they are looking for a third suspect, but it is unclear if he, too, is in the NYPD.
The officers pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. They were represented by police union attorneys.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/19/NYC_cops_charged_with_assault/UPI-96571221798650/
Two police officers are on the wrong side of the law, accused of brutally beating a firefighter on Long Island.
The two New York City Police officers assigned to the 101 surrendered in Long Beach, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and charged with third degree assault.
Officer Douglas Rome of Floral Park and Officer Jason Ragoo of Long Beach have been suspended without pay -- their weapons confiscated -- accused of beating up a local firefighter who objected when the off duty officers allegedly made a rude remark to the firefighter's sister.
The firefighter's colleagues had filled the courtroom.
Early Saturday, Long Beach police say off duty Long Beach firefighter Brian McNamara was leaving a bar near his home with his sister, and passed by a group of five men, when a crude remark was uttered.
According to court documents, 32-year-old McNamara said: "...they made comments about my sister. I yelled back at them. They walked over to me and the next thing I knew I was wrestled down to the pavement. I remember my sister screaming as they kicked my face and head."
The firefighter's housemates describe their friend as shaken to the core. Witnesses to the attack say McNamara doesn't want to stir up trouble between the many cops and firefighters who live here.
And that is why the firefighter was at first reluctant to press charges. Long Beach police say they are looking for a third suspect, but it is unclear if he, too, is in the NYPD.
The officers pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. They were represented by police union attorneys.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/19/NYC_cops_charged_with_assault/UPI-96571221798650/
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Deputy Justin Colton's Driving Record Being Questioned
STILLWATER, Okla.
A Payne County deputy's driving record is being questioned after he wrecked a law enforcement vehicle for the third time in his career, officials said.
Payne County Deputy Justin Colton totaled his car last month while responding to a call. His driving records show it's the third time he has crashed a government vehicle.
On August 19, Colton was en route to a call for help when he lost control of his unit and slammed into a tree just outside Stillwater. A report by the highway patrol stated Colton was distracted by his police radio when he crashed.
The 29-year-old was trapped for over an hour, but survived the crash.
Sheriff Noel Bagwell said the close call wasn't the first time Colton totaled a cruiser.
In April, he survived a crash near Cushing. Troopers said the deputy was on patrol when he left the road and flipped the car.
OHP said Colton fell asleep at the wheel. His wife said he suffers from sleep apnea and the sheriff said Colton was treated for it.
"Highway patrol worked that accident and we've done an investigation," Bagwell said. "He went to his doctors and things for his safety and ours as well."
In 2003, now-retired Sheriff Carl Hiner first hired Colton as a jailer, but he was fired following an arrest for drinking and driving. The case was dismissed due to a technicality in the paper work filed.
In 2005, Colton was hired by the Stroud Police Department as a patrol officer, despite having a driving record that included speeding, illegal passing and seat belt violations.
In 2006, Colton was still with the city of Stroud when he wrecked his first police car.
A year later, in 2007, Colton went back to the Payne County Sheriff's Office where then-Sheriff Hiner re-hired Colton, almost four years after he was fired for driving drunk.
In a telephone interview, Hiner said Colton was "a kid" when he was picked up for the DUI and only a jailer, and had since "changed" and wanted to give him "a second chance."
Bagwell won't comment on Colton's future with the sheriff's office, but he said he does plan to give his deputies more training behind the wheel.
"There will be some refresher driver training courses as time goes on for everybody in our department that drives a unit," Bagwell said.
Colton's wife said accidents are common among patrol officers due to the large amount of time they spend on the roads.
She also said Colton's last accident was more than likely due to a mechanical defect in the car he was driving.
A Payne County deputy's driving record is being questioned after he wrecked a law enforcement vehicle for the third time in his career, officials said.
Payne County Deputy Justin Colton totaled his car last month while responding to a call. His driving records show it's the third time he has crashed a government vehicle.
On August 19, Colton was en route to a call for help when he lost control of his unit and slammed into a tree just outside Stillwater. A report by the highway patrol stated Colton was distracted by his police radio when he crashed.
The 29-year-old was trapped for over an hour, but survived the crash.
Sheriff Noel Bagwell said the close call wasn't the first time Colton totaled a cruiser.
In April, he survived a crash near Cushing. Troopers said the deputy was on patrol when he left the road and flipped the car.
OHP said Colton fell asleep at the wheel. His wife said he suffers from sleep apnea and the sheriff said Colton was treated for it.
"Highway patrol worked that accident and we've done an investigation," Bagwell said. "He went to his doctors and things for his safety and ours as well."
In 2003, now-retired Sheriff Carl Hiner first hired Colton as a jailer, but he was fired following an arrest for drinking and driving. The case was dismissed due to a technicality in the paper work filed.
In 2005, Colton was hired by the Stroud Police Department as a patrol officer, despite having a driving record that included speeding, illegal passing and seat belt violations.
In 2006, Colton was still with the city of Stroud when he wrecked his first police car.
A year later, in 2007, Colton went back to the Payne County Sheriff's Office where then-Sheriff Hiner re-hired Colton, almost four years after he was fired for driving drunk.
In a telephone interview, Hiner said Colton was "a kid" when he was picked up for the DUI and only a jailer, and had since "changed" and wanted to give him "a second chance."
Bagwell won't comment on Colton's future with the sheriff's office, but he said he does plan to give his deputies more training behind the wheel.
"There will be some refresher driver training courses as time goes on for everybody in our department that drives a unit," Bagwell said.
Colton's wife said accidents are common among patrol officers due to the large amount of time they spend on the roads.
She also said Colton's last accident was more than likely due to a mechanical defect in the car he was driving.
Questions Emerge Over Police Conduct in St. Paul
It has been more than a week since the Republican National Convention ended, and in many ways life in St. Paul is back to normal. Tear gas no longer clouds the streets, windows shattered by protesters have been replaced, and the thousands of visitors have left town.
But questions are now emerging about the tactics that the police used to control the many rallies and marches that took place. Last Wednesday city officials appointed two former federal prosecutors to review the planning and strategies used by the police before and during the convention.
Tom Walsh, a spokesman for the St. Paul police department, said Monday that the officers had performed well in unusual conditions, sometimes facing hundreds who he said were intent on disrupting the convention or damaging property.
“No one was treated for a serious injury,” Mr. Walsh said. “You’re going to see that the amount of force used, in my view, matched the need.”
Mayor Chris Coleman said in an interview last week that the two former prosecutors looking into the incidents would conduct a broad overview without looking into specific complaints.
“Were going to look at the planning and implementation of security and public safety measures during the convention,” Mayor Coleman said. “I think we did have a safe and successful convention.”
For many St. Paul residents, the four days of the convention were turbulent ones for their tranquil and stately city overlooking the Mississippi River. There were nonviolent rallies, acts of vandalism and sporadic confusion and disorder, all taking place against the unfamiliar backdrop of streets lined with tall metal fences and patrolled by officers from more than 100 agencies, including some in riot gear or on horseback .
Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, small groups of masked figures smashed windows, attacked a police car and knocked an officer to the ground on the first day of the convention. Ultimately, more than 800 people, including about two dozen credentialed journalists, were arrested. Dozens more were handcuffed and photographed without being accused of any crime. And police officers in some instances used pepper spray, tear gas, bullets made of plastic and foam and flash grenades that exploded with a burst of light and a sharp bang.
In a city with a history of good relations with its police, some people have found the strategies employed during the convention discomfiting, said Dave Thune, a St. Paul city councilman, who received complaints from residents arrested in police sweeps or engulfed by clouds of gas.
As a result, Mr. Thune is organizing a meeting to discuss just what took place.
“When clearly the bulk of the peaceful people weren’t joining in a riot, why did we have to go to the extent of using tear gas and percussion grenades?” he said. “People weren’t supposed to get trapped by police or forced into situations where they could be arrested.”
The last two Republican conventions, held in Philadelphia and New York, were also marked by arrests and recriminations. New York City still faces more than 500 federal court claims stemming from police tactics.
While 1,800 people were arrested at that 2004 convention, there were a proportionately high number of arrests in St. Paul, where the protests were much smaller. In addition, critics say, the use of chemicals have set this convention apart.
“It was an unprecedented show of police presence and display of force,” said Bruce Nestor, the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which is defending many of those arrested. “Minnesota has never seen this level of militarization of local police.”
Law enforcement officials raided homes and made arrests even before the convention began. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office, which is based in St. Paul, said the homes it searched were inhabited by people connected to an anarchist organization called the R.N.C. Welcoming Committee.
Eight people described by the authorities as members of the group were accused of conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism based on statements by confidential informants who told investigators that the group had discussed kidnapping delegates and sabotaging an airport.
Lawyers for the defendants say the charges are baseless and have questioned the reliability of statements made by the informants, including one who the authorities say was paid by law enforcement.
During the convention, hundreds of officers wearing helmets with visors and armored vests and carrying long wooden sticks monitored large marches, some of which took place without a city permit. On at least three occasions the police fired 40-millimeter projectiles while dispersing or arresting the groups. Tear gas and pepper spray were used more frequently.
Some of those arrested said they were not participating in demonstrations, but were simply onlookers or journalists.
On the final night of the convention, as Senator John McCain was preparing to address delegates inside the Xcel Energy Center, the police prevented marchers who did not have a permit from crossing two bridges that led to the convention center. Later, as demonstrators took to the streets near the state capitol, the police lobbed flash grenades into the crowd while thick plumes of tear gas clouded the air. Then, several hundred demonstrators and more than a dozen journalists were directed onto a third bridge, where they were ordered to sit and place their hands on their heads.
Those trapped on the bridge included two reporters for The Associated Press, a photographer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and two Fox News editors.
“At some point even a journalist has to recognize that they are in violation of the law,” Tom Walsh, a St. Paul Police spokesman, said as the arrests were taking place. “Are they going to get arrested or are they going to cover it from a distance?”
But questions are now emerging about the tactics that the police used to control the many rallies and marches that took place. Last Wednesday city officials appointed two former federal prosecutors to review the planning and strategies used by the police before and during the convention.
Tom Walsh, a spokesman for the St. Paul police department, said Monday that the officers had performed well in unusual conditions, sometimes facing hundreds who he said were intent on disrupting the convention or damaging property.
“No one was treated for a serious injury,” Mr. Walsh said. “You’re going to see that the amount of force used, in my view, matched the need.”
Mayor Chris Coleman said in an interview last week that the two former prosecutors looking into the incidents would conduct a broad overview without looking into specific complaints.
“Were going to look at the planning and implementation of security and public safety measures during the convention,” Mayor Coleman said. “I think we did have a safe and successful convention.”
For many St. Paul residents, the four days of the convention were turbulent ones for their tranquil and stately city overlooking the Mississippi River. There were nonviolent rallies, acts of vandalism and sporadic confusion and disorder, all taking place against the unfamiliar backdrop of streets lined with tall metal fences and patrolled by officers from more than 100 agencies, including some in riot gear or on horseback .
Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, small groups of masked figures smashed windows, attacked a police car and knocked an officer to the ground on the first day of the convention. Ultimately, more than 800 people, including about two dozen credentialed journalists, were arrested. Dozens more were handcuffed and photographed without being accused of any crime. And police officers in some instances used pepper spray, tear gas, bullets made of plastic and foam and flash grenades that exploded with a burst of light and a sharp bang.
In a city with a history of good relations with its police, some people have found the strategies employed during the convention discomfiting, said Dave Thune, a St. Paul city councilman, who received complaints from residents arrested in police sweeps or engulfed by clouds of gas.
As a result, Mr. Thune is organizing a meeting to discuss just what took place.
“When clearly the bulk of the peaceful people weren’t joining in a riot, why did we have to go to the extent of using tear gas and percussion grenades?” he said. “People weren’t supposed to get trapped by police or forced into situations where they could be arrested.”
The last two Republican conventions, held in Philadelphia and New York, were also marked by arrests and recriminations. New York City still faces more than 500 federal court claims stemming from police tactics.
While 1,800 people were arrested at that 2004 convention, there were a proportionately high number of arrests in St. Paul, where the protests were much smaller. In addition, critics say, the use of chemicals have set this convention apart.
“It was an unprecedented show of police presence and display of force,” said Bruce Nestor, the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which is defending many of those arrested. “Minnesota has never seen this level of militarization of local police.”
Law enforcement officials raided homes and made arrests even before the convention began. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office, which is based in St. Paul, said the homes it searched were inhabited by people connected to an anarchist organization called the R.N.C. Welcoming Committee.
Eight people described by the authorities as members of the group were accused of conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism based on statements by confidential informants who told investigators that the group had discussed kidnapping delegates and sabotaging an airport.
Lawyers for the defendants say the charges are baseless and have questioned the reliability of statements made by the informants, including one who the authorities say was paid by law enforcement.
During the convention, hundreds of officers wearing helmets with visors and armored vests and carrying long wooden sticks monitored large marches, some of which took place without a city permit. On at least three occasions the police fired 40-millimeter projectiles while dispersing or arresting the groups. Tear gas and pepper spray were used more frequently.
Some of those arrested said they were not participating in demonstrations, but were simply onlookers or journalists.
On the final night of the convention, as Senator John McCain was preparing to address delegates inside the Xcel Energy Center, the police prevented marchers who did not have a permit from crossing two bridges that led to the convention center. Later, as demonstrators took to the streets near the state capitol, the police lobbed flash grenades into the crowd while thick plumes of tear gas clouded the air. Then, several hundred demonstrators and more than a dozen journalists were directed onto a third bridge, where they were ordered to sit and place their hands on their heads.
Those trapped on the bridge included two reporters for The Associated Press, a photographer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and two Fox News editors.
