A Lexington police officer has been removed from patrol and placed on administrative duties after his arrest in southern Indiana.
Officer Jerrell L. Strong was arrested Saturday morning in Jeffersonville on a charge of driving while intoxicated, according to the Clark County, Ind., jail. Strong was released later that day on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in court June 8.
Lexington police will begin an internal investigation after Strong's criminal investigation ends, Lexington police Sgt. Ann Gutierrez said. The division of police relieved Strong of his patrol duties pending the outcome of the internal investigation.
Strong has been on the police force since March 2003, according to police records.
_________________
Information: http://www.kentucky.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Former Officer Philip Dileo Suspected in Double Murder-Suicide
BOULDER
Police say a 61-year-old former police officer is suspected of pulling the trigger in a double murder-suicide that rocked a quiet neighborhood in Boulder this week.
Boulder County Coroner Thomas Faure says 63-year-old Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo, 61-year-old Philip F. Dileo and 23-year-old Philip C. Dileo were found dead in their home.
A housekeeper, who was scheduled to clean the home, found the scene around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the 2400 block of Bluff Street and flagged down police.
Boulder Police say Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo came to them in 2005 and asked about buying a gun because her husband had made threats against her. They say there were indications the former officer had made threats against his son as well.
Police found two guns at the scene, one of which - a .22 semi-automatic handgun - was equipped with a silencer. It was found in the kitchen, near Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo's body.
The second gun, a .357 Magnum revolver, was found upstairs near Philip F. Dileo's body, according to authorities.
Police say they found a note spelling out the former officer's requests for funeral arrangements in a spare bedroom.
According to police, Dileo was a Boulder Police officer from October 1972 to June 1973, then again from October 1975 to November 1975, but he was let go after police say he violated department policy multiple times.
Autopsies were planned for Wednesday and Thursday on the bodies.
Neighbors say the family had lived in the home for a long time, some even remembered the son as a little boy playing outside. They say he moved back to the quiet neighborhood as a young adult.
"She was really sweet and really private," Marianne Martin, a neighbor, said of the woman who lived in the home. "She loved to do her gardening and walk her dogs."
A couple two houses down says they were doing yard work Monday at 10:30 a.m. when they heard three distinct bangs, what they believe were gunshots. If that's the case, the housekeeper found the bodies about 25 hours later.
Police continue to investigate.
__________________
Other Information: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=116514&provider=top
Police say a 61-year-old former police officer is suspected of pulling the trigger in a double murder-suicide that rocked a quiet neighborhood in Boulder this week.
Boulder County Coroner Thomas Faure says 63-year-old Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo, 61-year-old Philip F. Dileo and 23-year-old Philip C. Dileo were found dead in their home.
A housekeeper, who was scheduled to clean the home, found the scene around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the 2400 block of Bluff Street and flagged down police.
Boulder Police say Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo came to them in 2005 and asked about buying a gun because her husband had made threats against her. They say there were indications the former officer had made threats against his son as well.
Police found two guns at the scene, one of which - a .22 semi-automatic handgun - was equipped with a silencer. It was found in the kitchen, near Elizabeth Schwarzenbach-Dileo's body.
The second gun, a .357 Magnum revolver, was found upstairs near Philip F. Dileo's body, according to authorities.
Police say they found a note spelling out the former officer's requests for funeral arrangements in a spare bedroom.
According to police, Dileo was a Boulder Police officer from October 1972 to June 1973, then again from October 1975 to November 1975, but he was let go after police say he violated department policy multiple times.
Autopsies were planned for Wednesday and Thursday on the bodies.
Neighbors say the family had lived in the home for a long time, some even remembered the son as a little boy playing outside. They say he moved back to the quiet neighborhood as a young adult.
"She was really sweet and really private," Marianne Martin, a neighbor, said of the woman who lived in the home. "She loved to do her gardening and walk her dogs."
A couple two houses down says they were doing yard work Monday at 10:30 a.m. when they heard three distinct bangs, what they believe were gunshots. If that's the case, the housekeeper found the bodies about 25 hours later.
Police continue to investigate.
__________________
Other Information: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=116514&provider=top
Former Officer Shanita McKnight Sentenced to 20 Years
A former Lake City police officer will spend 20 years in prison for conspiring with drug dealers to keep them from getting busted.
Shanita McKnight was very emotional and sobbed very loudly at times. She begged the judge to have mercy on her, saying she needed to get home to her young daughter and son.
McKnight's family and friends gathered outside the courthouse following her sentence. They could barely contain their emotions.
"This has been a hard pill to swallow today," said Eric Daniels, a close friend.
"Obviously we've disappointed today with the sentencing but we all believe in her," said Peggy Sells, McKnight's former coach.
Wednesday morning, a judge gave the former lake city police officer 20 years for drug conspiracy and extortion. In October, a federal jury convicted McKnight for tipping off drug dealers in lake city so they wouldn't get caught.
Sheriff Kenney Boone said, "You had a police officer who took an oath to enforce the laws of the state and use that oath and their position against justice, and we feel like justice has been served."
McKnight's family says justice won't be served until she's released from prison. They plan to urge mcknight to appeal her 20 year prison sentence.
Eight people spoke to the judge during the sentencing hearing saying McKnight was a good officer, who cared about Lake City.
When released from federal prison, McKnight will be on supervised release for five years.
Shanita McKnight was very emotional and sobbed very loudly at times. She begged the judge to have mercy on her, saying she needed to get home to her young daughter and son.
McKnight's family and friends gathered outside the courthouse following her sentence. They could barely contain their emotions.
"This has been a hard pill to swallow today," said Eric Daniels, a close friend.
"Obviously we've disappointed today with the sentencing but we all believe in her," said Peggy Sells, McKnight's former coach.
Wednesday morning, a judge gave the former lake city police officer 20 years for drug conspiracy and extortion. In October, a federal jury convicted McKnight for tipping off drug dealers in lake city so they wouldn't get caught.
Sheriff Kenney Boone said, "You had a police officer who took an oath to enforce the laws of the state and use that oath and their position against justice, and we feel like justice has been served."
McKnight's family says justice won't be served until she's released from prison. They plan to urge mcknight to appeal her 20 year prison sentence.
Eight people spoke to the judge during the sentencing hearing saying McKnight was a good officer, who cared about Lake City.
When released from federal prison, McKnight will be on supervised release for five years.
K-9 Dog Dies After Being Left Unattended in Car
The district attorney's office is set to decide Monday whether to file charges against an Alameda police K-9 officer whose dog died after he allegedly left it unattended while he was on duty.
The officer, who has not been named, was attending a training exercise May 5 when he left the animal unattended for about three hours and 15 minutes inside his personal vehicle, police said.
When the officer returned to the vehicle, which was in a parking lot in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue, he found the 6 1/2-year Belgian Malinois in "distress," Alameda police Lt. Bill Scott said.
The dog was brought to the Bay Area Veterinary Emergency Clinic San Leandro, where it died.
"It was a tragic accident," Scott said. "There was no intention on the officer's part for this to happen, whatsoever."
Investigators presented a possible criminal case on the animal's death to Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Green on Wednesday morning.
Green is expected to announce Monday whether she plans to file charges, Scott said.
The officer is also currently the subject of an internal affairs investigation. He remains on duty, however, and has not been placed on administrative leave.
Along with not naming the officer, police declined to reveal how long he has served with the department.
____________________
Information:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/27/BASS17S4TL.DTL
The officer, who has not been named, was attending a training exercise May 5 when he left the animal unattended for about three hours and 15 minutes inside his personal vehicle, police said.
When the officer returned to the vehicle, which was in a parking lot in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue, he found the 6 1/2-year Belgian Malinois in "distress," Alameda police Lt. Bill Scott said.
The dog was brought to the Bay Area Veterinary Emergency Clinic San Leandro, where it died.
"It was a tragic accident," Scott said. "There was no intention on the officer's part for this to happen, whatsoever."
Investigators presented a possible criminal case on the animal's death to Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Green on Wednesday morning.
Green is expected to announce Monday whether she plans to file charges, Scott said.
The officer is also currently the subject of an internal affairs investigation. He remains on duty, however, and has not been placed on administrative leave.
Along with not naming the officer, police declined to reveal how long he has served with the department.
____________________
Information:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/27/BASS17S4TL.DTL
Officer Patrick Beesley Charged with Drunk Driving
A Noblesville police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave after being charged with drunken driving.
Officer Patrick E. Beesley, 32, Noblesville, could face penalties ranging from a brief suspension to termination, based on the outcome of an internal investigation. He also faces up to a year in jail and $5,000 in fines if he is convicted.
Beesley could not be reached for comment.
"Obviously, this is a serious situation," Noblesville Police Chief Kevin Jowitt said Tuesday, his first day on the job.
Beesley caught the attention of a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. His vehicle was swerving in its lane and was going off the road, said Vicky Dunbar, public information officer for the sheriff's office.
Deputy Paul Miller stopped Beesley on Greenfield Avenue, just west of Marilyn Road, Dunbar said.
Miller smelled alcohol when he talked to Beesley and noticed that Beesley's eyes were bloodshot, Dunbar said.
Beesley, who was not driving his squad car, identified himself as a Noblesville police officer, according to Dunbar.
