A Vilonia man helping to deliver newspapers on the night of Nov. 25 claims that the off-duty acting Mayflower Police Chief acted inappropriately in approaching him with a drawn handgun.
Micky Paul Grissom, 30, said on Monday that he was helping his wife deliver the Log Cabin Democrat to homes on Green Meadows Road a few miles south of Vilonia when he used a residential driveway to turn around and, at about 10:30 p.m., stopped in a section of road about 200 yards away to move newspapers from the bed of the pickup truck into the cab.
“I stopped to get out of the truck (and) threw my papers from the back of the truck to the front,” Grissom said. “Next thing I know there’s a car flying up on me and I see that there’s little blue lights in the grill and a guy gets out and yells, ‘What are you doing?’ I tell him I’m delivering papers ... and I turn back and look and he’s got his gun drawn on me, and he’s telling me to get back around the back of the truck. He got up to me and he saw the papers and he said, ‘Man, you can’t be stopping in front of people’s houses without telling them what’s going on.”
Grissom filed a police report to this effect Tuesday with the Vilonia Police Department. In his written statement to Vilonia police, Grissom stated, “That was the first time I feared for my life, and it was because of an off-duty officer.”
Acting Mayflower Chief of Police Sgt. Robert Alcon released a written statement on Tuesday in response, claiming that he observed the vehicle in his driveway for about 25 to 30 seconds before the truck pulled out and proceeded east on Hwy. 107, stopping in the road near an adjacent residence.
“I went and put on some jeans and boots and got my pistol from its holster,” Alcon stated in this release. “The truck was still there when I went outside to get in my patrol car. As I pulled out from my driveway the truck pulled out and started to go east. This made me have even more reasonable suspicion that there may be some criminal activity going on. My probable cause to make the traffic stop was (that the) vehicle was stopped in the roadway, blocking it for more than 10 minutes. I turned on my blue lights and made the stop approximately 50 yards from where the truck was parked.
“The driver ... stepped from the truck and I had advised him to show me his hands. I had my flashlight in my left hand and my pistol in my right hand. I did raise my pistol at about a 45-degree angle. Once he showed me his hands I dropped the pistol back to my side and put it in the small of my back. I recognized the driver as someone I know from Vilonia, and apparently he knew me, because he called me by name Alcon. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me he was the paper carrier, and I advised OK that it was the Christmas season and there are a lot of break ins at this time of year. We shook hands, and I advised him to have a good night, he said for me to do the same.”
Grissom said on Tuesday that he was “looking at the barrel, and I could see a light right beside it and I saw barrel pointed at me.
“That’s the whole deal of a gun being pointed at me, I don’t like that,” he said. “Whether it was pointed at me or not, it’s like I told them at Vilonia, when we fear our protectors, what are we supposed to do?” He said again that he feared for his life during the incident, and thought that any loud noise might have caused Alcon to shoot him. He said that he “would go check if somebody was messing around my neighborhood, but I wouldn’t come out with my gun.”
Alcon maintained that he held his handgun at a 45-degree muzzle-down angle when he made contact with Grissom and put the weapon away once he saw the man’s hands.
“I had the gun at about a 45 (degree angle) just to see if he was armed, and even if I had the gun pointed at him it would have been normal procedure,” Alcon said. “It’s a dangerous job we do. I like going home at night. I don’t know what he expects us to do. I’m a police officer. I’m not just Joe public trying to see what’s going on. ... Was I supposed to walk up there with my hands empty?”
“I am a police officer that has a right to protect myself ... I was trying to protect my neighbors,” he said.
Alcon is deputized by Faulkner County Sheriff Karl Byrd, and Byrd said that his jurisdiction is countywide.
Byrd said that he didn’t want to comment on the issue because he didn’t know the exact circumstances, but said that, in general, “Any officer, off-duty or not, I would be extremely disappointed if something suspicious was going on in his neighborhood and he didn’t investigate it — take some initiative to look into some suspicious circumstances going on in his neighborhood.”
Vilonia Chief of Police Brad McNew said that he would turn the incident over to the 20th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney’s office for review.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Officer Donald Prine Arrested for Aggravated Domestic Battery
A veteran Rockford police officer is arrested and charged with aggravated domestic battery.
According to our media partners at WNTA, Winnebago County Sheriff's Police were called to the 8100 block of South Main early last Thursday morning. Deputies say they found evidence of domestic violence involving Rockford Police Officer Donald Prine and his wife, who is a Boone County sheriff's deputy.
Prine turned himself in and bonded out of jail. He's on administrative leave
According to our media partners at WNTA, Winnebago County Sheriff's Police were called to the 8100 block of South Main early last Thursday morning. Deputies say they found evidence of domestic violence involving Rockford Police Officer Donald Prine and his wife, who is a Boone County sheriff's deputy.
Prine turned himself in and bonded out of jail. He's on administrative leave
Former Officer Greg Cannedy Convicted of False Imprisonment
A former San Leandro police officer has been convicted of false imprisonment for groping two women while he was on duty, his attorney said Wednesday.
Former Officer Greg Cannedy, 45, who retired from the department in 2007, entered no-contest pleas to two counts of false imprisonment - one a felony, the other a misdemeanor - said his attorney, Michael Rains.
Judge Kevin Murphy of Alameda County Superior Court sentenced Cannedy two months ago to 18 months of formal probation and six months of home detention while under electronic monitoring, Rains said.
"To this day, I believe the allegations against Greg were completely without merit," Rains said.
The misdemeanor conviction stemmed from an incident in September 2006, when Cannedy leaned over Jennifer Acuna in her kitchen and began kissing her before grabbing her hand and putting it on his crotch.
Acuna received $92,500 earlier this year under a civil settlement with the city.
Cannedy was convicted of felony false imprisonment for groping Starlah Burke during a traffic stop in 2005 after she repeatedly rebuffed his romantic overtures over a period of months.
Cannedy asked personal questions of Burke, told her that "he and his wife were not in love," continually showed up at her home and called her between May and December 2005 to discuss having sex, Burke said in her suit against the city. She received a $95,000 settlement.
Former Officer Greg Cannedy, 45, who retired from the department in 2007, entered no-contest pleas to two counts of false imprisonment - one a felony, the other a misdemeanor - said his attorney, Michael Rains.
Judge Kevin Murphy of Alameda County Superior Court sentenced Cannedy two months ago to 18 months of formal probation and six months of home detention while under electronic monitoring, Rains said.
"To this day, I believe the allegations against Greg were completely without merit," Rains said.
The misdemeanor conviction stemmed from an incident in September 2006, when Cannedy leaned over Jennifer Acuna in her kitchen and began kissing her before grabbing her hand and putting it on his crotch.
Acuna received $92,500 earlier this year under a civil settlement with the city.
Cannedy was convicted of felony false imprisonment for groping Starlah Burke during a traffic stop in 2005 after she repeatedly rebuffed his romantic overtures over a period of months.
Cannedy asked personal questions of Burke, told her that "he and his wife were not in love," continually showed up at her home and called her between May and December 2005 to discuss having sex, Burke said in her suit against the city. She received a $95,000 settlement.
Former Officer Raymond Conley Pleads Guilty
Former Dunbar Police Officer Raymond Conley pleaded guilty to a federal charge of depriving a woman's rights in court Wednesday. Court documents show he inappropriately searched the woman and then offered to let her go, in exchange for sex.
Conley pleaded guilty to the charge of deprivation of rights under the color of law. The charge is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum prison sentence of one year and a fine.
The charge stems from an incident that happened in Dunbar in the summer of 2009 while he was working as a police officer.
According to court documents, Conley pulled the woman over and then without reason searched her. During the search, he fondled her private parts for "personal gratification."
During this illegal search, Conley found a small amount of marijuana. He placed the woman under arrest and handcuffed her. But court documents show he offered to let her go if she had sex with him.
Conley then drove the woman to a remote location where they had sexual intercourse. He then let the woman go without charging her.
Conley has resigned from the Dunbar Police Department.
He will be sentenced on March 18, 2010.
Conley pleaded guilty to the charge of deprivation of rights under the color of law. The charge is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum prison sentence of one year and a fine.
The charge stems from an incident that happened in Dunbar in the summer of 2009 while he was working as a police officer.