“At some point even a journalist has to recognize that they are in violation of the law,” Tom Walsh, a St. Paul Police spokesman, said as the arrests were taking place. “Are they going to get arrested or are they going to cover it from a distance?”
Officer Warren K Rivers Caught Stealing Gas
A Sahuarita police officer accused of stealing gasoline from a Pima County pump had his peace officer certification revoked Wednesday.
Warren K. Rivers, 44, resigned last October from the department after working there for nearly 15 months. Prior to working in Sahuarita, Rivers was employed by the Pima Community College Department of Public Safety for seven years.
His certification was revoked as a result of an incident that occurred last September, according to a document from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training board.
On Sept. 18, 2007, Sahuarita Police Officer Belinda Roach approached gas pumps that are shared by the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
As she drove up, she saw Rivers putting gas into his personal vehicle, the document said.
When Rivers saw Roach, he quickly replaced the hose and left the area without turning the lights on to his vehicle, the document stated.
Roach reported the incident to her chain of command and an internal investigation was launched.
Rivers who was on duty at the time admitted to pumping gas into his own personal vehicle. He was placed on suspension with pay before he resigned.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department took care of the criminal investigation, which resulted in Rivers completing a court ordered diversion program and the theft charges were dismissed.
Because the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training board revoked his certification, Rivers can no longer work as a peace officer in Arizona.
Warren K. Rivers, 44, resigned last October from the department after working there for nearly 15 months. Prior to working in Sahuarita, Rivers was employed by the Pima Community College Department of Public Safety for seven years.
His certification was revoked as a result of an incident that occurred last September, according to a document from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training board.
On Sept. 18, 2007, Sahuarita Police Officer Belinda Roach approached gas pumps that are shared by the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
As she drove up, she saw Rivers putting gas into his personal vehicle, the document said.
When Rivers saw Roach, he quickly replaced the hose and left the area without turning the lights on to his vehicle, the document stated.
Roach reported the incident to her chain of command and an internal investigation was launched.
Rivers who was on duty at the time admitted to pumping gas into his own personal vehicle. He was placed on suspension with pay before he resigned.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department took care of the criminal investigation, which resulted in Rivers completing a court ordered diversion program and the theft charges were dismissed.
Because the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training board revoked his certification, Rivers can no longer work as a peace officer in Arizona.
Former Officer Ronald Whitworth Jr Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Child
COLUMBIANA, Ala.
A former Anniston police officer is in jail in Shelby County without bond on charges including rape, sexual abuse and child endangerment.
Sheriff's Capt. Eric Burchfield said Ronald Loyd Whitworth Jr. was arrested May 4, following reports of sexual abuse, and also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Anniston Police Chief John Dryden said Whitworth worked for the police several years ago, before leaving for a job near Birmingham.
Whitworth failed to appear in court on Aug. 19 and was later arrested in Washington.
A former Anniston police officer is in jail in Shelby County without bond on charges including rape, sexual abuse and child endangerment.
Sheriff's Capt. Eric Burchfield said Ronald Loyd Whitworth Jr. was arrested May 4, following reports of sexual abuse, and also charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Anniston Police Chief John Dryden said Whitworth worked for the police several years ago, before leaving for a job near Birmingham.
Whitworth failed to appear in court on Aug. 19 and was later arrested in Washington.
Officer Matthew Chambers Arrested for Selling Roxicodone
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
A University of Tennessee-Knoxville police officer has been charged with selling prescription drugs.
WBIR-TV reports that Officer Matthew Chambers was arrested Wednesday at UT Police Department headquarters on charges he sold the drug Roxicodone to an undercover Knoxville police officer.
Knoxville police were not saying when or where the sale took place.
The investigation began when Knoxville police received a tip from an informant in early August.
Chambers has been a UT-Knoxville police officer for less than two years. He was placed on paid leave, his police powers were suspended and he turned in his badge and firearm.
Information from WBIR-TV, Knoxville, http://www.wbir.com
A University of Tennessee-Knoxville police officer has been charged with selling prescription drugs.
WBIR-TV reports that Officer Matthew Chambers was arrested Wednesday at UT Police Department headquarters on charges he sold the drug Roxicodone to an undercover Knoxville police officer.
Knoxville police were not saying when or where the sale took place.
The investigation began when Knoxville police received a tip from an informant in early August.
Chambers has been a UT-Knoxville police officer for less than two years. He was placed on paid leave, his police powers were suspended and he turned in his badge and firearm.
Information from WBIR-TV, Knoxville, http://www.wbir.com
Former Officer John Leggett Accused of Burying 8 Puppies Alive
Fayetteville, N.C.
A Superior Court judge says that a former city police officer accused of burying eight puppies alive must face trial on felony animal cruelty charges despite having paid fines to Cumberland County for violating a county animal cruelty ordinance.
John Leggett's attorney, Bruce Cunningham, had argued that because Leggett paid $800 in fines for county ordinance violations, prosecution on the charges that a grand jury brought in October would be double jeopardy.
Judge Jack Thomas rejected the argument in a ruling Monday.
County animal control agents accused Leggett, who breeds hunting dogs, of burying the puppies on his property in Cedar Creek. Two died. The other six and their mother were seized so they could be put up for adoption.
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=304841
A Superior Court judge says that a former city police officer accused of burying eight puppies alive must face trial on felony animal cruelty charges despite having paid fines to Cumberland County for violating a county animal cruelty ordinance.
John Leggett's attorney, Bruce Cunningham, had argued that because Leggett paid $800 in fines for county ordinance violations, prosecution on the charges that a grand jury brought in October would be double jeopardy.
Judge Jack Thomas rejected the argument in a ruling Monday.
County animal control agents accused Leggett, who breeds hunting dogs, of burying the puppies on his property in Cedar Creek. Two died. The other six and their mother were seized so they could be put up for adoption.
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=304841
More Information on Officer Dannie Marchan
CHICAGO
Officer Dannie Marchan, 29, was trying to get his wife back, family members told the Chicago Tribune this week.
The off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed himself Monday after shooting his two children, killing one.
Police believe Marchan was having a domestic dispute with his ex-wife when the shooting occured. The officer divorced in 2005 and shared custody of his two children, according to court records.
Police surmised that he shot his son and daughter, and then turned the gun on himself Monday.
His daughter, 7-year-old Alizay, died from a gunshot wound to her head. Her 9-year-old brother was recovering Tuesday at a hospital.
Police said Marchan had been with the department about four years. He was off-duty when the shootings happened Monday morning.
The Tribune reported Wednesday that the 29-year-old was the youngest of eight children, raised in Pilsen. His family was stunned by Monday's events, saying there had been no indication that their youngest sibling would become violent.
"I know he wanted to get back together (with his wife) for the kids' sake. He really loved her a lot," the shooter's brother, Javier Marchan, said. But a a reunion didn't appear likely, he added.
Javier Marchan told the Tribune that his brother had wanted to be a police officer since he was a kid.
On Monday, ofiicers and a SWAT team responded to a "shots fired" call at the officer's home in the Brighton Park neighborhood at about 10:45 a.m., department spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
When officers arrived, a woman outside told them that there were children in the one-story brick house and that she'd heard shots.