Beesley failed field sobriety tests, authorities said, and a breath test registered his blood-alcohol level at 0.18, more than twice the level (0.08) at which a driver in Indiana is considered intoxicated.
The police report did not say where Beesley had been or where he was going, according to Dunbar, and Jowitt did not have that information.
Beesley was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 or greater, a Class A misdemeanor.
He posted bond and was released from the Hamilton County Jail at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release.
Beesley has been with the Noblesville department for about 21/2 years, Jowitt said. Before that, he worked for the Chicago Police Department.
An Elkhart officer also was arrested on drunken-driving charges this past weekend.
Authorities said Cpl. Benjamin Kruszynski, 38, was off-duty Sunday night when he crashed his squad car into two fences and a tree.
His blood-alcohol level was 0.12, authorities said. He will be placed on administrative leave pending the result of the investigation, according to Elkhart Police Chief Dale Pflibsen.
Officer Patrick E. Beesley, 32, Noblesville, could face penalties ranging from a brief suspension to termination, based on the outcome of an internal investigation. He also faces up to a year in jail and $5,000 in fines if he is convicted.
Beesley could not be reached for comment.
"Obviously, this is a serious situation," Noblesville Police Chief Kevin Jowitt said Tuesday, his first day on the job.
Beesley caught the attention of a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. His vehicle was swerving in its lane and was going off the road, said Vicky Dunbar, public information officer for the sheriff's office.
Deputy Paul Miller stopped Beesley on Greenfield Avenue, just west of Marilyn Road, Dunbar said.
Miller smelled alcohol when he talked to Beesley and noticed that Beesley's eyes were bloodshot, Dunbar said.
Beesley, who was not driving his squad car, identified himself as a Noblesville police officer, according to Dunbar.
Beesley failed field sobriety tests, authorities said, and a breath test registered his blood-alcohol level at 0.18, more than twice the level (0.08) at which a driver in Indiana is considered intoxicated.
The police report did not say where Beesley had been or where he was going, according to Dunbar, and Jowitt did not have that information.
Beesley was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 or greater, a Class A misdemeanor.
He posted bond and was released from the Hamilton County Jail at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release.
Beesley has been with the Noblesville department for about 21/2 years, Jowitt said. Before that, he worked for the Chicago Police Department.
An Elkhart officer also was arrested on drunken-driving charges this past weekend.
Authorities said Cpl. Benjamin Kruszynski, 38, was off-duty Sunday night when he crashed his squad car into two fences and a tree.
His blood-alcohol level was 0.12, authorities said. He will be placed on administrative leave pending the result of the investigation, according to Elkhart Police Chief Dale Pflibsen.
Cpl Joshua Giddings Committs Suicide After Arrest
Delaware State Police Cpl. Joshua A. Giddings, 32, apparently committed suicide at his Smyrna home Tuesday, May 26. Giddings was arrested May 11 after an investigation revealed he engaged in sexual relations with a woman he had arrested in exchange for not taking her to court.
Delaware State Police reported that emergency personnel were dispatched at about 6 p.m., to a home in the unit block of Wheeler Circle in Smyrna after receiving a report of an unresponsive man.
The man was found in the shed at the residence. He was unresponsive. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
He was identified as Joshua A. Giddings.
Foul play is not suspected, police said. The incident is a suspected suicide, but the investigation is continuing by the Smyrna Police Department.
________________
Previous Story: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/cpl-joshua-giddings-arrested-for-sexual.html
Delaware State Police reported that emergency personnel were dispatched at about 6 p.m., to a home in the unit block of Wheeler Circle in Smyrna after receiving a report of an unresponsive man.
The man was found in the shed at the residence. He was unresponsive. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
He was identified as Joshua A. Giddings.
Foul play is not suspected, police said. The incident is a suspected suicide, but the investigation is continuing by the Smyrna Police Department.
________________
Previous Story: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/cpl-joshua-giddings-arrested-for-sexual.html
Officer Richard Beck Accused of Illegally Accessing Database
A crumbling marriage ultimately cost a Goodyear police veteran his badge.
Richard Beck has relinquished his badge in the wake of accusations that he illegally accessed law-enforcement databases to look up information about a man he believed was having an affair with his estranged wife, and later lied about it.
The agreement reached between Beck, 35, and the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board last week permanently strips him of his ability to work as a police officer in Arizona.
According to a board compliance specialist report and a Goodyear police internal investigation, Beck visited the home of his estranged wife, an Avondale police dispatcher, in the middle of the night in January 2008. He knocked on the door to confront his wife and a man, an Avondale police officer, but neither answered the door. Beck suspected they were having an affair.
The Avondale officer said Beck contacted his soon-to-be ex-wife the next morning through the social networking Web site MySpace and that Beck could have only discovered her name through a police database, the reports show. Using the database for non-police purposes is a Class 6 felony, unauthorized access to criminal history.
Beck told Goodyear investigators he used the database toward the end of December 2007 to run the license plate of a vehicle parked outside of the house and discovered it belonged to the Avondale officer, according to the reports. Investigators reviewed database access records and found that Beck ran that officer's license plate the day before the attempted confrontation in January.
Beck, who was off-duty at the time, told Goodyear police he received a call that night from an acquaintance telling him about a suspicious car at the house, the reports said. Police reviewed phone records and found no support for the claim.
Beck maintains he was truthful about the incident but said he was going through a "difficult and bitter divorce at the time" that affected him emotionally and left his mind in a fog.
"I was in a pretty bad place around that time," he said in an interview Tuesday.
Beck claims he never denied running the officer's license plate, but said he felt cornered and that investigators were unwilling to believe that he didn't have malicious intentions.
"I didn't run that plate . . . to try to find out information about him. . . . I knew who he was, (my wife) had told me about him, she had admitted to the affair and everything, so I knew there was very little I'd be able to gain by doing something like that," he said. "I didn't care about him. At the time, I was more concerned with trying to keep my family together."
"I was just amazed because I had an outstanding record and everybody knew me, everybody trusted me. I kind of felt like I got a raw deal," he added.
He said his wife's infidelity with another police officer and the handling of the investigation led him to resign from the Goodyear force and give up his certification.
"I'd been a police officer for going on about 13 years and I really believed in what I did," he said. "I just felt like everything that I'd believed in as far as law enforcement and the unity was just taken away from me, and it was the first time in 13 years where I just didn't like coming to work anymore."
Beck said he has found a new job in law enforcement but declined to say where.
Richard Beck has relinquished his badge in the wake of accusations that he illegally accessed law-enforcement databases to look up information about a man he believed was having an affair with his estranged wife, and later lied about it.
The agreement reached between Beck, 35, and the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board last week permanently strips him of his ability to work as a police officer in Arizona.
According to a board compliance specialist report and a Goodyear police internal investigation, Beck visited the home of his estranged wife, an Avondale police dispatcher, in the middle of the night in January 2008. He knocked on the door to confront his wife and a man, an Avondale police officer, but neither answered the door. Beck suspected they were having an affair.
The Avondale officer said Beck contacted his soon-to-be ex-wife the next morning through the social networking Web site MySpace and that Beck could have only discovered her name through a police database, the reports show. Using the database for non-police purposes is a Class 6 felony, unauthorized access to criminal history.
Beck told Goodyear investigators he used the database toward the end of December 2007 to run the license plate of a vehicle parked outside of the house and discovered it belonged to the Avondale officer, according to the reports. Investigators reviewed database access records and found that Beck ran that officer's license plate the day before the attempted confrontation in January.
Beck, who was off-duty at the time, told Goodyear police he received a call that night from an acquaintance telling him about a suspicious car at the house, the reports said. Police reviewed phone records and found no support for the claim.
Beck maintains he was truthful about the incident but said he was going through a "difficult and bitter divorce at the time" that affected him emotionally and left his mind in a fog.
"I was in a pretty bad place around that time," he said in an interview Tuesday.
Beck claims he never denied running the officer's license plate, but said he felt cornered and that investigators were unwilling to believe that he didn't have malicious intentions.
"I didn't run that plate . . . to try to find out information about him. . . . I knew who he was, (my wife) had told me about him, she had admitted to the affair and everything, so I knew there was very little I'd be able to gain by doing something like that," he said. "I didn't care about him. At the time, I was more concerned with trying to keep my family together."
"I was just amazed because I had an outstanding record and everybody knew me, everybody trusted me. I kind of felt like I got a raw deal," he added.
He said his wife's infidelity with another police officer and the handling of the investigation led him to resign from the Goodyear force and give up his certification.
"I'd been a police officer for going on about 13 years and I really believed in what I did," he said. "I just felt like everything that I'd believed in as far as law enforcement and the unity was just taken away from me, and it was the first time in 13 years where I just didn't like coming to work anymore."
Beck said he has found a new job in law enforcement but declined to say where.
Officer William Mosley & Wife in Court on Domestic Violence Charges
WORCESTER
A Worcester police officer, recently charged with domestic assault, and his wife were the subject of separate hearings in Central District Court today in cases involving allegations against one another.
The case against Officer William D. Mosley, 32, of Ashmore Road, alleges he assaulted his wife May 19. He was arrested on charges of aggravated domestic assault and battery, and threatening to commit a crime. His case was the subject of a pretrial hearing today. The officer is on restricted duty.