According to court documents, Conley pulled the woman over and then without reason searched her. During the search, he fondled her private parts for "personal gratification."
During this illegal search, Conley found a small amount of marijuana. He placed the woman under arrest and handcuffed her. But court documents show he offered to let her go if she had sex with him.
Conley then drove the woman to a remote location where they had sexual intercourse. He then let the woman go without charging her.
Conley has resigned from the Dunbar Police Department.
He will be sentenced on March 18, 2010.
Former Officer David Seaton Indicted for Manslaughter & Assault
A former San Antonio police officer has been indicted for manslaughter and aggravated assault in the traffic death of a colleague last year.
David Seaton faces up to life in prison if convicted on either felony. The 44-year-old had planned to plead “no contest” but rescinded the agreement last month.
Seaton was allegedly driving his patrol car more than 100 mph without his flashing emergency lights on while responding to a low-level shoplifting call in November 2008. He struck Officer Robert Davis, who was working an unrelated traffic accident at the time. Davis later died of his injuries.
Another motorist was seriously injured in the crash.
David Seaton faces up to life in prison if convicted on either felony. The 44-year-old had planned to plead “no contest” but rescinded the agreement last month.
Seaton was allegedly driving his patrol car more than 100 mph without his flashing emergency lights on while responding to a low-level shoplifting call in November 2008. He struck Officer Robert Davis, who was working an unrelated traffic accident at the time. Davis later died of his injuries.
Another motorist was seriously injured in the crash.
Trooper Alexis Hayes Alleges She was Sexually Assaulted by Commanding Officer
A New Jersey state trooper alleges she was sexually assaulted by a commanding officer, sexually harassed in the academy by a female commander and repeatedly abused at the hands of colleagues.
In a federal lawsuit filed late Tuesday, Trooper Alexis Hayes makes sweeping allegations against six individuals and the state police administration, saying it conducted an internal investigation to humiliate her while never taking appropriate action in the case.
"The State Police have turned Hayes - the victim - into an object of disdain and have subjected her to repeated hostile interrogations while implying that Hayes somehow bore ill will against her tormentors," the lawsuit said. "In consequence, Hayes suffered deep emotional trauma."
Hayes, 29, of Berlin, is seeking monetary damages, dismissal of the accused abusers and reform within the agency. Her lawsuit alleges the agency, with 3,035 members, hazed those in training, ignored sexual misconduct and closed ranks when she sought help.
Dave Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, called the allegations "troubling" and said he intends to make sure they are "fully vetted."
"The allegations are of grave concern to me, from the onset of her career until now, and the victimization's that took place demand a complete and thorough investigation," Jones said.
State officials said Wednesday they were aware of the allegations, but could not comment on pending litigation.
"The New Jersey State Police treats any allegation of misconduct very seriously. As with all allegations of misconduct, these allegations will be vigorously and thoroughly investigated," State Police Capt. Gerald Lewis Jr. said in a written statement released late Wednesday.
Lee Moore, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said as a matter of practice, officials do not comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit alleges the Attorney General's Office has been aware of the initial allegations since 2006, when an anonymous complaint was filed with the state's Equal Opportunity Office.
According to the lawsuit, filed by Moorestown attorney William Buckman, Hayes had been subjected to abusive and demeaning practices since she joined the academy in 2005.
That year, one of the academy instructors, Sgt. Christine Shallcross, who called Hayes "Peanut," repeatedly demeaned her, the suit said. One time, Shallcross aggressively grabbed Hayes' necktie with such force that the clasp broke. Another time Hayes was ordered to stand at attention while Shallcross drew on her face with a black permanent marker, the suit said.
"(Hayes) was required to remain standing at attention while Shallcross then chased another female trooper around and stabbed that other trooper in the neck with the marker, leaving a bruise," the lawsuit said.
After a graduation celebration, Hayes alleges Shallcross attempted to give Hayes her phone number, whispered in her ear, "Hayes, I love you," and kissed her on the cheek as Hayes was attempting to leave with her sister.
Shallcross, now working internal affairs investigations for the state police, said Wednesday she was familiar with the allegations, but could not comment.
During an internal affairs investigation, the lawsuit alleges Hayes was subjected to "lengthy questioning" numerous times and officials tried to convince Hayes that Shallcross' treatment was nothing more than mere "camaraderie."
When she was assigned to the same tactical unit in South Jersey as Lt. Thomas King, the lawsuit says, King began sending her text messages at all hours and once showed up unannounced at her house earlier this year.
Hayes alleges she was sexually assaulted by King, an acting captain, in April, when she was assigned to a detail of 49 officers sent to participate in funeral services for three officers slain in Pittsburgh.
During a night of drinking, she alleges, King "continually" made sure that Hayes had a full drink and Hayes returned to her hotel room "woozy from so much alcohol," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit says King "somehow obtained" a copy of Hayes' room key and while Hayes was in bed, "inebriated," King sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit says she became pregnant as a result of the assault, and later terminated the pregnancy.
King could not be reached for comment.
On numerous other occasions, she alleges, he made sexual advances. In June, the lawsuit alleges, King assaulted Hayes with pepper spray in front of others, who did nothing to stop it, the lawsuit said.
Buckman, Hayes' attorney, said Hayes reported the alleged assault to local authorities in the Pittsburgh area and attempted to get a job transfer. It was unclear when the alleged assault was reported and how it was handled.
Buckman said rather than help Hayes, State Police authorities used their internal affairs investigation as "a mechanism" to stop the complaints about superiors and other troopers.
"Their real job is to whitewash things," Buckman said.
Buckman is recognized nationally for his role in exposing racial profiling on the New Jersey Turnpike, where minorities were disproportionately targeted for traffic stops and searches. He also went after the Lords of Discipline, a reputed secret society of state troopers who allegedly hazed others in their ranks. Though the state denied the group existed, it disciplined seven officers and settled harassment lawsuits that exceeded $1 million.
In her lawsuit, Hayes says she went to see the director of the State Police Employee Assistance Program, a confidential counseling service. Instead, the lawsuit said, she received a call from a lieutenant colonel, who told Hayes she "had to bear up with the imperfect conditions of the New Jersey State Police and go about her duties."
Eventually, Hayes went out on sick leave after suffering a "nervous breakdown," the lawsuit said.
But when she was involved in a car accident in October, the lawsuit said state police officials met her at a hospital and "refused to let (Hayes) obtain treatment until they forcibly extracted blood from her in an apparent effort to charge (Hayes) with intoxicated driving."
The lawsuit asks for an independent monitor of the State Police "in light of the outrageous and corrupt method by which the New Jersey State Police abuses its powers against its members, and then uses its internal affairs mechanisms to cover up those abuses."
In a federal lawsuit filed late Tuesday, Trooper Alexis Hayes makes sweeping allegations against six individuals and the state police administration, saying it conducted an internal investigation to humiliate her while never taking appropriate action in the case.
"The State Police have turned Hayes - the victim - into an object of disdain and have subjected her to repeated hostile interrogations while implying that Hayes somehow bore ill will against her tormentors," the lawsuit said. "In consequence, Hayes suffered deep emotional trauma."
Hayes, 29, of Berlin, is seeking monetary damages, dismissal of the accused abusers and reform within the agency. Her lawsuit alleges the agency, with 3,035 members, hazed those in training, ignored sexual misconduct and closed ranks when she sought help.
Dave Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, called the allegations "troubling" and said he intends to make sure they are "fully vetted."
"The allegations are of grave concern to me, from the onset of her career until now, and the victimization's that took place demand a complete and thorough investigation," Jones said.
State officials said Wednesday they were aware of the allegations, but could not comment on pending litigation.
"The New Jersey State Police treats any allegation of misconduct very seriously. As with all allegations of misconduct, these allegations will be vigorously and thoroughly investigated," State Police Capt. Gerald Lewis Jr. said in a written statement released late Wednesday.
Lee Moore, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said as a matter of practice, officials do not comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit alleges the Attorney General's Office has been aware of the initial allegations since 2006, when an anonymous complaint was filed with the state's Equal Opportunity Office.
According to the lawsuit, filed by Moorestown attorney William Buckman, Hayes had been subjected to abusive and demeaning practices since she joined the academy in 2005.