"You could hear moans from within the residence," First Deputy Superintendent James Jackson said.
SWAT officers rushed into the house, finding the dead officer with an apparent self-inflicted shot to his head. The two children were found in separate area of the home. Bond said it appeared that all had been shot with the same handgun.
The children were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where the boy remained in critical condition Tuesday.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Alizay Marchan was pronounced dead at 11:52 a.m. Monday.
Police said the officer who took his own life lived at the house, but they did not know if the two children lived there as well. Officials with the city's Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police shootings, also were on scene.
Jonathan Arenas, 26, who lives two blocks away, said he was walking by the residence when he saw SWAT officers rush into the building. He said he also saw blood on the two children as paramedics brought them out on stretchers.
"All the cops were running back and forth," Arenas said. "That's when they took the two children."
The officer's estranged wife was not in the home at the time of the shooting.
More Information: http://www.congoo.com/news/2008September16/Cops-name-officer-shot-family
Officer Dannie Marchan, 29, was trying to get his wife back, family members told the Chicago Tribune this week.
The off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed himself Monday after shooting his two children, killing one.
Police believe Marchan was having a domestic dispute with his ex-wife when the shooting occured. The officer divorced in 2005 and shared custody of his two children, according to court records.
Police surmised that he shot his son and daughter, and then turned the gun on himself Monday.
His daughter, 7-year-old Alizay, died from a gunshot wound to her head. Her 9-year-old brother was recovering Tuesday at a hospital.
Police said Marchan had been with the department about four years. He was off-duty when the shootings happened Monday morning.
The Tribune reported Wednesday that the 29-year-old was the youngest of eight children, raised in Pilsen. His family was stunned by Monday's events, saying there had been no indication that their youngest sibling would become violent.
"I know he wanted to get back together (with his wife) for the kids' sake. He really loved her a lot," the shooter's brother, Javier Marchan, said. But a a reunion didn't appear likely, he added.
Javier Marchan told the Tribune that his brother had wanted to be a police officer since he was a kid.
On Monday, ofiicers and a SWAT team responded to a "shots fired" call at the officer's home in the Brighton Park neighborhood at about 10:45 a.m., department spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
When officers arrived, a woman outside told them that there were children in the one-story brick house and that she'd heard shots.
"You could hear moans from within the residence," First Deputy Superintendent James Jackson said.
SWAT officers rushed into the house, finding the dead officer with an apparent self-inflicted shot to his head. The two children were found in separate area of the home. Bond said it appeared that all had been shot with the same handgun.
The children were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where the boy remained in critical condition Tuesday.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Alizay Marchan was pronounced dead at 11:52 a.m. Monday.
Police said the officer who took his own life lived at the house, but they did not know if the two children lived there as well. Officials with the city's Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police shootings, also were on scene.
Jonathan Arenas, 26, who lives two blocks away, said he was walking by the residence when he saw SWAT officers rush into the building. He said he also saw blood on the two children as paramedics brought them out on stretchers.
"All the cops were running back and forth," Arenas said. "That's when they took the two children."
The officer's estranged wife was not in the home at the time of the shooting.
More Information: http://www.congoo.com/news/2008September16/Cops-name-officer-shot-family
Officer Jacob Pfeffer Charged with Communicating Threats
(Pfeffer on right)HOPE MILLS
A Hope Mills police officer has been placed on administrative leave without pay after being charged with communicating threats.
The officer, Jacob Pfeffer, was placed on leave Aug. 22, said Kim Lockamy, human resources director for the town.
Pfeffer, 27, has been with the department since August 2004.
The town became aware of a complaint that had been filed against him Aug. 26.
“If there is any type of criminal summons, then it would be a normal procedure to suspend this person with administrative leave without pay pending an investigation and the outcome of the proceedings,” Lockamy said.
An internal investigation is being done, Lockamy said. That investigation is being conducted by Police Chief John Hodges.
Hodges could not be reached for comment, but Capt. John Smith said it was a personnel matter that could not be discussed.
Robert Ellis filed the complaint with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. It was not clear what his relationship is to Pfeffer.
Pfeffer is scheduled to appear in Cumberland County District Court Oct. 6.
UpDate: Officer Cpl. Cosby Fired for Choking Man
MOUNT JULIET, Tenn.
A police officer accused choking a man during a traffic stop is out of a job tonight.
The Mount Juliet Police Department fired Cpl. William Cosby Wednesday.
Mount Juliet Police Chief Andy Garrett finished his internal investigation earlier this week.
On Wednesday morning, he met with Cosby, handed him a termination letter and fired him.
During a traffic stop in April, Cosby believed James Anders, Jr. tried to hide marijuana in his mouth. The officer used a choke hold to get Anders to spit it out. Anders eventually lost consciousness.
No marijuana was found in his mouth and a blood test for the drug was negative.
"He was terminated and one of the policies he was terminated was with handling of citizens and prisoners," Garrett said.
Garrett said he fired Cosby during a morning meeting.
"He was professional. He stated he understood," Garrett said. "He was presented with a letter from the city manager that concurred with my findings."
Cosby still faces criminal charges in the case.
Two weeks ago, a Wilson County grand jury indicted him on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of perjury.
Cosby is also being sued by Anders in federal court for $1 million for violating his civil rights.
His attorney believes the tape says it all.
"This video should be shown to trainees. This ain't how things are done," said Anders' attorney Gary Vandever.
Garrett said part of his investigation included new training for his officers.
"We went ahead and took care of retraining the whole department including Officer Cosby in other techniques to use to prevent the ingestion of evidence," he said.
Cosby is not a civil service employee so there is not an appeals process.
However, he is entitled to a hearing with City Manager Randy Robertson within 10 days.
Cosby has been in Louisiana for the last couple of weeks serving with the Tennessee National Guard.
When he returned earlier this week, he turned himself in at the Wilson County jail. He is free on a $5,000 bond.
A police officer accused choking a man during a traffic stop is out of a job tonight.
The Mount Juliet Police Department fired Cpl. William Cosby Wednesday.
Mount Juliet Police Chief Andy Garrett finished his internal investigation earlier this week.
On Wednesday morning, he met with Cosby, handed him a termination letter and fired him.
During a traffic stop in April, Cosby believed James Anders, Jr. tried to hide marijuana in his mouth. The officer used a choke hold to get Anders to spit it out. Anders eventually lost consciousness.
No marijuana was found in his mouth and a blood test for the drug was negative.
"He was terminated and one of the policies he was terminated was with handling of citizens and prisoners," Garrett said.
Garrett said he fired Cosby during a morning meeting.
"He was professional. He stated he understood," Garrett said. "He was presented with a letter from the city manager that concurred with my findings."
Cosby still faces criminal charges in the case.
Two weeks ago, a Wilson County grand jury indicted him on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of perjury.
Cosby is also being sued by Anders in federal court for $1 million for violating his civil rights.