Meantime, his wife, Stacey M. Mosley, of Glenn Ellen Road, who is pregnant, was in the courthouse for a hearing on a motion relating to a criminal harassment charge filed against her husband.
Both cases were continued.
In the case against the officer, according to court records, the officer was outside his home with his wife, who has a different home address from Officer Mosley. Mrs. Mosley told police that Officer Mosley yelled at her and said he didn’t want her at his home, the records say. Mrs. Mosley told police her husband forcefully grabbed her left arm and dragged her toward her car, according to court records. She also said he threatened to assault her, police reports said. Police were called and Officer Mosley was arrested. Yesterday, in an interview with the Telegram & Gazette, Mrs. Mosley said she planned to ask the court to dismiss the charges against her husband. That did not happen.
Within the last six months, Mr. Mosley sought legal action against his wife.
According to court documents, Mr. Mosley reported four incidents to the Worcester Police between Dec. 26 and Jan. 26. Mr. Mosley told police that Mrs. Mosley showed up at his house and began knocking on his door and yelling for about 20 minutes outside until he called police. On Jan. 1, Mr. Mosley alleged that Mrs. Mosley parked outside his house. On Jan. 26, Mr. Mosley alleged that Mrs. Mosley had been continuously calling him and driving by his house for the previous four to six weeks, and on this date, walked into his house unannounced, according to court documents.
Police Chief Gary J. Gemme has said Officer Mosley was put on restricted duty recently, is assigned to the Service Division, and that the officer’s firearms license has been temporarily suspended.
A Worcester police officer, recently charged with domestic assault, and his wife were the subject of separate hearings in Central District Court today in cases involving allegations against one another.
The case against Officer William D. Mosley, 32, of Ashmore Road, alleges he assaulted his wife May 19. He was arrested on charges of aggravated domestic assault and battery, and threatening to commit a crime. His case was the subject of a pretrial hearing today. The officer is on restricted duty.
Meantime, his wife, Stacey M. Mosley, of Glenn Ellen Road, who is pregnant, was in the courthouse for a hearing on a motion relating to a criminal harassment charge filed against her husband.
Both cases were continued.
In the case against the officer, according to court records, the officer was outside his home with his wife, who has a different home address from Officer Mosley. Mrs. Mosley told police that Officer Mosley yelled at her and said he didn’t want her at his home, the records say. Mrs. Mosley told police her husband forcefully grabbed her left arm and dragged her toward her car, according to court records. She also said he threatened to assault her, police reports said. Police were called and Officer Mosley was arrested. Yesterday, in an interview with the Telegram & Gazette, Mrs. Mosley said she planned to ask the court to dismiss the charges against her husband. That did not happen.
Within the last six months, Mr. Mosley sought legal action against his wife.
According to court documents, Mr. Mosley reported four incidents to the Worcester Police between Dec. 26 and Jan. 26. Mr. Mosley told police that Mrs. Mosley showed up at his house and began knocking on his door and yelling for about 20 minutes outside until he called police. On Jan. 1, Mr. Mosley alleged that Mrs. Mosley parked outside his house. On Jan. 26, Mr. Mosley alleged that Mrs. Mosley had been continuously calling him and driving by his house for the previous four to six weeks, and on this date, walked into his house unannounced, according to court documents.
Police Chief Gary J. Gemme has said Officer Mosley was put on restricted duty recently, is assigned to the Service Division, and that the officer’s firearms license has been temporarily suspended.
Former Detective Daniel Griffin Charged with Illegally Carrying Firearm
Former Kingston police Detective Daniel Griffin is in trouble with the law again.
The ex-cop who already faces charges of impersonating a cop was illegally in possession of a loaded handgun when he was apprehended earlier this month in Wilkes-Barre, city police said Tuesday.
Griffin now faces a charge of carrying a firearm without a license.
The 45-year-old was a police officer in Kingston for 22 years before being fired in 2007 for forging a superior’s signature to but a specialty shotgun.
This is now the third time he has been charged with a crme in less than two years.
Griffin was captured May 13 in downtown Wilkes-Barre on an arrest warrant filed by Fleetwood Borough police in Berks County.
The warrant claims he pulled a badge and identified himself as a cop on May 7 when police pulled him over in a personal vehicle customized to look like an unmarked police car.
The 2003 gray Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor “appeared to be an unmarked police vehicle,” according to arrest papers. The car had a black front license plate that says “POLICE” and red “K-9” decals on the trunk.
Wilkes-Barre police impounded the vehicle when Griffin was arrested on the warrant in the city. A loaded pistol was later seized from the car, police said. Police determined Griffin does not have a permit to carry a firearm in Pennsylvania, police said.
Earlier this month, Griffin insisted he was never fired, but retired from the police force and still does police work on the side. He said his convictions for the 2007 charges have been “stayed,” pending an appeal. He called his arrest on the Berks County charges a “political issue” being drummed up as revenge by Kingston officials.
In an unrelated matter, Swoyersville police on Friday issued Griffin a summary citation regarding stray and unattended dogs, according to court records. Details about the citation could not be obtained Tuesday.
Griffin remains free on bail.
The ex-cop who already faces charges of impersonating a cop was illegally in possession of a loaded handgun when he was apprehended earlier this month in Wilkes-Barre, city police said Tuesday.
Griffin now faces a charge of carrying a firearm without a license.
The 45-year-old was a police officer in Kingston for 22 years before being fired in 2007 for forging a superior’s signature to but a specialty shotgun.
This is now the third time he has been charged with a crme in less than two years.
Griffin was captured May 13 in downtown Wilkes-Barre on an arrest warrant filed by Fleetwood Borough police in Berks County.
The warrant claims he pulled a badge and identified himself as a cop on May 7 when police pulled him over in a personal vehicle customized to look like an unmarked police car.
The 2003 gray Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor “appeared to be an unmarked police vehicle,” according to arrest papers. The car had a black front license plate that says “POLICE” and red “K-9” decals on the trunk.
Wilkes-Barre police impounded the vehicle when Griffin was arrested on the warrant in the city. A loaded pistol was later seized from the car, police said. Police determined Griffin does not have a permit to carry a firearm in Pennsylvania, police said.
Earlier this month, Griffin insisted he was never fired, but retired from the police force and still does police work on the side. He said his convictions for the 2007 charges have been “stayed,” pending an appeal. He called his arrest on the Berks County charges a “political issue” being drummed up as revenge by Kingston officials.
In an unrelated matter, Swoyersville police on Friday issued Griffin a summary citation regarding stray and unattended dogs, according to court records. Details about the citation could not be obtained Tuesday.
Griffin remains free on bail.
Detective Hector Ortiz Arrested for DUI
A Merced Police Detective finds himself on the wrong side of the law, after he's arrested on suspicion of DUI… for the second time.
It turns out this is Hector Ortiz's second drunk driving arrest this year.
The 46-year-old Ortiz was arrested this week after he reportedly rear-ended another vehicle. Ortiz's passenger suffered minor injuries but didn't have to go to the hospital. The driver in the other car was not injured.
The crash happened near Merced College in Merced, which was not far from where Ortiz was arrested on suspicion of DUI back in January. He pled no contest to that charge and was sentenced to a fine, probation and a program for DUI offenders.
__________________
Information: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6835365
It turns out this is Hector Ortiz's second drunk driving arrest this year.
The 46-year-old Ortiz was arrested this week after he reportedly rear-ended another vehicle. Ortiz's passenger suffered minor injuries but didn't have to go to the hospital. The driver in the other car was not injured.
The crash happened near Merced College in Merced, which was not far from where Ortiz was arrested on suspicion of DUI back in January. He pled no contest to that charge and was sentenced to a fine, probation and a program for DUI offenders.
__________________
Information: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6835365
Officer Jerrell Strong Arrested for DUI
A Lexington police officer faces an internal investigation after he was arrested in Indiana over the weekend on a DUI charge.
Officer Jerrell Strong was arrested on Saturday in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Lexington police say they have placed Strong on administrative duties and an internal investigation is underway.
Authorities in Indiana say Strong was released on his own recognizance.
_______________
Officer Jerrell Strong was arrested on Saturday in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Lexington police say they have placed Strong on administrative duties and an internal investigation is underway.
Authorities in Indiana say Strong was released on his own recognizance.
_______________
Information: http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/809787.html
Chief John Josten Arrested for Domestic Violence
The police chief of a small Van Buren County community has been arrested following a domestic violence incident, the county sheriff’s office reports.
John Josten, the head and sole officer of the department in Bloomingdale, Mich., was arraigned Friday in Allegen County on charges stemming from the incident.
Sgt. Scott Schmitt of the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department said Josten works in Bloomingdale, a community in the northern part of the county, but lives in Allegen. His wife, who he is accused of throwing a glass at, is also a deputy with the Allegen County Sheriff’s Office, Schmitt said.
Josten’s employment status remained uncertain Wednesday. That decision has been turned over to the Bloomingdale village manager, Schmitt said.
“He is not to possess any firearms until (his) trial date,” Schmitt added, noting the obvious problem that creates for a law enforcement professional.