That year, one of the academy instructors, Sgt. Christine Shallcross, who called Hayes "Peanut," repeatedly demeaned her, the suit said. One time, Shallcross aggressively grabbed Hayes' necktie with such force that the clasp broke. Another time Hayes was ordered to stand at attention while Shallcross drew on her face with a black permanent marker, the suit said.
"(Hayes) was required to remain standing at attention while Shallcross then chased another female trooper around and stabbed that other trooper in the neck with the marker, leaving a bruise," the lawsuit said.
After a graduation celebration, Hayes alleges Shallcross attempted to give Hayes her phone number, whispered in her ear, "Hayes, I love you," and kissed her on the cheek as Hayes was attempting to leave with her sister.
Shallcross, now working internal affairs investigations for the state police, said Wednesday she was familiar with the allegations, but could not comment.
During an internal affairs investigation, the lawsuit alleges Hayes was subjected to "lengthy questioning" numerous times and officials tried to convince Hayes that Shallcross' treatment was nothing more than mere "camaraderie."
When she was assigned to the same tactical unit in South Jersey as Lt. Thomas King, the lawsuit says, King began sending her text messages at all hours and once showed up unannounced at her house earlier this year.
Hayes alleges she was sexually assaulted by King, an acting captain, in April, when she was assigned to a detail of 49 officers sent to participate in funeral services for three officers slain in Pittsburgh.
During a night of drinking, she alleges, King "continually" made sure that Hayes had a full drink and Hayes returned to her hotel room "woozy from so much alcohol," the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit says King "somehow obtained" a copy of Hayes' room key and while Hayes was in bed, "inebriated," King sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit says she became pregnant as a result of the assault, and later terminated the pregnancy.
King could not be reached for comment.
On numerous other occasions, she alleges, he made sexual advances. In June, the lawsuit alleges, King assaulted Hayes with pepper spray in front of others, who did nothing to stop it, the lawsuit said.
Buckman, Hayes' attorney, said Hayes reported the alleged assault to local authorities in the Pittsburgh area and attempted to get a job transfer. It was unclear when the alleged assault was reported and how it was handled.
Buckman said rather than help Hayes, State Police authorities used their internal affairs investigation as "a mechanism" to stop the complaints about superiors and other troopers.
"Their real job is to whitewash things," Buckman said.
Buckman is recognized nationally for his role in exposing racial profiling on the New Jersey Turnpike, where minorities were disproportionately targeted for traffic stops and searches. He also went after the Lords of Discipline, a reputed secret society of state troopers who allegedly hazed others in their ranks. Though the state denied the group existed, it disciplined seven officers and settled harassment lawsuits that exceeded $1 million.
In her lawsuit, Hayes says she went to see the director of the State Police Employee Assistance Program, a confidential counseling service. Instead, the lawsuit said, she received a call from a lieutenant colonel, who told Hayes she "had to bear up with the imperfect conditions of the New Jersey State Police and go about her duties."
Eventually, Hayes went out on sick leave after suffering a "nervous breakdown," the lawsuit said.
But when she was involved in a car accident in October, the lawsuit said state police officials met her at a hospital and "refused to let (Hayes) obtain treatment until they forcibly extracted blood from her in an apparent effort to charge (Hayes) with intoxicated driving."
The lawsuit asks for an independent monitor of the State Police "in light of the outrageous and corrupt method by which the New Jersey State Police abuses its powers against its members, and then uses its internal affairs mechanisms to cover up those abuses."
Former Officer Antonio Loza Convicted of Drunk Driving
A former San Mateo police officer has been convicted of drunken driving for crashing into a woman's car after drinking with other off-duty officers at a party, a prosecutor said today.
Antonio Loza, 34, of Belmont entered a no-contest plea Monday before Judge Robert Foiles of San Mateo County Superior Court. Loza was convicted of a misdemeanor count of drunken driving causing injury, said Karen Guidotti, an assistant district attorney.
Loza could face up to 20 days in jail when he is sentenced Jan. 22.
Loza and other off-duty San Mateo officers were drinking at a party March 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City, Guidotti said. Loza "drank heavily" and drove off in his car for home, despite his friends' efforts to talk him out of it, authorities said.
Loza plowed into a woman's car while heading west on Highway 92 near Highway 101, Guidotti said. The woman suffered minor cuts and bruises, but her car was a total loss, authorities said.
An investigation by the California Highway Patrol determined that Loza's blood-alcohol level was 0.23 percent, nearly three times the .08 percent level that constitutes drunken driving, authorities said.
An attorney for Loza did not immediately respond to a request for comment today.
Loza was a San Mateo police officer from 2005 until March 12. Deputy Police Chief Mike Callagy declined to specify the manner in which Loza left the department.
Antonio Loza, 34, of Belmont entered a no-contest plea Monday before Judge Robert Foiles of San Mateo County Superior Court. Loza was convicted of a misdemeanor count of drunken driving causing injury, said Karen Guidotti, an assistant district attorney.
Loza could face up to 20 days in jail when he is sentenced Jan. 22.
Loza and other off-duty San Mateo officers were drinking at a party March 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City, Guidotti said. Loza "drank heavily" and drove off in his car for home, despite his friends' efforts to talk him out of it, authorities said.
Loza plowed into a woman's car while heading west on Highway 92 near Highway 101, Guidotti said. The woman suffered minor cuts and bruises, but her car was a total loss, authorities said.
An investigation by the California Highway Patrol determined that Loza's blood-alcohol level was 0.23 percent, nearly three times the .08 percent level that constitutes drunken driving, authorities said.
An attorney for Loza did not immediately respond to a request for comment today.
Loza was a San Mateo police officer from 2005 until March 12. Deputy Police Chief Mike Callagy declined to specify the manner in which Loza left the department.
Former Officer Joshua Mantello Found Guilty of Assaulting Intoxicated Man
A former North Adams police officer has been found guilty of assaulting an intoxicated man who was placed in police custody after defecating on a welcome mat last year.
Joshua N. Mantello, 30, will receive probation and a six-month jail term when he is sentenced Friday in Berkshire Superior Court. He is free on personal recognizance until then.
Mantello punched and choked Matthew D. Trombley, 29, then filed a false police report about the Nov. 28, 2008, incident in North Adams, according to prosecutors.
Mantello, an eight-year veteran of the North Adams Police Department, was fired by Mayor John Barrett III in March after a criminal investigation led to the officer's criminal indictment.
Trombley, a known heroin user, was highly intoxicated and covered in his own feces when Mantello and other North Adams officers tried to subdue him after a disturbance outside of a North Church Street apartment last year.
Trombley banged on people's doors and defecated on a welcome mat, and somehow wound up covered in his own waste, according to testimony in Mantello's weeklong Superior Court bench trial, which concluded Monday.
That's when Judge John A. Agostini found Mantello guilty of two counts of assault and battery and single counts of misleading a police officer and filing a false police report.
Agostini ordered Mantello to serve six months of a two-year sentence in the Berkshire
County Jail & House of Correction. The balance of that sentence will be suspended if Mantello stays out of trouble.
Mantello was found not guilty of one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon -- a stun gun.
Agostini agreed to a request by defense counsel Thomas Drechsler to delay sentencing until Friday, giving Mantello time to wrap up loose ends before he goes to jail.
Berkshire First Assistant District Attorney Paul J. Caccaviello recommended that Agostini consider sending Mantello to prison for up to four years, but the judge rejected that recommendation.
"I do not believe state prison would at all be appropriate in this case," Agostini said.
Mantello opted for a jury-waived trial, leaving his fate with Agostini, who acknowledged the trial was a "very, very difficult case."
Agostini said he did not believe Mantello went to work on Nov. 28, 2008, with the intent of injuring someone or committing a crime. But evidence presented during the trial showed that Trombley was heavily intoxicated and that Mantello used excessive force in subduing him.
Agostini said Trombley was confused, incoherent and uncooperative during the booking process at the North Adams Police Department. Nonetheless, Trombley's unruly behavior did not justify Mantello's harsh treatment, Agostini said.
Trombley's booking was videotaped, per departmental policy on all bookings, and highlights of that process were shown again during Monday's closing arguments.