His attorney believes the tape says it all.
"This video should be shown to trainees. This ain't how things are done," said Anders' attorney Gary Vandever.
Garrett said part of his investigation included new training for his officers.
"We went ahead and took care of retraining the whole department including Officer Cosby in other techniques to use to prevent the ingestion of evidence," he said.
Cosby is not a civil service employee so there is not an appeals process.
However, he is entitled to a hearing with City Manager Randy Robertson within 10 days.
Cosby has been in Louisiana for the last couple of weeks serving with the Tennessee National Guard.
When he returned earlier this week, he turned himself in at the Wilson County jail. He is free on a $5,000 bond.
Correctional Officer Michael Clark Arrested for Sexual Assault
LAS CRUCES
A correctional officer for a state prison facility in Las Cruces was arrested Wednesday, accused of sexual assault.
Michael Clark, 42, an officer at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility, was charged with one count of third-degree criminal sexual penetration, Mesilla Marshal Angelo Vega said.
Clark is accused of assaulting a woman with whom he a previous relationship early Monday in Mesilla.
Clark was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on $10,000 bond.
Tia Bland, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Corrections, said Clark has been an officer since 1988. He will likely be placed on administrative leave from his job, a standard practice when an officer faces felony charges.
Bland said the Department of Corrections will also conduct its own internal investigation.
A correctional officer for a state prison facility in Las Cruces was arrested Wednesday, accused of sexual assault.
Michael Clark, 42, an officer at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility, was charged with one count of third-degree criminal sexual penetration, Mesilla Marshal Angelo Vega said.
Clark is accused of assaulting a woman with whom he a previous relationship early Monday in Mesilla.
Clark was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on $10,000 bond.
Tia Bland, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Corrections, said Clark has been an officer since 1988. He will likely be placed on administrative leave from his job, a standard practice when an officer faces felony charges.
Bland said the Department of Corrections will also conduct its own internal investigation.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Judge Steve Lile Disbarred
Three years ago, Steve Lile went from being one of the state's top judges to just another attorney because of a sex scandal at the state Capitol.
This morning, the state Supreme Court decided Lile couldn't even be an attorney any more.
Justices disbarred Lile, 60, "from the practice of law" because of the seriousness of his misconduct while a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Supreme Court agreed he had committed multiple violations of the standards of conduct including actions that "undermined public confidence in the integrity of the judicial system."
Lile declined comment today. Last year, he said at a disciplinary hearing, "I was plain stupid. I wasn't thinking straight."
Lile resigned in 2005 from the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Supreme Court found Lile had submitted false travel claims and false expense claims while a judge. He also had involved himself improperly in his son's drug cases and after an administrative assistant, Dawn Lukasik, was arrested in December 2004 for an alleged drug violation.
The assistant was not charged at the time.
Lile's troubles began after he hired Lukasik, a former lover, as his administrative assistant at the court at a time when his own marriage was failing. He said last year he discovered from her that they had a son together and the son, Loran Michael Wilson, was having drug problems.
She was 18 when their son was born. Lile was married and then 37.
The Supreme Court said he traveled at taxpayers' expense from June 24 to Oct 29, 2004, almost on a weekly basis to see his incarcerated son or to take care of legal and other issues involving his son.
"On some of the trips he was accompanied by Dawn Lukasik," the Supreme Court wrote. "He filed travel claims seeking reimbursement for these personal trips, claiming he attended project conferences, projects or meetings of the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) Program offered by the Department of Corrections. But there were no RID project conferences, projects or meetings on the dates for which he filed travel claims."
The Supreme Court said the false expenses claims were for purchases made by Lukasik, who was remodeling his office, and her daughter. "Some of those claims were for personal items unrelated to the remodeling," the Supreme Court said.
Before quitting as a judge, Lile reimbursed the state $1,523.64 for the travel and $1,560.43 for the "office" purchases made by Lukasik, or her daughter.
Lile was investigated by the state attorney general but not charged.
Lukasik was charged three times in 2005 on offenses related to methamphetamine and she admitted she had a drug problem. She eventually went to prison.
Lile represented Lukasik in the drug cases and married her when she was released from prison, records show.
This morning, the state Supreme Court decided Lile couldn't even be an attorney any more.
Justices disbarred Lile, 60, "from the practice of law" because of the seriousness of his misconduct while a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Supreme Court agreed he had committed multiple violations of the standards of conduct including actions that "undermined public confidence in the integrity of the judicial system."
Lile declined comment today. Last year, he said at a disciplinary hearing, "I was plain stupid. I wasn't thinking straight."
Lile resigned in 2005 from the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Supreme Court found Lile had submitted false travel claims and false expense claims while a judge. He also had involved himself improperly in his son's drug cases and after an administrative assistant, Dawn Lukasik, was arrested in December 2004 for an alleged drug violation.
The assistant was not charged at the time.
Lile's troubles began after he hired Lukasik, a former lover, as his administrative assistant at the court at a time when his own marriage was failing. He said last year he discovered from her that they had a son together and the son, Loran Michael Wilson, was having drug problems.
She was 18 when their son was born. Lile was married and then 37.
The Supreme Court said he traveled at taxpayers' expense from June 24 to Oct 29, 2004, almost on a weekly basis to see his incarcerated son or to take care of legal and other issues involving his son.
"On some of the trips he was accompanied by Dawn Lukasik," the Supreme Court wrote. "He filed travel claims seeking reimbursement for these personal trips, claiming he attended project conferences, projects or meetings of the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) Program offered by the Department of Corrections. But there were no RID project conferences, projects or meetings on the dates for which he filed travel claims."
The Supreme Court said the false expenses claims were for purchases made by Lukasik, who was remodeling his office, and her daughter. "Some of those claims were for personal items unrelated to the remodeling," the Supreme Court said.
Before quitting as a judge, Lile reimbursed the state $1,523.64 for the travel and $1,560.43 for the "office" purchases made by Lukasik, or her daughter.
Lile was investigated by the state attorney general but not charged.
Lukasik was charged three times in 2005 on offenses related to methamphetamine and she admitted she had a drug problem. She eventually went to prison.
Lile represented Lukasik in the drug cases and married her when she was released from prison, records show.
Prosecutors Want Arrest Warrant for Officer Jay Olsen
SPOKANE
Prosecutors are asking a superior court judge to issue an arrest warrant for a suspended Spokane police officer.
Officer Jay Olsen has failed to comply with the conditions of his release and prosecutors want his $25,0000 bond revoked.
Olsen has failed to remain in contact with his attorney and is now missing.
Olsen is suspended and is scheduled to stand trial in November on charges of first degree assault and reckless endangerment.
Detectives say on February 26, 2007 Olsen was legally drunk at the time he chased Shonto Pete, a man he accused of stealing his car. Pete was later acquitted of auto theft.
A judge will make a decision about the warrant on Thursday.