No immediate decision about Josten’s status is expected, pending an investigation and outcome of the trial.
John Josten, the head and sole officer of the department in Bloomingdale, Mich., was arraigned Friday in Allegen County on charges stemming from the incident.
Sgt. Scott Schmitt of the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department said Josten works in Bloomingdale, a community in the northern part of the county, but lives in Allegen. His wife, who he is accused of throwing a glass at, is also a deputy with the Allegen County Sheriff’s Office, Schmitt said.
Josten’s employment status remained uncertain Wednesday. That decision has been turned over to the Bloomingdale village manager, Schmitt said.
“He is not to possess any firearms until (his) trial date,” Schmitt added, noting the obvious problem that creates for a law enforcement professional.
No immediate decision about Josten’s status is expected, pending an investigation and outcome of the trial.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Officer Michael Wooton Pleads Not Guilty to Shooting Neighbor's Dog
An off-duty Essex police officer accused of shooting his neighbor's dog after it got into a fight with his Pug pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday morning.
Police say Michael J. Wootton, 34, of Waterville, shot and killed his neighbor's mixed-breed dog earlier this month.
The shooting happened after Wootton's dog went to a neighbor's property and got into a fight with a dog owned by Melinda Maskell. Police say Wootton then went home, got a handgun and fired one shot at the dog.
"If he would have had his dog on a leash, none of this would have happened," Maskell said.
Maskell showed us pictures of her dog Hooch, in happier times. She described the mixed-breed as well-mannered.
"I mean the dog sat pretty, that's how well he minded, he knew commands, he went to obedience school for a year," Maskell said.
Court records show Hooch was shot in the stomach. Maskell says her two year old daughter was just feet away from Wootton, when it happened.
"They're supposed to serve and protect us and to have to explain to my children why they murdered my dog, in front of my child, is one of the hardest parts to it," Maskell said.
Maskell understands court proceedings could be far from over.
"My family and I are going to pursue this until we get justice, one way or the other," Maskell said.
Maskell said she was surprised there wasn't a reckless endangerment charge against Wootton, since her daughter was nearby at the time of the alleged incident.
_______________________
Previous Post:
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/officer-michael-wooton-accused-of.html
More Information: http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=10428016
Police say Michael J. Wootton, 34, of Waterville, shot and killed his neighbor's mixed-breed dog earlier this month.
The shooting happened after Wootton's dog went to a neighbor's property and got into a fight with a dog owned by Melinda Maskell. Police say Wootton then went home, got a handgun and fired one shot at the dog.
"If he would have had his dog on a leash, none of this would have happened," Maskell said.
Maskell showed us pictures of her dog Hooch, in happier times. She described the mixed-breed as well-mannered.
"I mean the dog sat pretty, that's how well he minded, he knew commands, he went to obedience school for a year," Maskell said.
Court records show Hooch was shot in the stomach. Maskell says her two year old daughter was just feet away from Wootton, when it happened.
"They're supposed to serve and protect us and to have to explain to my children why they murdered my dog, in front of my child, is one of the hardest parts to it," Maskell said.
Maskell understands court proceedings could be far from over.
"My family and I are going to pursue this until we get justice, one way or the other," Maskell said.
Maskell said she was surprised there wasn't a reckless endangerment charge against Wootton, since her daughter was nearby at the time of the alleged incident.
_______________________
Previous Post:
http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/05/officer-michael-wooton-accused-of.html
More Information: http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=10428016
Lawsuit Settled in Excessive Force Case
HARTLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich.
A woman who sued officers over the death of her father during an arrest for driving a bulldozer on an expressway has settled with two of them.
The deal came Tuesday before U.S. District Judge John Feikens in Detroit.
Amanda Landis settled with Livingston County sheriff's Deputy Jim Lynch and ex-Deputy Jason Baker. Terms weren't announced.
The case continues against state Trooper Greg Galarneau.
The suit says officers used excess force while arresting Charles Keiser, holding him face-down in a swamp on Thanksgiving 2004. It happened in Hartland Township, about 40 miles west-northwest of Detroit. Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus in Howell the deputies acted appropriately.
------
Information from: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, http://www.dailypressandargus.com
A woman who sued officers over the death of her father during an arrest for driving a bulldozer on an expressway has settled with two of them.
The deal came Tuesday before U.S. District Judge John Feikens in Detroit.
Amanda Landis settled with Livingston County sheriff's Deputy Jim Lynch and ex-Deputy Jason Baker. Terms weren't announced.
The case continues against state Trooper Greg Galarneau.
The suit says officers used excess force while arresting Charles Keiser, holding him face-down in a swamp on Thanksgiving 2004. It happened in Hartland Township, about 40 miles west-northwest of Detroit. Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus in Howell the deputies acted appropriately.
------
Information from: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, http://www.dailypressandargus.com
Cpl Tony Finn Charged with Assault
WALNUT COVE, N.C.
Walnut Cove officials said one of their police officers was suspended after allegations of assault.
Town Manager Homer Dearmin told WXII 12 News that Cpl. Tony L. Finn will be suspended without pay pending an investigation.
On May 25, Walnut Cove police arrested Finn on two charges of simple assault and assault agaisnt a female.
Dearmin would not go into any more detail.
___________________
Information: http://www.wxii12.com/news
Town Manager Homer Dearmin told WXII 12 News that Cpl. Tony L. Finn will be suspended without pay pending an investigation.
On May 25, Walnut Cove police arrested Finn on two charges of simple assault and assault agaisnt a female.
Dearmin would not go into any more detail.
___________________
Information: http://www.wxii12.com/news
Sheriff Terrry Jones & Undersheriff Charged with Taking Money During Traffic Stop
The McIntosh County Sheriff's Department is facing some tough challenges after their sheriff and undersheriff were both accused of taking money during a traffic stop.
Sheriff Terry Jones and Undersheriff Mykol Brookshire face federal charges and could spend up to a year in prison if convicted. Jones has now resigned from his post.
McIntosh County has a brand new 8-million dollar jail and no sheriff to operate it. It's supposed to open in July. That's why county commissioners are scrambling to find someone to run it.
"To have something like this happen, now we've got to go back and look at that again," says District Two Commissioner Tim Pendley.
It was Friday when county commissioners first learned the sheriff had resigned.
"Yeah, it was a shock," says District Three Commissioner Ronnie Layman. "Nobody expected something like that to happen."
Jones and Brookshire were detained Friday. It is alleged they stole money from an individual during a traffic stop.
"Really thought we'd be represented better," says Bridgette, a resident of Eufaula. "He's supposed to be looking out for our community, not taking from it. I would have expected something different."
Jones and Brookshire are innocent until proven guilty. But, some feel it's a black eye for other elected officials.
"Makes it look bad on all elected officials," says District One Commissioner Bob James. "I feel like it does. You're kinda guilty by association I guess."
Commissioners say they have confidence in the sheriff's department, for those stepping in and covering all the shifts. To the citizens of McIntosh County, they say they will get through it.
We spoke with U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling, who says we should know more details about the former sheriff in court later this week. There, Jones is expected to answer the charges against him.
Sheriff Terry Jones and Undersheriff Mykol Brookshire face federal charges and could spend up to a year in prison if convicted. Jones has now resigned from his post.
McIntosh County has a brand new 8-million dollar jail and no sheriff to operate it. It's supposed to open in July. That's why county commissioners are scrambling to find someone to run it.
"To have something like this happen, now we've got to go back and look at that again," says District Two Commissioner Tim Pendley.
It was Friday when county commissioners first learned the sheriff had resigned.
"Yeah, it was a shock," says District Three Commissioner Ronnie Layman. "Nobody expected something like that to happen."
Jones and Brookshire were detained Friday. It is alleged they stole money from an individual during a traffic stop.
"Really thought we'd be represented better," says Bridgette, a resident of Eufaula. "He's supposed to be looking out for our community, not taking from it. I would have expected something different."
Jones and Brookshire are innocent until proven guilty. But, some feel it's a black eye for other elected officials.
"Makes it look bad on all elected officials," says District One Commissioner Bob James. "I feel like it does. You're kinda guilty by association I guess."
Commissioners say they have confidence in the sheriff's department, for those stepping in and covering all the shifts. To the citizens of McIntosh County, they say they will get through it.
We spoke with U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling, who says we should know more details about the former sheriff in court later this week. There, Jones is expected to answer the charges against him.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Bail Set at 2 Million for Officer Richard Bolling Charged with Fatal Hit-and-Run
Bail was set at $2 million Sunday for a veteran Chicago police officer accused of being drunk behind the wheel while causing a fatal hit-and-run accident that killed a 13-year-old boy on the South Side.
Richard Bolling, 39, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident where a death or injury occurred and reckless homicide. Bolling, who has worked in the Chicago Police Department for 17 years, reportedly had been at a bar not long before the crash early Friday morning, said Sally Daly, a Cook County sheriff's office spokeswoman.
Bolling of the 8600 block of South Wolcott Avenue was arrested soon after his Dodge Charger allegedly drove through the intersection at 81st Street and Ashland Avenue about 1:28 a.m. and killed 13-year-old Trenton Booker, officials said.
Trenton had sneaked out of his home and was riding his bicycle with friends, his family said.