"Each time I see it, I find it very disturbing," Agostini said of the videotape. "There seems to be no legitimate reason for these punches to be thrown."
The tape shows Mantello using foul language toward Trombley -- who is visibly intoxicated -- and pushing the man's head against the booking-room wall. The tape also shows Mantello striking Trombley three times, though Drechsler claimed the blows were delivered with the officer's palm -- not a closed fist.
The defense attorney said Trombley's screams were the tacticsof "a consummate faker," someone intent on causing a scene, while Caccaviello claimed they were the result of Trombley being "severely assaulted."
During the trial, Drechsler referred to Trombley as a "feces-encrusted" biohazard who was so dirty and disobedient that Mantello was the only officer courageous enough to subdue him.
Mantello was prompted to use force against Trombley after Trombley assaulted the officer, according to Drechsler. When the booking tape is played in slow motion, he said, it shows Trombley kick at Mantello.
As a result, Mantello can be heard telling Trombley that he would be charged with assaulting a police officer. Various charges lodged against Trombley were dropped after Mantello was criminally charged.
The prosecutor said Mantello engaged in "shading the facts" when he stated things in his police report that were not evident during the 15-minute booking video.
Caccaviello used a book-vs.-movie analogy, claiming the movie version of events (the videotape) bore no resemblance to the book version of events (Mantello's written report). The incidents described in Mantello's report simply did not match the video evidence, Caccaviello said.
Drechsler claimed that Trombley -- who has virtually no recollection of the events due to his level of intoxication -- was not seriously injured in the incident.
Rather, he said, it was Mantello who risked injury when he attempted to control an unruly subject covered in bodily fluids that posed a health threat, including the possible transmission of Hepatitis C or HIV.
The government's attempt to turn Trombley into "some sort of a hero" is antithetical to who he really was -- a drug user with a criminal past, Drechsler said.
Drechsler insisted that Trombley upped the ante by continually refusing to comply with police orders, while Mantello attempted to defuse the tense situation.
"Somebody had to do something, and Josh Mantello was the only one who did something," Drechsler said, noting that another officer was overcome by Trombley's stench and had to desert his post to vomit.
Caccaviello did not attempt to sugar-coat Trombley's character, but said Mantello exacerbated matters by screaming obscenities at Trombley, who appeared relatively docile in the booking tape.
"I'm not saying [Trombley's] an angel," Caccaviello said. "But it's the defendant who's the professional."
The tape contains no evidence of Trombley hitting, punching, kicking or spitting at Mantello, who deliberately falsified his written report to cover up his wrongdoing, Caccaviello said.
"He had to mislead his superiors," Caccaviello said.
Joshua N. Mantello, 30, will receive probation and a six-month jail term when he is sentenced Friday in Berkshire Superior Court. He is free on personal recognizance until then.
Mantello punched and choked Matthew D. Trombley, 29, then filed a false police report about the Nov. 28, 2008, incident in North Adams, according to prosecutors.
Mantello, an eight-year veteran of the North Adams Police Department, was fired by Mayor John Barrett III in March after a criminal investigation led to the officer's criminal indictment.
Trombley, a known heroin user, was highly intoxicated and covered in his own feces when Mantello and other North Adams officers tried to subdue him after a disturbance outside of a North Church Street apartment last year.
Trombley banged on people's doors and defecated on a welcome mat, and somehow wound up covered in his own waste, according to testimony in Mantello's weeklong Superior Court bench trial, which concluded Monday.
That's when Judge John A. Agostini found Mantello guilty of two counts of assault and battery and single counts of misleading a police officer and filing a false police report.
Agostini ordered Mantello to serve six months of a two-year sentence in the Berkshire
County Jail & House of Correction. The balance of that sentence will be suspended if Mantello stays out of trouble.
Mantello was found not guilty of one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon -- a stun gun.
Agostini agreed to a request by defense counsel Thomas Drechsler to delay sentencing until Friday, giving Mantello time to wrap up loose ends before he goes to jail.
Berkshire First Assistant District Attorney Paul J. Caccaviello recommended that Agostini consider sending Mantello to prison for up to four years, but the judge rejected that recommendation.
"I do not believe state prison would at all be appropriate in this case," Agostini said.
Mantello opted for a jury-waived trial, leaving his fate with Agostini, who acknowledged the trial was a "very, very difficult case."
Agostini said he did not believe Mantello went to work on Nov. 28, 2008, with the intent of injuring someone or committing a crime. But evidence presented during the trial showed that Trombley was heavily intoxicated and that Mantello used excessive force in subduing him.
Agostini said Trombley was confused, incoherent and uncooperative during the booking process at the North Adams Police Department. Nonetheless, Trombley's unruly behavior did not justify Mantello's harsh treatment, Agostini said.
Trombley's booking was videotaped, per departmental policy on all bookings, and highlights of that process were shown again during Monday's closing arguments.
"Each time I see it, I find it very disturbing," Agostini said of the videotape. "There seems to be no legitimate reason for these punches to be thrown."
The tape shows Mantello using foul language toward Trombley -- who is visibly intoxicated -- and pushing the man's head against the booking-room wall. The tape also shows Mantello striking Trombley three times, though Drechsler claimed the blows were delivered with the officer's palm -- not a closed fist.
The defense attorney said Trombley's screams were the tacticsof "a consummate faker," someone intent on causing a scene, while Caccaviello claimed they were the result of Trombley being "severely assaulted."
During the trial, Drechsler referred to Trombley as a "feces-encrusted" biohazard who was so dirty and disobedient that Mantello was the only officer courageous enough to subdue him.
Mantello was prompted to use force against Trombley after Trombley assaulted the officer, according to Drechsler. When the booking tape is played in slow motion, he said, it shows Trombley kick at Mantello.
As a result, Mantello can be heard telling Trombley that he would be charged with assaulting a police officer. Various charges lodged against Trombley were dropped after Mantello was criminally charged.
The prosecutor said Mantello engaged in "shading the facts" when he stated things in his police report that were not evident during the 15-minute booking video.
Caccaviello used a book-vs.-movie analogy, claiming the movie version of events (the videotape) bore no resemblance to the book version of events (Mantello's written report). The incidents described in Mantello's report simply did not match the video evidence, Caccaviello said.
Drechsler claimed that Trombley -- who has virtually no recollection of the events due to his level of intoxication -- was not seriously injured in the incident.
Rather, he said, it was Mantello who risked injury when he attempted to control an unruly subject covered in bodily fluids that posed a health threat, including the possible transmission of Hepatitis C or HIV.
The government's attempt to turn Trombley into "some sort of a hero" is antithetical to who he really was -- a drug user with a criminal past, Drechsler said.
Drechsler insisted that Trombley upped the ante by continually refusing to comply with police orders, while Mantello attempted to defuse the tense situation.
"Somebody had to do something, and Josh Mantello was the only one who did something," Drechsler said, noting that another officer was overcome by Trombley's stench and had to desert his post to vomit.
Caccaviello did not attempt to sugar-coat Trombley's character, but said Mantello exacerbated matters by screaming obscenities at Trombley, who appeared relatively docile in the booking tape.
"I'm not saying [Trombley's] an angel," Caccaviello said. "But it's the defendant who's the professional."
The tape contains no evidence of Trombley hitting, punching, kicking or spitting at Mantello, who deliberately falsified his written report to cover up his wrongdoing, Caccaviello said.
"He had to mislead his superiors," Caccaviello said.
Deputy John Harvey Pleads No Contest to Reckless Driving
A Volusia County Deputy has pleaded no contest to reckless driving in an August crash.
Arrest reports say 51-year-old John Harvey struck a South Daytona patrol car and told an officer he had "a lot" to drink. He was charged with driving under the influence, refusing to take an alcohol breath test, careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
Court records show he pleaded no contest in November to a reduced charge of reckless driving. Other charges were dismissed.
Harvey's attorney told the Daytona Beach News-Journal the arrest report shows confusion between his client and the arresting officers about Harvey's status as a law enforcement officer and Harvey's attempt to disclose he had a firearm.
The sheriff's office is conducting an internal investigation.