Controversial Case Says Democrat Alvarez Helped Cover Up Charges
The controversial case of a Chicago police officer involved in a fatal crash on Thanksgiving became an issue in the Cook County state's attorney race Tuesday after Republican candidate Tony Peraica accused his rival of being part of the initial decision to seek lesser charges.
But Democrat Anita Alvarez quickly rebuffed the claim, saying she started her leave of absence from the office more than a month before the crash and wasn't involved in the case. A state's attorney spokesman confirmed that Alvarez hasn't had any official duties with the office since Oct. 15.
Alvarez's campaign suggested Peraica's unfounded accusation is evidence he's not fit to run the county's chief legal office, where decisions are made on when to seek the death penalty, what crimes to prosecute and who gets plea deals.
"He's demonstrated a willingness to mislead and distort the truth," Sally Daly, Alvarez's spokeswoman, said of Peraica. "In an office where decisions involve life and death . . . this does reflect upon his judgment."
Peraica admitted he based his allegation on secondhand information from a "senior member" of the state's attorney's office whom he declined to name.
"Since I wasn't in the room, I can't personally confirm or deny that Ms. Alvarez was there or not, but that's what I was told and I trust the person that informed me," Peraica said.
The flap surfaced during the first public debate between the candidates at the Union League Club of Chicago. Alvarez, a top assistant state's attorney, and Peraica, a county commissioner from Riverside, are vying Nov. 4 to succeed retiring State's Atty. Richard Devine, a Democrat.
At issue is the case of John Ardelean, a Chicago police officer who was charged in November with a misdemeanor count of drunken driving after a crash that killed Miguel Flores, 22 and Erick Lagunas, 21, both of Cicero.
Videotape from the River North nightclub where Ardelean was drinking after work shows him downing three beers and four shots in a little more than two hours. Ardelean declined to take a sobriety or Breathalyzer test until almost eight hours after the crash, when he was ordered to by a superior.
Charges against Ardelean later were upgraded to two felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence, but the case was dismissed in February after a judge ruled there wasn't enough evidence.
Family members of the men who were killed were outraged, and citing new videotaped evidence, the state's attorney's office reopened the case last month.
Peraica said his source claimed Alvarez sat in on a meeting where the decision was made to seek lesser charges against Ardelean. Alvarez said her involvement in the case was limited to meeting with the families of the men who were killed after they contacted her.
Officer Dannie Marchan Kills Family then Himself
Off-duty Chicago Police Officer Dannie Marchan, 29, committed suicide Monday morning by turning his gun on himself after fatally shooting his young daughter Alizay, and grievously wounding his 9-year-old son.
The horrific incident was discovered Monday when neighbors near Dannie Marchan's Southwest Side Chicago house reported a series of gunshots coming from inside the house. Police arriving on the scene heard the sounds of an injured person within the one-story home and forced their way inside, where they found Marchan lying dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and his two children in another room, both also suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. Marchan was officially pronounced dead at the scene at 12:22 p.m., while the children were transported to Chicago's Mt. Sinai Hospital, where 7-year-old Alizay Marchan was pronounced dead at 11:52 a.m. Monday and where the son (whose name has not been released) remains in critical condition.
Police stated they believed the incident was related to upheavals in Marchan's domestic life; people who knew Marchan said he was depressed over his 2005 divorce from the children's mother. Marchard and the mother shared custody of his two childen, according to court records; while Marchard's former spouse was not at the house at the time of the shootings she later arrived at Mt. Sinai Hospital to be with the children.
The horrific incident was discovered Monday when neighbors near Dannie Marchan's Southwest Side Chicago house reported a series of gunshots coming from inside the house. Police arriving on the scene heard the sounds of an injured person within the one-story home and forced their way inside, where they found Marchan lying dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and his two children in another room, both also suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. Marchan was officially pronounced dead at the scene at 12:22 p.m., while the children were transported to Chicago's Mt. Sinai Hospital, where 7-year-old Alizay Marchan was pronounced dead at 11:52 a.m. Monday and where the son (whose name has not been released) remains in critical condition.
Police stated they believed the incident was related to upheavals in Marchan's domestic life; people who knew Marchan said he was depressed over his 2005 divorce from the children's mother. Marchard and the mother shared custody of his two childen, according to court records; while Marchard's former spouse was not at the house at the time of the shootings she later arrived at Mt. Sinai Hospital to be with the children.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Officer Ronald Whitworth to Remain in Jail Until Trial
A former Alabama police officer who fled to Washington state to avoid prosecution on federal charges he possessed child pornography and took a 9-year-old girl across state lines for sex will remain in jail until trial, a judge ruled this morning.
Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Greene said he found Ronald Whitworth, 35, a flight risk and a danger to the community and denied him bond during a detention hearing at Birmingham's federal courthouse.
Whitworth, a former Vestavia Hills and Anniston police officer, was captured Aug. 18 in Lynwood, Wash. In April, Shelby County investigators arrested Whitworth on charges of child endangerment, sexual abuse of a child under 12, rape and sodomy. He made bond after six days in jail.
A federal grand jury in Birmingham indicted Whitworth, who left the state before federal agents could arrest him on the charges.
His truck was found July 31 at the Birmingham International Airport containing guns and a note that law enforcement would not find him.
His attorney, citing Whitworth's safety while in jail because he is a former officer facing child abuse charges, suggested conditions could be made to allow Whitworth to be released on bond.
The judge said he believed Whitworth's safety could be maintained in jail.
Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Greene said he found Ronald Whitworth, 35, a flight risk and a danger to the community and denied him bond during a detention hearing at Birmingham's federal courthouse.
Whitworth, a former Vestavia Hills and Anniston police officer, was captured Aug. 18 in Lynwood, Wash. In April, Shelby County investigators arrested Whitworth on charges of child endangerment, sexual abuse of a child under 12, rape and sodomy. He made bond after six days in jail.
A federal grand jury in Birmingham indicted Whitworth, who left the state before federal agents could arrest him on the charges.
His truck was found July 31 at the Birmingham International Airport containing guns and a note that law enforcement would not find him.
His attorney, citing Whitworth's safety while in jail because he is a former officer facing child abuse charges, suggested conditions could be made to allow Whitworth to be released on bond.
The judge said he believed Whitworth's safety could be maintained in jail.
Officer William Cosby Faces Federal Lawsuit
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
A police officer accused of choking a Mount Juliet man faces $1 million federal lawsuit.
During a traffic stop in April, Cpl. Will Cosby questioned 26-year-old James Anders, Jr.
He thought Anders hid marijuana in his mouth and tried to stop him from swallowing the narcotic.
The traffic stop was recorded by a camera inside Cosby's squad car.
Anders collapsed unconscious.
On Monday, his attorney filed a $1.5. million lawsuit accusing Cosby, assisting officer James Crosslin and the city of Mount Juliet of violating his constitutional rights.
"He was being choked to death. That's what he felt at that time," said Ander's attorney Gary Vandever.
He said it shouldn't have happened. He filed the lawsuit in federal court alleging the officers' treatment was "unwarranted, cruel, abusive, unjustifiable and excessive and possibly fatal.