Trenton was riding with a friend on Ashland, traveling north in the southbound lane. Bolling was driving his car in the southbound lane and, according to witness accounts, raced through the intersection and hit Trenton, who ended up sprawled on the street, Daly said.
Bolling is alleged to have continued without stopping. He was arrested minutes later after two other Chicago police officers saw the car about five blocks away going the wrong way down a one-way street near 1900 W. 82nd St. They also noticed that the car had damage to the bumper and windshield, Daly said.
The officers saw an open bottle of beer in the car, and they conducted a field sobriety test on Bolling on the scene, she said. Daly did not have the results of the sobriety test available. Chicago police said in a statement that the officer was also cited for going the wrong way down a one-way street and transportation of alcohol.
Richard Bolling, 39, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident where a death or injury occurred and reckless homicide. Bolling, who has worked in the Chicago Police Department for 17 years, reportedly had been at a bar not long before the crash early Friday morning, said Sally Daly, a Cook County sheriff's office spokeswoman.
Bolling of the 8600 block of South Wolcott Avenue was arrested soon after his Dodge Charger allegedly drove through the intersection at 81st Street and Ashland Avenue about 1:28 a.m. and killed 13-year-old Trenton Booker, officials said.
Trenton had sneaked out of his home and was riding his bicycle with friends, his family said.
Trenton was riding with a friend on Ashland, traveling north in the southbound lane. Bolling was driving his car in the southbound lane and, according to witness accounts, raced through the intersection and hit Trenton, who ended up sprawled on the street, Daly said.
Bolling is alleged to have continued without stopping. He was arrested minutes later after two other Chicago police officers saw the car about five blocks away going the wrong way down a one-way street near 1900 W. 82nd St. They also noticed that the car had damage to the bumper and windshield, Daly said.
The officers saw an open bottle of beer in the car, and they conducted a field sobriety test on Bolling on the scene, she said. Daly did not have the results of the sobriety test available. Chicago police said in a statement that the officer was also cited for going the wrong way down a one-way street and transportation of alcohol.
Judges Finds Sheriff Arpaio Attempted to Intimidate ACLU Director
PHOENIX
A federal judge ruled late last week that the arrest of an ACLU legal director by Maricopa County's controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio was an attempt to intmidate the director "from future First Amendment activity." The judge found that the deputies who arrested legal director Dan Pochoda knew of his position with the ACLU and conferred with Arpaio or a representative about arresting him after he attended a demonstration against the sheriff.
Arpaio and three of his officers sought dismissal of the suit, claiming they had probable cause to arrest Pochoda as he left the demonstration. But U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake found that Pochoda's arrest was an attempt to "intimidate (him) from future First Amendment activity" since the officers knew of Pochoda's position in the ACLU, saw him speaking with the protest's organizer and consulted with Arpaio "or his representative about whether to arrest him on a misdemeanor charge."
Pochoda said two deputies who were patrolling a parking lot near the demonstration approached him on Nov. 3, 2007 and questioned him for five minutes. He says the officers told him he could not park in the lot and stood between him and his car. After Pochoda asked one of the deputies to identify himself, since he was in street clothes, Pochoda says he was handcuffed, taken to the county jail and booked on criminal trespassing charges.
Pochoda claims that the officers violated his Fourth Amendment rights by stopping him from leaving the parking lot.
But Judge Wake found that the officers had the right to stop and question him after. However, once Pochoda made it clear that he was leaving the property, the officers should have let him go, Wake said.
Judge Wake ruled that the deputies "are not immune from Pochoda's claim of unlawful detention and arrest" because Pochoda never refused to leave the parking lot and was prevented from doing so by the officers.
The sheriff and the officers denied Pochoda's claim of malicious prosecution, saying they had probable cause to arrest him, but Judge Wake found the arrest motivated by "deterrence or retribution for First Amendment activities."
________________________
http://www.courthousenews.com
A federal judge ruled late last week that the arrest of an ACLU legal director by Maricopa County's controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio was an attempt to intmidate the director "from future First Amendment activity." The judge found that the deputies who arrested legal director Dan Pochoda knew of his position with the ACLU and conferred with Arpaio or a representative about arresting him after he attended a demonstration against the sheriff.
Arpaio and three of his officers sought dismissal of the suit, claiming they had probable cause to arrest Pochoda as he left the demonstration. But U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake found that Pochoda's arrest was an attempt to "intimidate (him) from future First Amendment activity" since the officers knew of Pochoda's position in the ACLU, saw him speaking with the protest's organizer and consulted with Arpaio "or his representative about whether to arrest him on a misdemeanor charge."
Pochoda said two deputies who were patrolling a parking lot near the demonstration approached him on Nov. 3, 2007 and questioned him for five minutes. He says the officers told him he could not park in the lot and stood between him and his car. After Pochoda asked one of the deputies to identify himself, since he was in street clothes, Pochoda says he was handcuffed, taken to the county jail and booked on criminal trespassing charges.
Pochoda claims that the officers violated his Fourth Amendment rights by stopping him from leaving the parking lot.
But Judge Wake found that the officers had the right to stop and question him after. However, once Pochoda made it clear that he was leaving the property, the officers should have let him go, Wake said.
Judge Wake ruled that the deputies "are not immune from Pochoda's claim of unlawful detention and arrest" because Pochoda never refused to leave the parking lot and was prevented from doing so by the officers.
The sheriff and the officers denied Pochoda's claim of malicious prosecution, saying they had probable cause to arrest him, but Judge Wake found the arrest motivated by "deterrence or retribution for First Amendment activities."
________________________
http://www.courthousenews.com
Officer Benjamin Kruszynski Arrested for Drunk Driving
Police say a City of Elkhart police officer was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after he was involved in an accident late Sunday along County Line Road.
Officer Benjamin Kruszynski, 38, crashed an Elkhart City squad car into a tree near the intersection of Brummitt and Ash roads about 11:10 p.m.
There were four passengers in the car at the time — a 43-year-old male and three 18-year-old females, according to police.
Elkhart Police Spokesman Lt. Ed Windbigler would not say if Kruszynski was driving his own squad car or another officer's.
A witness said the car went airborne when hitting the tree and leaving the roadway on the Elkhart County side of the road.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene and arrested Kruszynski for OWI. A departmental supervisor was also sent to the scene to assist the officer and continue the investigation.
No one was injured.
Kruszynski has been with the Elkhart Police Department since 2000.
Officer Benjamin Kruszynski, 38, crashed an Elkhart City squad car into a tree near the intersection of Brummitt and Ash roads about 11:10 p.m.
There were four passengers in the car at the time — a 43-year-old male and three 18-year-old females, according to police.
Elkhart Police Spokesman Lt. Ed Windbigler would not say if Kruszynski was driving his own squad car or another officer's.
A witness said the car went airborne when hitting the tree and leaving the roadway on the Elkhart County side of the road.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene and arrested Kruszynski for OWI. A departmental supervisor was also sent to the scene to assist the officer and continue the investigation.
No one was injured.
Kruszynski has been with the Elkhart Police Department since 2000.
_____________________
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Judge James Heath Kills Self After Drunk Driving Arrest
HAMILTON TWP.
A Warren County Common Pleas Court judge who was arrested this weekend for the second time in seven months was found dead in his home the next day, according to police.
James Heath, 47, was found in the master bedroom of his Nunner Road home just after 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24, by his estranged wife, according to Hamilton Twp. Police Lt. Jeff Braley.
“She had been trying to reach him by phone and could not and went to check on him at the house,” Braley said.
Braley said although nothing has been confirmed, Heath’s death is being investigated as a suicide. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Tuesday, May 26, he said.
Heath was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at mile marker 11 on Ohio 48, according to Sgt. Karla Taulbee, spokeswoman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Transported to a patrol post, Heath refused a breathalyzer test, Taulbee said. He was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired and a marked lanes violation and released to someone who was able to drive, she said.
Heath was arrested last October in Clinton County on the same charge. He pleaded guilty in December to the lesser charge of reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
As a result of the plea, Heath was found not guilty of the original charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Warren County Judge Donald Oda II said Sunday he had known Heath for 14 years and was “completely shocked” when he heard of his death.
“We all thought the world of Judge Heath,” Oda said. “He was a good man. The Warren County judges ... our bench is certainly less today than it was yesterday.”
Warren County Commissioner C. Michael Kilburn said his heart goes out to Heath’s family. “We just never know what burdens people are carrying with them,” he said. “It’s just a terrible, terrible situation.”
Earlier this year, Kilburn criticized Heath for his behavior, showed a video of him pleading with a state trooper not to arrest him and called on him to resign. Following Kilburn’s comments, Heath admitted he made a mistake, apologized for his actions and said he was taking steps to ensure they did not happen again.
Heath, a Miami University graduate, first took the bench of the Warren County Court in December of 1994, according to the court’s Web site. He is survived by his wife and three children.
____________________________
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090524/NEWS0107/90524007/Warren+judge+is+dead
A Warren County Common Pleas Court judge who was arrested this weekend for the second time in seven months was found dead in his home the next day, according to police.
James Heath, 47, was found in the master bedroom of his Nunner Road home just after 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24, by his estranged wife, according to Hamilton Twp. Police Lt. Jeff Braley.