Arrest reports say 51-year-old John Harvey struck a South Daytona patrol car and told an officer he had "a lot" to drink. He was charged with driving under the influence, refusing to take an alcohol breath test, careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
Court records show he pleaded no contest in November to a reduced charge of reckless driving. Other charges were dismissed.
Harvey's attorney told the Daytona Beach News-Journal the arrest report shows confusion between his client and the arresting officers about Harvey's status as a law enforcement officer and Harvey's attempt to disclose he had a firearm.
The sheriff's office is conducting an internal investigation.
Trial Date Reset for Officer John Deegan Charged with Possessing Child Porn
Trial was postponed Tuesday for a veteran LAPD officer and Long Beach resident charged with possessing child pornography.
John Deegan, 54, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of possession of child pornography, will return to federal court March 16 when his new trial date is scheduled, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the United States Attorney's Office.
Charged with Deegan was his 27-year-old son, Jonathon Deegan, who pleaded guilty to the same counts last month and who was immediately taken into custody.
Federal investigators first came to suspect the younger Deegan - who had no previous criminal history - of trading pornographic pictures and videos on the Internet, according to court documents.
When FBI agents served a search warrant at the Long Beach home he shared with his father, they found 600 images on his computer of children, some as young as 4 years old, involved in sex acts with adults. They also found alleged child pornography on his father's computer, court documents show.
Father and son turned themselves in to authorities Oct. 5 and were released on $10,000 bond each.
The elder Deegan - a 22-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department - was placed on administrative leave in March when the department was notified of the FBI's investigation. He had been assigned to the Central Division's Patrol Unit, LAPD officials said.
If the elder Deegan is convicted, he faces the possibility of up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, plus lifetime supervised release and having to register as sex offenders. His son faces a similar sentence.
FBI investigators were able to identify some of the children, none of whom are local, and although the Deegans are not suspected of contacting the children, federal prosecutors are also seeking $1 million in restitution for the victims.
The younger Deegan is scheduled to return to federal court for sentencing April 26.
The elder Deegan remains free on bail as he awaits his trial.
John Deegan, 54, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of possession of child pornography, will return to federal court March 16 when his new trial date is scheduled, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the United States Attorney's Office.
Charged with Deegan was his 27-year-old son, Jonathon Deegan, who pleaded guilty to the same counts last month and who was immediately taken into custody.
Federal investigators first came to suspect the younger Deegan - who had no previous criminal history - of trading pornographic pictures and videos on the Internet, according to court documents.
When FBI agents served a search warrant at the Long Beach home he shared with his father, they found 600 images on his computer of children, some as young as 4 years old, involved in sex acts with adults. They also found alleged child pornography on his father's computer, court documents show.
Father and son turned themselves in to authorities Oct. 5 and were released on $10,000 bond each.
The elder Deegan - a 22-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department - was placed on administrative leave in March when the department was notified of the FBI's investigation. He had been assigned to the Central Division's Patrol Unit, LAPD officials said.
If the elder Deegan is convicted, he faces the possibility of up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, plus lifetime supervised release and having to register as sex offenders. His son faces a similar sentence.
FBI investigators were able to identify some of the children, none of whom are local, and although the Deegans are not suspected of contacting the children, federal prosecutors are also seeking $1 million in restitution for the victims.
The younger Deegan is scheduled to return to federal court for sentencing April 26.
The elder Deegan remains free on bail as he awaits his trial.
Former Officer Randy Anderson Sentenced for Pointing Weapon at Singer Steve Holy
A former Dallas police officer who pointed a gun at country music singer Steve Holy during an off-duty night of drinking is going to jail for 45 days.
Randy Anderson, 27, was sentenced Wednesday as part of a deferred adjudication probation. He won't have a conviction if he successfully completes his probation for aggravated assault. Anderson and his attorney declined to comment.
Another former officer was charged aggravated assault but his trial date has not been set.
The confrontation occurred in 2007, after Holy invited the officers to his home after a nearby bar closed. An argument ensued and Anderson pulled the gun. Anderson testified at trial that he only pulled his gun after Holy acted aggressively.
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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com
Randy Anderson, 27, was sentenced Wednesday as part of a deferred adjudication probation. He won't have a conviction if he successfully completes his probation for aggravated assault. Anderson and his attorney declined to comment.
Another former officer was charged aggravated assault but his trial date has not been set.
The confrontation occurred in 2007, after Holy invited the officers to his home after a nearby bar closed. An argument ensued and Anderson pulled the gun. Anderson testified at trial that he only pulled his gun after Holy acted aggressively.
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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com
Former Officer Robert Forman Accused of Using Badge to Get Sex
Robert Forman said the incident was mutual and denied being sexually involved with two other accusers.
Forman is charged with three felonies, including sexual battery and oral copulation under the color of authority. If convicted, he could face up to 19 years in prison.
Forman described himself as a good cop while testifying in his own defense, but said he had violated certain Riverside Police Department policies, becoming complacent and lazy. At times, he failed to record interviews and to inform the station of his whereabouts. He paid one of his accusers $10 for information about drug activity in Riverside, pulling the money from his personal bank account.
He said he had oral sex with a woman shortly after investigating her for a crime, and he gave his personal cell phone number to people while on duty, including one of his accusers.
Forman cried on the witness stand, saying the situation had been a learning experience and had cost him his career, damaged the reputation of the department and hurt his family.
"I know how it looks," Forman said. "This is my time to tell what happened, so I'm here today telling you exactly what happened."
The officer of 11 years said he was not proud of his conduct but that he did not use his badge for sexual favors.
He explained that one prostitute was in his patrol car because he was giving her a ride. He denied helping the same woman steal $100 from one of her clients when she got into Forman's patrol car after failing to perform a sex act on the client.
Forman testified that when investigating a possible check fraud case in April 2008, he returned to the home where the operation was allegedly taking place without telling a fellow officer he was training.
"She asked if I'd come back and help her get these people out of here," Forman said. He cleared the home and looked in the bedroom closet to see if anyone was inside.
"She told me that it was a fantasy of hers, that she always wanted to be with a police officer in a sexual nature," Forman said.
Forman said the woman then led him to the bed and sat him down and began to have oral sex with him.
"She walked me outside and said that next time I came back, she wants to have sex with me," Forman testified.
The woman told investigators that Forman demanded sex from her or she would be arrested.
Forman is expected to continue testifying today.
Officer Jason Bandy Arrested for Urinating on Bar Floor
Jason Bandy was charged with second-degree breach of peace, interfering with an officer and disorderly conduct.
New Haven Police's Internal Affairs division is also investigating this incident. Bandy is currently on administrative duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
"The New Haven Police Department takes any incident involving possible misconduct by an officer very seriously as we expect officers to serve as role models to the community," Chief James Lewis said.
Bandy allegedly refused to leave the Center Street Lounge on Oct. 30. Police say he urinated in the floor in front of a female bouncer and later showed his badge and said, "Do you know who I am?"
Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT03mSlHfyA
Officer Adam Stoddard Ordered to Jail
A Maricopa County Sheriff's detention officer ordered to report to jail on Tuesday is now in custody, according to officials.
MCSO spokesperson Douglas Matteson said Detention Officer Adam Stoddard self-surrendered at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday and is now in a MCSO jail.
A judge had ordered Stoddard to apologize to a Phoenix attorney Monday night to avoid jail time, but he refused.
Stoddard was found in contempt of court for walking up to an attorney's desk in a Phoenix courtroom and removing a document from files sitting on the desk.
"My officer will go to jail; we'll appeal it," Arpaio said on Tuesday afternoon. "I'm very angry about this."
Stoddard had until midnight to report to the jail; otherwise, a warrant was expected to be issued for his arrest.
"For political reasons, he was thrown to the wolves," Arpaio added.
On Monday night, Stoddard spoke with the media, clarifying his motivation in the October 19 incident.
I am Maricopa County Detention Officer Adam Stoddard. I work in the Court Security Division of the Sheriff’s Office and have been with the Sheriff’s Office for five years.
Recently, Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered me to hold a press conference to publicly apologize for doing the job I have been trained to do.
Part of my job in providing security to the court is to inspect documents brought into the courtroom. On October 19th, I saw a document that I had not yet screened, and that raised security concerns. I retrieved that document in plain sight and had court personnel copy it to preserve it as evidence in case it was a security breach.