Vandever believes said the in-car video shown be shown to law enforcement trainees as an example of how not conduct themselves during traffic stops.
The lawsuit alleges assault and battery on behalf of the two officers.
It also accuses the city of negligence for hiring of Cosby, who had prior legal troubles as an officer in Lebanon.
Cosby remains on the job serving desk duty while the matter is investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The Wilson County district attorney asked the TBI to investigate whether Crosby or Crosslin violated any laws.
Officials said the case will likely go to a grand jury in August.
A police officer accused of choking a Mount Juliet man faces $1 million federal lawsuit.
During a traffic stop in April, Cpl. Will Cosby questioned 26-year-old James Anders, Jr.
He thought Anders hid marijuana in his mouth and tried to stop him from swallowing the narcotic.
The traffic stop was recorded by a camera inside Cosby's squad car.
Anders collapsed unconscious.
On Monday, his attorney filed a $1.5. million lawsuit accusing Cosby, assisting officer James Crosslin and the city of Mount Juliet of violating his constitutional rights.
"He was being choked to death. That's what he felt at that time," said Ander's attorney Gary Vandever.
He said it shouldn't have happened. He filed the lawsuit in federal court alleging the officers' treatment was "unwarranted, cruel, abusive, unjustifiable and excessive and possibly fatal.
Vandever believes said the in-car video shown be shown to law enforcement trainees as an example of how not conduct themselves during traffic stops.
The lawsuit alleges assault and battery on behalf of the two officers.
It also accuses the city of negligence for hiring of Cosby, who had prior legal troubles as an officer in Lebanon.
Cosby remains on the job serving desk duty while the matter is investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The Wilson County district attorney asked the TBI to investigate whether Crosby or Crosslin violated any laws.
Officials said the case will likely go to a grand jury in August.
Lt Jeff Manning Indicted on Charged he Helped Son Impersonate a Police Officer
A Louisville Metro Police officer was indicted yesterday by a Jefferson County grand jury on a charge he helped his son impersonate a police officer.
Lt. Jeff Manning is accused of letting his son go on police runs with him and perform police duties that included patting down suspects, said Steve Tedder, a spokesman for the Jefferson County commonwealth's attorney's office. Manning is charged with facilitation of impersonation of a police officer.
Manning was suspended with pay yesterday pending the outcome of the investigation, Police Chief Robert White said.
White said that in February, the department began investigating allegations by other officers that Manning had engaged in "improper behavior."
"He put his son in a situation where his son was impersonating a police officer," the chief said.
White said that several incidents were under investigation and that the son, whom he described as a juvenile, had engaged in various activities during those incidents. He declined to comment further, citing the investigation.
Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said she did not know the age of Manning's son.
If convicted of the charge, a class A misdemeanor, Manning faces up to a year in jail.
The commonwealth's attorney's office, which generally prosecutes only felony cases, will take charge of this case because the county attorney's office, which handles misdemeanors, represents the police department.
Manning works in the department's 1st Division. He has served in the community relations unit of the police department and has worked with the police athletic league youth teams.
Smiley said she did not immediately know how long Manning had worked for the department. He was a sergeant in 1997, according to The Courier-Journal's archives.
A message left on Manning's cell phone last night was not returned.
While working with the department's community relations unit, Manning often brought his two sons to the unit's youth athletic events.
He also has worked with Love Squad, a program dedicated to helping Louisville's homeless, while serving as chairman of Shield of Faith, a Christian law enforcement officers' association.
John McGuire, president of the police officers' union, declined to comment on the indictment
Lt. Jeff Manning is accused of letting his son go on police runs with him and perform police duties that included patting down suspects, said Steve Tedder, a spokesman for the Jefferson County commonwealth's attorney's office. Manning is charged with facilitation of impersonation of a police officer.
Manning was suspended with pay yesterday pending the outcome of the investigation, Police Chief Robert White said.
White said that in February, the department began investigating allegations by other officers that Manning had engaged in "improper behavior."
"He put his son in a situation where his son was impersonating a police officer," the chief said.
White said that several incidents were under investigation and that the son, whom he described as a juvenile, had engaged in various activities during those incidents. He declined to comment further, citing the investigation.
Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said she did not know the age of Manning's son.
If convicted of the charge, a class A misdemeanor, Manning faces up to a year in jail.
The commonwealth's attorney's office, which generally prosecutes only felony cases, will take charge of this case because the county attorney's office, which handles misdemeanors, represents the police department.
Manning works in the department's 1st Division. He has served in the community relations unit of the police department and has worked with the police athletic league youth teams.
Smiley said she did not immediately know how long Manning had worked for the department. He was a sergeant in 1997, according to The Courier-Journal's archives.
A message left on Manning's cell phone last night was not returned.
While working with the department's community relations unit, Manning often brought his two sons to the unit's youth athletic events.
He also has worked with Love Squad, a program dedicated to helping Louisville's homeless, while serving as chairman of Shield of Faith, a Christian law enforcement officers' association.
John McGuire, president of the police officers' union, declined to comment on the indictment
Monday, September 15, 2008
Officer Regina Thompson Arrested for Aggravated Burglary and Assault
A Memphis police officer has been arrested for aggravated burglary.
The officer is part of the Organized Crime Unit. According to an affidavit, she drove her undercover car to her ex-boyfriend's house and used her duty weapon to allegedly assault him.
Regina Thompson was arrested Monday morning and charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated assault.
Court documents say she climbed through the window of her ex-boyfriend's house where he was asleep with another woman.
She allegedly punched her ex-boyfriend in the face and pointed a gun at him while making threats then started tearing things off the wall.
She also is accused of taking some clothes from his house.
Thompson told police they could search the car where they allegedly found a gun loaded with five rounds.
Thompson is being held on a $5,000 bond; she's expected to be in court Tuesday morning.
Joke About Penis Size Turns to Murder
South Africa
Closed circuit television footage will be a key factor in the investigation into last week's shooting of five men at the Merseyside Tavern and Pub in Umbilo.
A joke about penis size and racist taunts allegedly culminated in the shooting that claimed the lives of Shawn Strydom, 33, Nick Jansen van Rensburg, 57, and Rory Menzes, 40. Shaun and Bruce Edwards were injured and rushed to hospital. Shaun was discharged on Thursday.
On Friday five men, including two police brothers, appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Still dressed in the clothes they wore on the night of the incident, Insp Samuel Steven, 39, of Point Police Station, Insp Leon Steven, 33 of Mayville Police Station, Naeem Sadick, 22, Nithanandan Ganess, 37, and Julian Naidoo, 31, stood confidently in the dock.
They were supported by at least 30 of their family and friends, who packed the last two rows of the court room.
Zane Haneef, who represented the Steven brothers and Sadick, told the court the truth of what had happened on September 10 would be revealed once CCTV footage had been viewed.
"The footage available of the incident will give clearance on their (the accuseds') version of what transpired," he said.