“She had been trying to reach him by phone and could not and went to check on him at the house,” Braley said.
Braley said although nothing has been confirmed, Heath’s death is being investigated as a suicide. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Tuesday, May 26, he said.
Heath was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at mile marker 11 on Ohio 48, according to Sgt. Karla Taulbee, spokeswoman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Transported to a patrol post, Heath refused a breathalyzer test, Taulbee said. He was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired and a marked lanes violation and released to someone who was able to drive, she said.
Heath was arrested last October in Clinton County on the same charge. He pleaded guilty in December to the lesser charge of reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
As a result of the plea, Heath was found not guilty of the original charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Warren County Judge Donald Oda II said Sunday he had known Heath for 14 years and was “completely shocked” when he heard of his death.
“We all thought the world of Judge Heath,” Oda said. “He was a good man. The Warren County judges ... our bench is certainly less today than it was yesterday.”
Warren County Commissioner C. Michael Kilburn said his heart goes out to Heath’s family. “We just never know what burdens people are carrying with them,” he said. “It’s just a terrible, terrible situation.”
Earlier this year, Kilburn criticized Heath for his behavior, showed a video of him pleading with a state trooper not to arrest him and called on him to resign. Following Kilburn’s comments, Heath admitted he made a mistake, apologized for his actions and said he was taking steps to ensure they did not happen again.
Heath, a Miami University graduate, first took the bench of the Warren County Court in December of 1994, according to the court’s Web site. He is survived by his wife and three children.
____________________________
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090524/NEWS0107/90524007/Warren+judge+is+dead
Gregory Rold Dies After Being Tasered
SALEM, Ore.
A 37-year-old Salem man is dead and four police officers were placed on administrative leave after an arrest for trespassing turned violent.
Four officers with the Salem Police Department were called to Carriage Apartments on SE Royvonne Ave. about 7:30 Saturday night after receiving reports of a trespasser. They found Gregory Rold in an apartment and tried to arrest him.
The police department said Rold "violently resisted arrest" and the officers had to use their tasers and batons to "subdue him." Salem Officer Jacob Pratt was injured during the arrest attempt and altercation, according to the department. He was treated at Silverton Hospital.
Neighbors said Rold had been living at his mother's apartment but had recently been banned from the complex for lude behavior.
"He supposedly had been exposing himself to one of the neighbors," said resident Brandy King. "He used to peek into our windows and say things to the other women around here," she said.
According to neighbors, Rold had been warned that if he returned to the apartment complex, he would be trespassing. They said he showed up around 6:30 Saturday night, and police were at his mother's apartment soon after.
"They (police) got in, you could hear a struggle and the next thing you heard were the tasers," said Shelietha Edwards, a neighbor.
What happened next, according to Edwards, had the entire complex in disbelief.
"I heard at least 13 tasers going off. I heard him being beaten with the night sticks and they let the dog attack him," recalled Edwards. "(Rold's) mom and brother were in the house watching and his mom went to the window and started telling everyone that they were killing her son," she said.
A statement from the department released to KGW on Sunday morning made no mention of excessive force or of a canine unit.
Once the officers had wrestled Rold to the ground and handcuffed him, they realized he was unconscious and unresponsive, according to the department.
"In the beginning, you could hear him yelling, screaming and then all of a sudden he was quite, but you still heard the tazers and you still heard the beating going on," said Edwards.
Officers tried to stabilize Rold and called for emergency medical assistance. He was taken by ambulance to Salem Hospital where he died about 9:30 p.m.
The four officers - Jacob Pratt, Eric Brown, Adam Waite and Corporal Darron Mumey - are on administrative leave while Rold's death is investigated by Oregon State Police and the Marion County District Attorney's Office.
_____________________
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/oregon/stories/NW_052509ORN-salem-police-custody-death-SW.16cf4ceb.html
A 37-year-old Salem man is dead and four police officers were placed on administrative leave after an arrest for trespassing turned violent.
Four officers with the Salem Police Department were called to Carriage Apartments on SE Royvonne Ave. about 7:30 Saturday night after receiving reports of a trespasser. They found Gregory Rold in an apartment and tried to arrest him.
The police department said Rold "violently resisted arrest" and the officers had to use their tasers and batons to "subdue him." Salem Officer Jacob Pratt was injured during the arrest attempt and altercation, according to the department. He was treated at Silverton Hospital.
Neighbors said Rold had been living at his mother's apartment but had recently been banned from the complex for lude behavior.
"He supposedly had been exposing himself to one of the neighbors," said resident Brandy King. "He used to peek into our windows and say things to the other women around here," she said.
According to neighbors, Rold had been warned that if he returned to the apartment complex, he would be trespassing. They said he showed up around 6:30 Saturday night, and police were at his mother's apartment soon after.
"They (police) got in, you could hear a struggle and the next thing you heard were the tasers," said Shelietha Edwards, a neighbor.
What happened next, according to Edwards, had the entire complex in disbelief.
"I heard at least 13 tasers going off. I heard him being beaten with the night sticks and they let the dog attack him," recalled Edwards. "(Rold's) mom and brother were in the house watching and his mom went to the window and started telling everyone that they were killing her son," she said.
A statement from the department released to KGW on Sunday morning made no mention of excessive force or of a canine unit.
Once the officers had wrestled Rold to the ground and handcuffed him, they realized he was unconscious and unresponsive, according to the department.
"In the beginning, you could hear him yelling, screaming and then all of a sudden he was quite, but you still heard the tazers and you still heard the beating going on," said Edwards.
Officers tried to stabilize Rold and called for emergency medical assistance. He was taken by ambulance to Salem Hospital where he died about 9:30 p.m.
The four officers - Jacob Pratt, Eric Brown, Adam Waite and Corporal Darron Mumey - are on administrative leave while Rold's death is investigated by Oregon State Police and the Marion County District Attorney's Office.
_____________________
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/oregon/stories/NW_052509ORN-salem-police-custody-death-SW.16cf4ceb.html
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sgt Mark Fitzpatrick Arraigned on Sexual Assault Charge
LOS ANGELES
A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant has been arraigned on charges of sexually assaulting a woman and inappropriately searching two others in separate incidents while on duty.
Mark Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty to four felony counts and one misdemeanor Friday in Superior Court.
Prosecutors say Fitzpatrick threatened one woman with arrest or deportation while he sexually assaulted her during a traffic stop.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says investigators began a criminal investigation immediately after getting a report of the alleged misconduct last year.
Whitmore says Fitzpatrick was assigned to a desk job at the Compton station then was suspended without pay after the charges were filed.
________________________
More information: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sheriff23-2009may23,0,3979260.story
A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant has been arraigned on charges of sexually assaulting a woman and inappropriately searching two others in separate incidents while on duty.
Mark Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty to four felony counts and one misdemeanor Friday in Superior Court.
Prosecutors say Fitzpatrick threatened one woman with arrest or deportation while he sexually assaulted her during a traffic stop.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says investigators began a criminal investigation immediately after getting a report of the alleged misconduct last year.
Whitmore says Fitzpatrick was assigned to a desk job at the Compton station then was suspended without pay after the charges were filed.
________________________
More information: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sheriff23-2009may23,0,3979260.story
Time Line in Case Against Ex-Cop Drew Peterson
Prosecutors claimed Friday that Drew Peterson tried to hire someone in 2003 to kill his third wife, Kathleen Savio, for $25,000. Authorities say he is also a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. A brief synopsis of what has happened in the case:
2004
--March 1, 2004: Kathleen Savio found dead in a bathtub. Her death is originally ruled an accidental drowning.
2007
--Oct. 29, 2007: Stacy Peterson reported missing, a day after she fails to show up at a relative's home.
--Nov. 9, 2007: Illinois State Police declare Drew Peterson a suspect in his wife's disappearance; they also say they've formally launched an investigation into the 2004 drowning death of Kathleen Savio, saying it does not appear to be an accident as originally determined.
--Nov. 9, 2007: Judge signs an order to exhume Savio's body.
--Nov. 12, 2007: Drew Peterson resigns from the Bolingbrook Police Department, where he's been an officer for 29 years.
--Nov. 13, 2007: Savio's body is exhumed and an autopsy is conducted.
--Nov. 16, 2007: Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden conducts autopsy on Savio's remains at the request of her family; says it looks like she was murdered.
2008
--Jan. 24, 2008: Will County state's attorney's office acknowledges publicly for the first time that a grand jury has been convened to investigate Stacy Peterson's disappearance and Savio's death.
--Feb. 21, 2008: Will County state's attorney announces that Savio's death officially declared a homicide.
--May 21, 2008: Peterson turns himself in to police on a weapons charge unrelated to the disappearance of his wife. He was released from custody after an adult son posts a 10 percent bond.
--November 2008: Peterson meets with divorce attorney.
--November 20, 2008: Gun charges dropped against Peterson after Will County prosecutors refuse to hand over internal documents leading to their decision to arrest him.
--May 7, 2009: Murder indictment issued for Peterson; Peterson arrested during traffic stop.
--May 22, 2009: Judge refuses to reduce Peterson's $20 million bail after prosecutors claim Peterson tried to pay somebody $25,000 in 2003 to kill Savio.