It was a split second decision and I do not regret my actions.
Judge Donahoe has ordered me to feel something I do not and say something I cannot. I cannot apologize for putting court safety first.
The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie.
Courtroom video recorded Stoddard's actions during the sentencing of an inmate in October.
In the video, you can see Stoddard walk up behind the public defender and touch her paperwork.
About 30 seconds later, Stoddard calls another officer over and takes a piece of paper.
You can hear the public defender, Joanne Cuccia, say in confusion, "Would you excuse me for a moment?"
That's when Cuccia starts defending herself saying all of the paperwork she got from her client was through jail mail.
"I want to know what they took and what's going on," Cuccia says.
Several times, you can hear the judge asking what happened.
"But you don't get to do that," Cuccia says.
Stoddard had until Monday to comply with a judge's orders.
Cuccia was at the courthouse Monday night as Stoddard read his statement to the media.
With her attorney, Craig Mehrens at her side, Cuccia expressed her shock that Stoddard didn't apologize for his actions.
"I was surprised," said Cuccia. "We came down here for an apology and we didn't get that, what are going to do?" Cuccia said before she was escorted from the media by Mehrens.
Stoddard was required to report to jail on December 1 unless the conditions set by the judge were met.
Those conditions were:
1) On or before November 30th, 2009, at a time convenient for Ms. Cuccia, a news conference to take place in the plaza on the north side of the central court building where he is to give Ms. Cuccia a sincere verbal and written apology for invading her defense file and for the damage that his conduct may have caused to her professional reputation.
2) If at the news conference, Ms. Cuccia does not state that the apology is sufficient, Stoddard will report to the jail on December 1, 2009 and be detained until further order upon a finding that he has complied with the purge clause.
"She's going to decide if Officer Stoddard is going to go to jail on December 1st? You know what? That's nuts. That's absolutely nuts," said deputy county attorney Tom Liddy.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio responded to the ruling on November 18, saying Superior Court judges do not order his staff to hold press conferences.
"I decide who holds press conferences and when they are held regarding this Sheriff’s Office," Arpaio said. "My officer was doing his job and I will not stand by and allow him to be thrown to the wolves by the courts because they feel pressure from the media on this situation."
Earlier this month, Stoddard explained to a judge why he took the document.
The deputy said four key words on the paperwork made him decide to take it and make copies.
He said the words were 'going to,' 'steal' and 'money.'
The deputy also said he decided to take the paperwork because he hadn't had a chance to search it before the trial.
In a written statement, MCSO officials earlier said their officers have the right to search for contraband.
But the video reveals that the only thing taken was paperwork.
MCSO spokesperson Douglas Matteson said Detention Officer Adam Stoddard self-surrendered at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday and is now in a MCSO jail.
A judge had ordered Stoddard to apologize to a Phoenix attorney Monday night to avoid jail time, but he refused.
Stoddard was found in contempt of court for walking up to an attorney's desk in a Phoenix courtroom and removing a document from files sitting on the desk.
"My officer will go to jail; we'll appeal it," Arpaio said on Tuesday afternoon. "I'm very angry about this."
Stoddard had until midnight to report to the jail; otherwise, a warrant was expected to be issued for his arrest.
"For political reasons, he was thrown to the wolves," Arpaio added.
On Monday night, Stoddard spoke with the media, clarifying his motivation in the October 19 incident.
I am Maricopa County Detention Officer Adam Stoddard. I work in the Court Security Division of the Sheriff’s Office and have been with the Sheriff’s Office for five years.
Recently, Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered me to hold a press conference to publicly apologize for doing the job I have been trained to do.
Part of my job in providing security to the court is to inspect documents brought into the courtroom. On October 19th, I saw a document that I had not yet screened, and that raised security concerns. I retrieved that document in plain sight and had court personnel copy it to preserve it as evidence in case it was a security breach.
It was a split second decision and I do not regret my actions.
Judge Donahoe has ordered me to feel something I do not and say something I cannot. I cannot apologize for putting court safety first.
The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie.
Courtroom video recorded Stoddard's actions during the sentencing of an inmate in October.
In the video, you can see Stoddard walk up behind the public defender and touch her paperwork.
About 30 seconds later, Stoddard calls another officer over and takes a piece of paper.
You can hear the public defender, Joanne Cuccia, say in confusion, "Would you excuse me for a moment?"
That's when Cuccia starts defending herself saying all of the paperwork she got from her client was through jail mail.
"I want to know what they took and what's going on," Cuccia says.
Several times, you can hear the judge asking what happened.
"But you don't get to do that," Cuccia says.
Stoddard had until Monday to comply with a judge's orders.
Cuccia was at the courthouse Monday night as Stoddard read his statement to the media.
With her attorney, Craig Mehrens at her side, Cuccia expressed her shock that Stoddard didn't apologize for his actions.
"I was surprised," said Cuccia. "We came down here for an apology and we didn't get that, what are going to do?" Cuccia said before she was escorted from the media by Mehrens.
Stoddard was required to report to jail on December 1 unless the conditions set by the judge were met.
Those conditions were:
1) On or before November 30th, 2009, at a time convenient for Ms. Cuccia, a news conference to take place in the plaza on the north side of the central court building where he is to give Ms. Cuccia a sincere verbal and written apology for invading her defense file and for the damage that his conduct may have caused to her professional reputation.
2) If at the news conference, Ms. Cuccia does not state that the apology is sufficient, Stoddard will report to the jail on December 1, 2009 and be detained until further order upon a finding that he has complied with the purge clause.
"She's going to decide if Officer Stoddard is going to go to jail on December 1st? You know what? That's nuts. That's absolutely nuts," said deputy county attorney Tom Liddy.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio responded to the ruling on November 18, saying Superior Court judges do not order his staff to hold press conferences.
"I decide who holds press conferences and when they are held regarding this Sheriff’s Office," Arpaio said. "My officer was doing his job and I will not stand by and allow him to be thrown to the wolves by the courts because they feel pressure from the media on this situation."
Earlier this month, Stoddard explained to a judge why he took the document.
The deputy said four key words on the paperwork made him decide to take it and make copies.
He said the words were 'going to,' 'steal' and 'money.'
The deputy also said he decided to take the paperwork because he hadn't had a chance to search it before the trial.
In a written statement, MCSO officials earlier said their officers have the right to search for contraband.
But the video reveals that the only thing taken was paperwork.
Rookie Deputy Arturo Ramirez Arrested for Domestic Violence
A rookie Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy is on paid administrative leave after he was arrested Sunday on a misdemeanor battery charge, authorities confirmed today.
Arturo Ramirez, 21, was booked after deputies responded around 5:30 a.m. Sunday to Ramirez's Lake Park home for a report of domestic violence between him, his wife, and his wife's friend, sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said today.
Ramirez left jail 1-1/2 hours later on supervised release, records show.
The deputy was hired in January, Barbera said.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Officer David Seaton Indicted for Manslaughter
A former San Antonio police officer involved in a high-speed wreck last year that killed a colleague has been indicted on manslaughter and aggravated assault charges.
David Seaton, 44, could face up to life in prison if convicted of either of the felony offenses — a stark contrast to the maximum 10-year sentence he faced last month before rescinding a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Seaton rescinded his no contest plea Nov. 12, the day he was scheduled to be sentenced on the manslaughter charge in connection with Officer Robert Davis' death.
State District Judge Sid Harle granted Seaton's last-minute request to back out of the plea agreement, saying he would allow it because the former officer's case had not yet been reviewed by a grand jury.
On Monday, a grand jury returned the indictments against Seaton, who remained free on bail Tuesday afternoon. The aggravated assault charge stems from serious injuries motorist Darrell Lampkin suffered in the Nov. 28, 2008, crash. Seaton is expected to again surrender to authorities now that he has been indicted.
Both felonies are generally punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but because Seaton was an officer when the crash occurred, the maximum possible punishment range was enhanced to 99 years or life in prison.
Tuesday marked one year since Davis' death. The rookie officer suffered massive head injuries and was taken off life support three days after being struck on Potranco Road at Hunt Lane, where he had been working an unrelated accident.