Fateful
In an affidavit read out in court, Samuel Steven, a married father of three aged between seven and 15, said he intended to plead not guilty to the charges and he was prepared to stand trial because the state did not have a strong case. He said once CCTV footage had been viewed, a true account of what happened on that "fateful night will be known".
He said he had been employed as a police officer for 17 years. He told the court he had a case of extortion pending against him, and had been released on warning in that case.
Leon Steven stated in his affidavit that he had been a police officer for 15 years, was married and had two children aged nine and seven. He said he acted in "self defence after surviving a racial attack".
Haneef noted that Samuel had sustained visible facial injuries in the incident and was admitted to Mt Edgecombe Hospital at the time of arrest.
Magistrate Thandi Nomvungu asked Samuel to stand up so she could take a better look at his face, but said she could not see any injuries.
He informed her that his nose was broken and he sustained lacerations to his eye.
Asif Latib, legal counsel for Ganess, a marine engineer employed by Transnet, and Naidoo, an operations supervisor for a shipping company, said his clients were not directly involved in the shooting.
Samuel and Leon Steven were released on R5 000 bail each, and Ganess, Naidoo and Sadick were released on R3 000 each. They are due to appear again on November 13.
This article was originally published on page 2 of Daily News on September 15, 2008
Closed circuit television footage will be a key factor in the investigation into last week's shooting of five men at the Merseyside Tavern and Pub in Umbilo.
A joke about penis size and racist taunts allegedly culminated in the shooting that claimed the lives of Shawn Strydom, 33, Nick Jansen van Rensburg, 57, and Rory Menzes, 40. Shaun and Bruce Edwards were injured and rushed to hospital. Shaun was discharged on Thursday.
On Friday five men, including two police brothers, appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Still dressed in the clothes they wore on the night of the incident, Insp Samuel Steven, 39, of Point Police Station, Insp Leon Steven, 33 of Mayville Police Station, Naeem Sadick, 22, Nithanandan Ganess, 37, and Julian Naidoo, 31, stood confidently in the dock.
They were supported by at least 30 of their family and friends, who packed the last two rows of the court room.
Zane Haneef, who represented the Steven brothers and Sadick, told the court the truth of what had happened on September 10 would be revealed once CCTV footage had been viewed.
"The footage available of the incident will give clearance on their (the accuseds') version of what transpired," he said.
Fateful
In an affidavit read out in court, Samuel Steven, a married father of three aged between seven and 15, said he intended to plead not guilty to the charges and he was prepared to stand trial because the state did not have a strong case. He said once CCTV footage had been viewed, a true account of what happened on that "fateful night will be known".
He said he had been employed as a police officer for 17 years. He told the court he had a case of extortion pending against him, and had been released on warning in that case.
Leon Steven stated in his affidavit that he had been a police officer for 15 years, was married and had two children aged nine and seven. He said he acted in "self defence after surviving a racial attack".
Haneef noted that Samuel had sustained visible facial injuries in the incident and was admitted to Mt Edgecombe Hospital at the time of arrest.
Magistrate Thandi Nomvungu asked Samuel to stand up so she could take a better look at his face, but said she could not see any injuries.
He informed her that his nose was broken and he sustained lacerations to his eye.
Asif Latib, legal counsel for Ganess, a marine engineer employed by Transnet, and Naidoo, an operations supervisor for a shipping company, said his clients were not directly involved in the shooting.
Samuel and Leon Steven were released on R5 000 bail each, and Ganess, Naidoo and Sadick were released on R3 000 each. They are due to appear again on November 13.
This article was originally published on page 2 of Daily News on September 15, 2008
Officer William Cosby Jr Accused of Choking Man
MOUNT JULIET, Tenn.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Mount Juliet police officer who is accused of choking a man during a traffic stop.
In August, a Wilson County Grand Jury indicted 36-year-old William Cosby Jr. in connection to an incident during a traffic stop in April, according to a TBI news release.
Cosby was indicted on two counts of aggravated assault, one for bodily injury and one for fear of bodily injury, and one count of aggravated perjury.
He is accused of using a vascular restraint maneuver on James Lawrence Anders Jr., of Lebanon until Anders blacked out. The perjury charge stems from a report Cosby filled out accusing Anders of resisting arrest. Cosby was been booked into the Wilson County jail on a $5,000 bond.
Video and Story
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9013035
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Mount Juliet police officer who is accused of choking a man during a traffic stop.
In August, a Wilson County Grand Jury indicted 36-year-old William Cosby Jr. in connection to an incident during a traffic stop in April, according to a TBI news release.
Cosby was indicted on two counts of aggravated assault, one for bodily injury and one for fear of bodily injury, and one count of aggravated perjury.
He is accused of using a vascular restraint maneuver on James Lawrence Anders Jr., of Lebanon until Anders blacked out. The perjury charge stems from a report Cosby filled out accusing Anders of resisting arrest. Cosby was been booked into the Wilson County jail on a $5,000 bond.
Video and Story
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9013035
Officer Jeffrey McKay Exposes Himself by Urinating on His Front Lawn while Drunk
A six-year Sacramento Police patrolman is out on bail today after his arrest on charges that included indecent exposure, brandishing a firearm and suspicion of public drunkeness.
Jeffrey Wayne McKay, 34, of Rocklin, was arrested by Rocklin police Saturday after officers were called to Heron Court and Darby Road about a disturbance at about 10 p.m., a Rocklin police spokesman said.
Mckay's neighbors told police that McKay had made threats against them while loading a firearm in front of his home, according Rocklin Police Lt. Lon Milka.
The neighbors also said that McKay exposed himself by urinating on his front lawn, Milka said.
Officers then arrested McKay and recovered a handgun at the scene, he said.
McKay was also arrested for suspicion of public intoxication and making threats of physical harm to the victims.
McKay was booked into the Auburn jail and later freed on $15,000 bail.
Information about McKay's arraignment hearing was not available , a Placer County Superior Court clerk said.
McKay is assigned to the Metro Division, said Sacramento police spokesman Konrad Von Schoech.
He said an administrative investigation is under way and declined further comment.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=47717&catid=2
Jeffrey Wayne McKay, 34, of Rocklin, was arrested by Rocklin police Saturday after officers were called to Heron Court and Darby Road about a disturbance at about 10 p.m., a Rocklin police spokesman said.
Mckay's neighbors told police that McKay had made threats against them while loading a firearm in front of his home, according Rocklin Police Lt. Lon Milka.
The neighbors also said that McKay exposed himself by urinating on his front lawn, Milka said.
Officers then arrested McKay and recovered a handgun at the scene, he said.
McKay was also arrested for suspicion of public intoxication and making threats of physical harm to the victims.
McKay was booked into the Auburn jail and later freed on $15,000 bail.
Information about McKay's arraignment hearing was not available , a Placer County Superior Court clerk said.
McKay is assigned to the Metro Division, said Sacramento police spokesman Konrad Von Schoech.
He said an administrative investigation is under way and declined further comment.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=47717&catid=2
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