__________
Other Information: http://www.suntimes.com/news/peterson/1587229,drew-peterson-savio-murder-offer-money-052209.article
2004
--March 1, 2004: Kathleen Savio found dead in a bathtub. Her death is originally ruled an accidental drowning.
2007
--Oct. 29, 2007: Stacy Peterson reported missing, a day after she fails to show up at a relative's home.
--Nov. 9, 2007: Illinois State Police declare Drew Peterson a suspect in his wife's disappearance; they also say they've formally launched an investigation into the 2004 drowning death of Kathleen Savio, saying it does not appear to be an accident as originally determined.
--Nov. 9, 2007: Judge signs an order to exhume Savio's body.
--Nov. 12, 2007: Drew Peterson resigns from the Bolingbrook Police Department, where he's been an officer for 29 years.
--Nov. 13, 2007: Savio's body is exhumed and an autopsy is conducted.
--Nov. 16, 2007: Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden conducts autopsy on Savio's remains at the request of her family; says it looks like she was murdered.
2008
--Jan. 24, 2008: Will County state's attorney's office acknowledges publicly for the first time that a grand jury has been convened to investigate Stacy Peterson's disappearance and Savio's death.
--Feb. 21, 2008: Will County state's attorney announces that Savio's death officially declared a homicide.
--May 21, 2008: Peterson turns himself in to police on a weapons charge unrelated to the disappearance of his wife. He was released from custody after an adult son posts a 10 percent bond.
--November 2008: Peterson meets with divorce attorney.
--November 20, 2008: Gun charges dropped against Peterson after Will County prosecutors refuse to hand over internal documents leading to their decision to arrest him.
--May 7, 2009: Murder indictment issued for Peterson; Peterson arrested during traffic stop.
--May 22, 2009: Judge refuses to reduce Peterson's $20 million bail after prosecutors claim Peterson tried to pay somebody $25,000 in 2003 to kill Savio.
__________
Other Information: http://www.suntimes.com/news/peterson/1587229,drew-peterson-savio-murder-offer-money-052209.article
Trooper Ariel Valentin Arrested for Rape
Palm Springs Police charged a Florida Highway Patrol trooper with raping a woman who'd just been in a minor accident. Following his arrest, Ariel Valentin resigned his position. This is not the first time the trooper has been investigated for inappropriate conduct.
The arrest report says two women "tapped each other" with their cars on Lake Worth Road. As the two women were leaving the scene, Trooper Valentin pulled up. The report says Valentin told one woman to go, but followed the other to her home nearby.
There the arrest report says Valentin told the woman that he needed to search her, and "suggested that they go into her residence." The woman told officers she thought that was "weird," but was worried because her registration had expired. Inside the apartment, the report says Valentin and the woman had sex. The woman said she was "scared of going to jail."
Police say while Trooper Valentin initially denied involvement, he later admitted to having sex with the woman, saying it was consensual. The police report says Valentin acknowledged he believed the victim was emotionally unstable.
Highway Patrol documents we obtained show two years ago after a traffic stop, Valentin asked a woman if he could go to her house and measure her in a bathing suit. He got a written reprimand.
___________________________
More Information:
http://www.wpbf.com/news/19553887/detail.html
The arrest report says two women "tapped each other" with their cars on Lake Worth Road. As the two women were leaving the scene, Trooper Valentin pulled up. The report says Valentin told one woman to go, but followed the other to her home nearby.
There the arrest report says Valentin told the woman that he needed to search her, and "suggested that they go into her residence." The woman told officers she thought that was "weird," but was worried because her registration had expired. Inside the apartment, the report says Valentin and the woman had sex. The woman said she was "scared of going to jail."
Police say while Trooper Valentin initially denied involvement, he later admitted to having sex with the woman, saying it was consensual. The police report says Valentin acknowledged he believed the victim was emotionally unstable.
Highway Patrol documents we obtained show two years ago after a traffic stop, Valentin asked a woman if he could go to her house and measure her in a bathing suit. He got a written reprimand.
___________________________
More Information:
http://www.wpbf.com/news/19553887/detail.html
Reserve Officer Richard Carr Arrested for Rape
A Columbus reserve police officer was fired Wednesday after he was arrested in Oktibbeha County on statutory rape charges.
Reserve officer Richard Carr, 45, was “relieved of his duties as a police officer” Wednesday after Oktibbeha County officials notified the Columbus Police Department the officer had been arrested on the sex charges.
As of Thursday, police had released no details of the charges, as the investigation was ongoing and was being handled by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
As of Thursday afternoon, no bond had been set and Carr remained in the Oktibbeha County Jail awaiting his initial court appearance.
Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John this morning noted the investigation was turned over to MBI as soon as he was notified of the charges.
“As quickly as we could, he was placed under arrest, and he is terminated immediately,” St. John added. “Even though he was reserves, he’s one of us, and any time we have, not even probable cause, but reasonable suspicion, we turn it over to another agency.
“Really right now, the rest of it is really in (MBI’s) hands.”
Reserve officer Richard Carr, 45, was “relieved of his duties as a police officer” Wednesday after Oktibbeha County officials notified the Columbus Police Department the officer had been arrested on the sex charges.
As of Thursday, police had released no details of the charges, as the investigation was ongoing and was being handled by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
As of Thursday afternoon, no bond had been set and Carr remained in the Oktibbeha County Jail awaiting his initial court appearance.
Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John this morning noted the investigation was turned over to MBI as soon as he was notified of the charges.
“As quickly as we could, he was placed under arrest, and he is terminated immediately,” St. John added. “Even though he was reserves, he’s one of us, and any time we have, not even probable cause, but reasonable suspicion, we turn it over to another agency.
“Really right now, the rest of it is really in (MBI’s) hands.”
City Settles Third Brutality Lawsuit This Year
WORCESTER
The city has agreed to pay a city man $48,750 to settle his federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that a Worcester police sergeant unjustly punched him in the head and struck him with a baton while he was on his knees being arrested for trespassing on railroad tracks.
The police brutality lawsuit brought by Raymond E. Dennison, who alleged that he was beaten by Sgt. Ronald F. LaPointe in June 2003, had been set to go to trial in U.S. District Court in Worcester on June 1.
The $48,750 settlement, which will be paid by the city with taxpayer money, comes less than two months after the city paid $30,000 to settle a police brutality lawsuit filed by an Upton man.
So far this year, the city has settled three police brutality lawsuits at a total cost of $107,750, according to city records. Last year, the city paid $320,000 in public money to settle five police brutality lawsuits.
“As we’ve said in the past, it’s a business decision between myself, the law department and the city administration,” Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said of the settlements. “When we settled this case, there’s no admission of wrongdoing by the officers.”
The department’s Bureau of Professional Standards, formerly called Internal Affairs, cleared Sgt. LaPointe of any wrongdoing in its investigation, Chief Gemme said.
“It was difficult, rocky terrain with steel railroad tracks and a lot of brush overgrowth, and this individual was combative, and, as a result, there was force used that was reasonable to effect the arrest, and there were some injuries,” Chief Gemme said.
Mr. Dennison’s lawyer, Hector E. Pineiro, declined to comment on the alleged beating or the settlement other than to say, “My client is satisfied that the case has been resolved.”
In court papers, Mr. Dennison alleged that he was on his knees with his hands behind his back to be arrested when an agitated Sgt. LaPointe punched him in the left ear twice. When Mr. Dennison complained and demanded the officer’s badge number, Sgt. LaPointe allegedly took a swing at the man with his collapsible baton.
Mr. Dennison alleged that he suffered a broken finger trying to ward off a baton strike aimed at his head and shoulder area.
In his version of events, Sgt. LaPointe alleged that Mr. Dennison was uncooperative and had been reaching toward his waistband in an apparent attempt to grab something, possibly a weapon, according to a pretrial memorandum filed with the court by city lawyer Janet J. McGuiggan.
“While lying in a prone position on the ground, Dennison again reached for his waistband. Still fearful for his safety, LaPointe struck Dennison in the muscle of the upper right arm with his service baton in an effort to prevent Dennison from possibly pulling a weapon from his waistband and to handcuff him,” Ms. McGuiggan wrote.
The city did not dispute that Mr. Dennison was treated for a fractured third metacarpal — a broken finger on his right hand — and for a perforated eardrum at UMass Memorial Medical Center after he was released from custody. The city noted that Mr. Dennison was drunk at the time of the incident with a blood alcohol level of .14 percent, according to court records.
“Plaintiff’s medical records reveal that his eardrum healed in approximately one month and the finger fracture healed as well,” Ms. McGuiggan wrote in her motion.
The city has agreed to pay a city man $48,750 to settle his federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that a Worcester police sergeant unjustly punched him in the head and struck him with a baton while he was on his knees being arrested for trespassing on railroad tracks.
The police brutality lawsuit brought by Raymond E. Dennison, who alleged that he was beaten by Sgt. Ronald F. LaPointe in June 2003, had been set to go to trial in U.S. District Court in Worcester on June 1.
The $48,750 settlement, which will be paid by the city with taxpayer money, comes less than two months after the city paid $30,000 to settle a police brutality lawsuit filed by an Upton man.