Investigators believed Seaton was driving more than 100 mph without his overhead lights on when he was responding to a low-priority shoplifting call, according to the San Antonio Police Department. The Police Department recommended to the district attorney's office last December that he be charged with manslaughter.
The indictment and its enhanced sentence range should not come as a surprise to Seaton, said Adriana Biggs, chief of the district attorney's white-collar crimes division.
“We thought these were the appropriate charges to put before the grand jury,” she said. “Now it's up to the trial jury.”
Defense attorney Jay Norton on Tuesday said he still holds out hope his client can reach another plea agreement with prosecutors given the uncertainty of a jury trial.
Prosecutors previously said a plea agreement is still feasible, but the terms wouldn't get better than what Seaton has been offered. Norton declined to comment on what changes Seaton might seek, or why the original agreement became untenable.
Ultimately, he said, his client is ready to place his fate in the hands of jurors if necessary.
“It's not like he walked away from it unscathed,” Norton said of the wreck, pointing out that Seaton is still undergoing physical therapy for his injuries. “It's a tragic situation all around.”
David Seaton, 44, could face up to life in prison if convicted of either of the felony offenses — a stark contrast to the maximum 10-year sentence he faced last month before rescinding a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Seaton rescinded his no contest plea Nov. 12, the day he was scheduled to be sentenced on the manslaughter charge in connection with Officer Robert Davis' death.
State District Judge Sid Harle granted Seaton's last-minute request to back out of the plea agreement, saying he would allow it because the former officer's case had not yet been reviewed by a grand jury.
On Monday, a grand jury returned the indictments against Seaton, who remained free on bail Tuesday afternoon. The aggravated assault charge stems from serious injuries motorist Darrell Lampkin suffered in the Nov. 28, 2008, crash. Seaton is expected to again surrender to authorities now that he has been indicted.
Both felonies are generally punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but because Seaton was an officer when the crash occurred, the maximum possible punishment range was enhanced to 99 years or life in prison.
Tuesday marked one year since Davis' death. The rookie officer suffered massive head injuries and was taken off life support three days after being struck on Potranco Road at Hunt Lane, where he had been working an unrelated accident.
Investigators believed Seaton was driving more than 100 mph without his overhead lights on when he was responding to a low-priority shoplifting call, according to the San Antonio Police Department. The Police Department recommended to the district attorney's office last December that he be charged with manslaughter.
The indictment and its enhanced sentence range should not come as a surprise to Seaton, said Adriana Biggs, chief of the district attorney's white-collar crimes division.
“We thought these were the appropriate charges to put before the grand jury,” she said. “Now it's up to the trial jury.”
Defense attorney Jay Norton on Tuesday said he still holds out hope his client can reach another plea agreement with prosecutors given the uncertainty of a jury trial.
Prosecutors previously said a plea agreement is still feasible, but the terms wouldn't get better than what Seaton has been offered. Norton declined to comment on what changes Seaton might seek, or why the original agreement became untenable.
Ultimately, he said, his client is ready to place his fate in the hands of jurors if necessary.
“It's not like he walked away from it unscathed,” Norton said of the wreck, pointing out that Seaton is still undergoing physical therapy for his injuries. “It's a tragic situation all around.”
Former Officer Brad Boyd Arrested for Doctor Shopping
A former Williamsburg Police Department officer is behind bars following an arrest Monday evening.
Kentucky State Police officers arrested former officer Brad A. Boyd. The 45-year-old had a warrant for his arrest in connection to an investigation performed by another police agency. A source explained that Boyd was being investigated for doctor shopping.
The only official record available as of press deadline Monday night indicates that Boyd was arrested by Trooper Mike Witt, who was serving an arrest warrant for another agency. The source, however, said that Boyd will likely be charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit. The source could not speculate as to how many counts of the offense Boyd will face. Also according to the source, the investigation was performed by the Kentucky Inspector General’s Office.
Chief Wayne Bird of the Williamsburg Police Department confirmed that Boyd resigned as an officer sometime in May, but he could not provide an exact date for Boyd’s resignation. Bird could not comment on the circumstances surrounding Boyd’s resignation, but he indicated that more details may be available within the next few days.
Kentucky State Police officers arrested former officer Brad A. Boyd. The 45-year-old had a warrant for his arrest in connection to an investigation performed by another police agency. A source explained that Boyd was being investigated for doctor shopping.
The only official record available as of press deadline Monday night indicates that Boyd was arrested by Trooper Mike Witt, who was serving an arrest warrant for another agency. The source, however, said that Boyd will likely be charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit. The source could not speculate as to how many counts of the offense Boyd will face. Also according to the source, the investigation was performed by the Kentucky Inspector General’s Office.
Chief Wayne Bird of the Williamsburg Police Department confirmed that Boyd resigned as an officer sometime in May, but he could not provide an exact date for Boyd’s resignation. Bird could not comment on the circumstances surrounding Boyd’s resignation, but he indicated that more details may be available within the next few days.
Officer Latrenta Grayson Charged with Aggravated Assault
A Paterson police officer Tuesday was charged in an indictment with official misconduct and aggravated assault in connection with her shooting a man who got into a fight with her boyfriend in her home.
Police Officer Latrenta Grayson, 32, of Paterson, had obtained a restraining order on Feb. 6, 2009, barring 30-year-old Albert Mullings of Teaneck from her residence, according to officials. Mullings allegedly entered Grayson’s home at 238 Wall Ave. through a rear bathroom window at about 2:10 a.m. on Aug. 24, 2009. Once inside, he threatened to kill and then assaulted Grayson’s boyfriend, Anthony Spruil, authorities allege. A subsequent confrontation near Wall and 15th avenues led to Grayson firing two shots at Mullings, hitting him once in his right arm, according to officials.
Prosecutors say Grayson falsely reported the circumstances leading up to the shooting when giving her initial account to Paterson patrol officers, in her official report filed several days later and in a follow-up interview conducted by detectives from the Passaic County’s Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities say they found that Grayson was not justified at firing the two shots at Mullings in trying to protect herself or Spruill under state Attorney General’s Office guidelines on appropriate use of force by a police officer.
Mullings is also charged in the indictment with contempt of court in connection with violation of the restraining order, burglary and terroristic threats.
Officials did not offer further details of the case Tuesday. Grayson and Mullings, or their representatives, could not immediately be reached for comment nor could it be immediately confirmed what Grayson’s status is on the force.
Police Officer Latrenta Grayson, 32, of Paterson, had obtained a restraining order on Feb. 6, 2009, barring 30-year-old Albert Mullings of Teaneck from her residence, according to officials. Mullings allegedly entered Grayson’s home at 238 Wall Ave. through a rear bathroom window at about 2:10 a.m. on Aug. 24, 2009. Once inside, he threatened to kill and then assaulted Grayson’s boyfriend, Anthony Spruil, authorities allege. A subsequent confrontation near Wall and 15th avenues led to Grayson firing two shots at Mullings, hitting him once in his right arm, according to officials.
Prosecutors say Grayson falsely reported the circumstances leading up to the shooting when giving her initial account to Paterson patrol officers, in her official report filed several days later and in a follow-up interview conducted by detectives from the Passaic County’s Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities say they found that Grayson was not justified at firing the two shots at Mullings in trying to protect herself or Spruill under state Attorney General’s Office guidelines on appropriate use of force by a police officer.
Mullings is also charged in the indictment with contempt of court in connection with violation of the restraining order, burglary and terroristic threats.
Officials did not offer further details of the case Tuesday. Grayson and Mullings, or their representatives, could not immediately be reached for comment nor could it be immediately confirmed what Grayson’s status is on the force.
Officer Brian Ditmore Shoots Brother-in-law Then Turns Gun on Himself
An off-duty policeman shot his brother-in-law Thanksgiving Day and then turned the gun on himself, authorities say.
Members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol's tactical team late Thursday found Mangum police officer Brian Ditmore dead inside his home in the 900 block of W Tyler, said Jessica Brown, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman.
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Brown said it appears Ditmore, 37, shot himself in the chest after wounding his brother-in-law, Mangum Fire Chief Fred Willis, 41. The investigation is ongoing, she said.