So far this year, the city has settled three police brutality lawsuits at a total cost of $107,750, according to city records. Last year, the city paid $320,000 in public money to settle five police brutality lawsuits.
“As we’ve said in the past, it’s a business decision between myself, the law department and the city administration,” Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said of the settlements. “When we settled this case, there’s no admission of wrongdoing by the officers.”
The department’s Bureau of Professional Standards, formerly called Internal Affairs, cleared Sgt. LaPointe of any wrongdoing in its investigation, Chief Gemme said.
“It was difficult, rocky terrain with steel railroad tracks and a lot of brush overgrowth, and this individual was combative, and, as a result, there was force used that was reasonable to effect the arrest, and there were some injuries,” Chief Gemme said.
Mr. Dennison’s lawyer, Hector E. Pineiro, declined to comment on the alleged beating or the settlement other than to say, “My client is satisfied that the case has been resolved.”
In court papers, Mr. Dennison alleged that he was on his knees with his hands behind his back to be arrested when an agitated Sgt. LaPointe punched him in the left ear twice. When Mr. Dennison complained and demanded the officer’s badge number, Sgt. LaPointe allegedly took a swing at the man with his collapsible baton.
Mr. Dennison alleged that he suffered a broken finger trying to ward off a baton strike aimed at his head and shoulder area.
In his version of events, Sgt. LaPointe alleged that Mr. Dennison was uncooperative and had been reaching toward his waistband in an apparent attempt to grab something, possibly a weapon, according to a pretrial memorandum filed with the court by city lawyer Janet J. McGuiggan.
“While lying in a prone position on the ground, Dennison again reached for his waistband. Still fearful for his safety, LaPointe struck Dennison in the muscle of the upper right arm with his service baton in an effort to prevent Dennison from possibly pulling a weapon from his waistband and to handcuff him,” Ms. McGuiggan wrote.
The city did not dispute that Mr. Dennison was treated for a fractured third metacarpal — a broken finger on his right hand — and for a perforated eardrum at UMass Memorial Medical Center after he was released from custody. The city noted that Mr. Dennison was drunk at the time of the incident with a blood alcohol level of .14 percent, according to court records.
“Plaintiff’s medical records reveal that his eardrum healed in approximately one month and the finger fracture healed as well,” Ms. McGuiggan wrote in her motion.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Deputy Robert Kijanka Arrested for Smuggling Porn into Juvenile Detention Facility
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Friday, accused of smuggling pornography into the juvenile section of the county jail.
Robert Kijanka, 39, was charged with one count of smuggling contraband into a detention facility and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
According to the arrest report, an 18-year-old inmate at the jail told detectives Kijanka, who is responsible for the juvenile dorm at the main detention center, brought a pornographic DVD into the jail and showed it to inmates in a classroom.
The juveniles described the DVD as "naked men and women having sex," according to the report.
Inmates said Kijanka also showed them a picture on his cell phone of his girlfriend wearing only her bra and short pants.
One of the inmates told detectives watching the DVD made their day "go by smoother," the report stated.
Detectives said Kijanka admitted to showing the DVD to inmates.
"Was it stupid on my part? Yes, it was," Kijanka told detectives, the report stated.
Kijanka was released on $3,000 bond and has been placed on paid leave.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Friday, accused of smuggling pornography into the juvenile section of the county jail.
Robert Kijanka, 39, was charged with one count of smuggling contraband into a detention facility and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
According to the arrest report, an 18-year-old inmate at the jail told detectives Kijanka, who is responsible for the juvenile dorm at the main detention center, brought a pornographic DVD into the jail and showed it to inmates in a classroom.
The juveniles described the DVD as "naked men and women having sex," according to the report.
Inmates said Kijanka also showed them a picture on his cell phone of his girlfriend wearing only her bra and short pants.
One of the inmates told detectives watching the DVD made their day "go by smoother," the report stated.
Detectives said Kijanka admitted to showing the DVD to inmates.
"Was it stupid on my part? Yes, it was," Kijanka told detectives, the report stated.
Kijanka was released on $3,000 bond and has been placed on paid leave.
Officer Julian Steele Arrested for Sexual Battery
Cincinnati Police Officer Julian Steele was arrested Friday afternoon, charged with coercing oral sex from the mother of a child he is accused of falsely booking into Hamilton County’s juvenile jail.
He was charged with sexual battery, a felony.
Steele, 46, of Springfield Township is accused of forcing the woman “knowingly and by means that would prevent resistance by a person of ordinary resolution.”
The incident is alleged to have happened May 14.
Steele will be arraigned today SAT and his case most likely will go to the grand jury next week, said Kathy Harrell, president of the Fraternal Order of Police. She does not know what plea he will make.
Steele, an officer since 1998, was stripped of his police powers and put on desk duty this week as an investigation by the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office proceeded. He turned in his badge and gun on Tuesday and was reassigned from District 5’s investigative unit to the telephone reporting unit.
Harrell said earlier this week that Steele said he had probable cause to make the juvenile arrest.
Steele’s personnel file contains several commendations from citizens and one reprimand for a 1999 traffic stop. His job evaluations classify his overall performance as “exceeds standards.”
“His beat knowledge was a tremendous asset and his input helped with the arrests of key leaders of the Taliband CQ Gang operating in Northside,” one of his supervisors, Sgt. Matthew Hassert, wrote in his latest evaluation dated Jan. 11.
That roundup of those gang members was the largest of its kind in the history of the Police Department, Hassert noted.
Sexual battery is a felony carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Officer Phillip Brooks Arrested for Selling Impounded Cars
DAYTON, Ohio
A Dayton police officer has been indicted on more than 20 felony counts on allegations he illegally sold impounded cars.
Phillip Brooks, 43, was indicted today, May 21, on charges including grand theft, forgery, and tampering with evidence.
Brooks is accused of using the police database to find the owners of impounded cars, forging fake documents, and selling the cars in his name. Investigators said he has been doing it for at least four years and they found out about the scam when one of the vehicle's legitimate owners tried to reclaim a car.
Brooks could get up to 59 years in prison if convicted.
Brooks was booked into the jail April 9 for contempt of court when he refused to submit a handwriting sample in connection to the case. He was released several hours later when he provided the sample.
Brooks was removed from his patrol position last month when the case emerged. He's scheduled to be arraigned June 4.
_____________________
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/dayton-police-officer-indicted-in-illegal-sales-129776.html
Information from the Dayton Daily News was used in this report.
A Dayton police officer has been indicted on more than 20 felony counts on allegations he illegally sold impounded cars.
Phillip Brooks, 43, was indicted today, May 21, on charges including grand theft, forgery, and tampering with evidence.
Brooks is accused of using the police database to find the owners of impounded cars, forging fake documents, and selling the cars in his name. Investigators said he has been doing it for at least four years and they found out about the scam when one of the vehicle's legitimate owners tried to reclaim a car.
Brooks could get up to 59 years in prison if convicted.
Brooks was booked into the jail April 9 for contempt of court when he refused to submit a handwriting sample in connection to the case. He was released several hours later when he provided the sample.
Brooks was removed from his patrol position last month when the case emerged. He's scheduled to be arraigned June 4.
_____________________
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/dayton-police-officer-indicted-in-illegal-sales-129776.html
Information from the Dayton Daily News was used in this report.
Officer Jason Anderson Takes Stand in Wrongful Death Case
MINNEAPOLIS
Officer Jason Anderson took the stand in his own defense Wednesday in the wrongful death of Fong Lee. Lee’s family claims their son wasn't armed, and that a gun found on him was planted by police in what's known as a "drop gun."
Surveillance video at City View Elementary shows the shooting in brief parting glimpses, with Officer Anderson chasing Lee. According to court documents, Anderson shot Lee eight times.
Anderson said as he came around the corner he had his gun up, pointed at Lee. He says Lee was holding a gun in his right hand, then fell to the ground after the shooting, but raised the gun again.
Trooper Craig Benz was Anderson’s partner that July night three years ago. The two had never met before. Benz testified he also saw Lee with a gun, but didn't see the actual shooting, as he was several steps behind Anderson.
Anderson testified he didn't approach Lee or the gun after the shooting.
"I didn't secure the gun. I didn't want to be accused of putting it there," said Anderson.
________________________
http://www.startribune.com/local/45860627.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUJ
Officer Jason Anderson took the stand in his own defense Wednesday in the wrongful death of Fong Lee. Lee’s family claims their son wasn't armed, and that a gun found on him was planted by police in what's known as a "drop gun."
Surveillance video at City View Elementary shows the shooting in brief parting glimpses, with Officer Anderson chasing Lee. According to court documents, Anderson shot Lee eight times.
Anderson said as he came around the corner he had his gun up, pointed at Lee. He says Lee was holding a gun in his right hand, then fell to the ground after the shooting, but raised the gun again.
Trooper Craig Benz was Anderson’s partner that July night three years ago. The two had never met before. Benz testified he also saw Lee with a gun, but didn't see the actual shooting, as he was several steps behind Anderson.
Anderson testified he didn't approach Lee or the gun after the shooting.
"I didn't secure the gun. I didn't want to be accused of putting it there," said Anderson.
________________________
http://www.startribune.com/local/45860627.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUJ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)