About 2:30 p.m. someone in the home reported a domestic dispute between Ditmore and his wife. Police responded, along with Willis who lives nearby, Brown said.
"When police arrived Mr. Willis was stumbling out of the house, injured from a gunshot wound to the stomach," Brown said.
"A few minutes later there was a single gunshot from inside the house."
Brown said officers tried for several hours to communicate with Ditmore. They later sent an OHP robot into home and determined it was safe to enter, she said.
Willis was listed in fair condition Friday after getting surgery at Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus.
Members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol's tactical team late Thursday found Mangum police officer Brian Ditmore dead inside his home in the 900 block of W Tyler, said Jessica Brown, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman.
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Brown said it appears Ditmore, 37, shot himself in the chest after wounding his brother-in-law, Mangum Fire Chief Fred Willis, 41. The investigation is ongoing, she said.
About 2:30 p.m. someone in the home reported a domestic dispute between Ditmore and his wife. Police responded, along with Willis who lives nearby, Brown said.
"When police arrived Mr. Willis was stumbling out of the house, injured from a gunshot wound to the stomach," Brown said.
"A few minutes later there was a single gunshot from inside the house."
Brown said officers tried for several hours to communicate with Ditmore. They later sent an OHP robot into home and determined it was safe to enter, she said.
Willis was listed in fair condition Friday after getting surgery at Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus.
Officer Shawn Parra Arrested for Drunk Driving
Another Toledo police officer has been arrested for drunken driving, marking the third such offence in the past two months.
Officer Shawn Parra, 35, was cited by Toledo Police on Thanksgiving Day for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Authorities say Parra was involved in a hit and run crash early Thursday morning. Police reports indicate the off-duty officer was driving a Jeep Cherokee south on Tremainsville Rd. when he struck a utility pole before fleeing the scene.
Parra has been charged with OVI, failure to control a vehicle and failure to stop after an accident.
Officer Shawn Parra, 35, was cited by Toledo Police on Thanksgiving Day for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Authorities say Parra was involved in a hit and run crash early Thursday morning. Police reports indicate the off-duty officer was driving a Jeep Cherokee south on Tremainsville Rd. when he struck a utility pole before fleeing the scene.
Parra has been charged with OVI, failure to control a vehicle and failure to stop after an accident.
Officer Kyle Zumbrunn Sentenced to Prison for Selling Drugs
A former Weston, Mo. police officer was sentenced to prison for selling drugs in Atchison.
Kyle Zumbrunn will serve the 15 months in state prison for distribution of a controlled substance and eight months concurrently for illegal use of a telephone.
Zumbrunn was arrested Sept. 22 after he sold 80 pills containing a controlled substance to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation undercover agent in Atchison. The 26-year-old Zumbrunn pleaded guilty.
Atchison County Attorney Gerald Kuckelman agreed with defense attorney's request for probation. But District Judge Martin Asher said he could not disregard the fact that Zumbrunn was a police officer when he committed the crime and said he deserved prison time.
Kyle Zumbrunn will serve the 15 months in state prison for distribution of a controlled substance and eight months concurrently for illegal use of a telephone.
Zumbrunn was arrested Sept. 22 after he sold 80 pills containing a controlled substance to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation undercover agent in Atchison. The 26-year-old Zumbrunn pleaded guilty.
Atchison County Attorney Gerald Kuckelman agreed with defense attorney's request for probation. But District Judge Martin Asher said he could not disregard the fact that Zumbrunn was a police officer when he committed the crime and said he deserved prison time.
Officer Bryan Spiotti Acused of Hitting Suspect Gets Deal for Lesser Charge
The Wolcott police officer accused of hitting a suspected drunk driver has worked out a deal for a lesser charge.
Officer Bryan Spiotti said he stands behind how he handled the events inside of the Wolcott Police holding cell the night he arrested Glenn Pelletier in January for drunk driving.
Spiotti was arrested after prosecutors watched a surveillance tape of the assault, but Monday in court, Spiotti pleaded to a lesser disorderly conduct charge.
The state's attorney said that what happened in the holding cell was criminal, but after talking to Pelletier, the decision was made to work out a plea agreement because he was not looking to press charges.
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Officer Bryan Spiotti said he stands behind how he handled the events inside of the Wolcott Police holding cell the night he arrested Glenn Pelletier in January for drunk driving.
Spiotti was arrested after prosecutors watched a surveillance tape of the assault, but Monday in court, Spiotti pleaded to a lesser disorderly conduct charge.
The state's attorney said that what happened in the holding cell was criminal, but after talking to Pelletier, the decision was made to work out a plea agreement because he was not looking to press charges.
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Former Officer Kyle Zumbrunn Going to Prison
A former Weston, Mo., police officer will go to prison for selling drugs in Atchison.
With his attorney, J. David Farris, beside him, Kyle Zumbrunn appeared in court Monday for sentencing before District Judge Martin Asher. Mr. Farris had two rows of witnesses sitting in the courtroom ready to testify on behalf of his client.
On Sept. 22, Mr. Zumbrunn sold 80 pills containing a controlled substance to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation undercover agent at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Atchison. Mr. Zumbrunn pleaded guilty.
Sgt. Kerry Stone, a detective with the Atchison Police Department, testified that Mr. Zumbrunn, 26, is serving his punishment every day and said he believed that probation was appropriate.
Mr. Farris told the judge that others would testify to the same thing.
The KBI agent involved in the case told Gerald Kuckelman, Atchison County attorney, that the drug deal was a fluke and Mr. Zumbrunn didn’t even know the drugs’ street value.
Mr. Kuckelman said Mr. Zumbrunn was no risk to the community and agreed with the defense’s probation recommendation.
The defendant spoke briefly before sentencing, saying he didn’t really know why he tried to sell the pills but took responsibility for his actions.
Mr. Asher had other thoughts. The judge told the packed courtroom that this was the most difficult sentencing decision he’d had to make. The defendant lost his job, his career and put shame on himself, Mr. Asher said.
“And your actions show a complete disregard for community safety,” he said.
The crime wasn’t an impulse, but something you thought about, Mr. Asher said.
“The court struggles with the fact that you were a law enforcement officer and can’t overlook that,” he said. “The appearance of justice has to apply equally ... It can’t be a two-tiered system.”
Mr. Zumbrunn will serve 15 months in state prison on the charge of distribution of a controlled substance and eight months concurrently on a second charge of illegal use of a telephone.
The pronouncement of sentence ended quiet in the courtroom as women started weeping. Atchison County Sheriff John Calhoon took custody of Mr. Zumbrunn and removed him.
Mr. Zumbrunn’s arrest led to Greg Hoffman, Weston’s mayor, asking the Platte County Sheriff’s Department to investigate police procedures for handling evidence. Three detectives are handling that investigation and the Weston Police Department’s evidence locker was seized. No date has been announced for completion of the investigation.
With his attorney, J. David Farris, beside him, Kyle Zumbrunn appeared in court Monday for sentencing before District Judge Martin Asher. Mr. Farris had two rows of witnesses sitting in the courtroom ready to testify on behalf of his client.
On Sept. 22, Mr. Zumbrunn sold 80 pills containing a controlled substance to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation undercover agent at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Atchison. Mr. Zumbrunn pleaded guilty.
Sgt. Kerry Stone, a detective with the Atchison Police Department, testified that Mr. Zumbrunn, 26, is serving his punishment every day and said he believed that probation was appropriate.
Mr. Farris told the judge that others would testify to the same thing.
The KBI agent involved in the case told Gerald Kuckelman, Atchison County attorney, that the drug deal was a fluke and Mr. Zumbrunn didn’t even know the drugs’ street value.
Mr. Kuckelman said Mr. Zumbrunn was no risk to the community and agreed with the defense’s probation recommendation.
The defendant spoke briefly before sentencing, saying he didn’t really know why he tried to sell the pills but took responsibility for his actions.
Mr. Asher had other thoughts. The judge told the packed courtroom that this was the most difficult sentencing decision he’d had to make. The defendant lost his job, his career and put shame on himself, Mr. Asher said.
“And your actions show a complete disregard for community safety,” he said.
The crime wasn’t an impulse, but something you thought about, Mr. Asher said.
“The court struggles with the fact that you were a law enforcement officer and can’t overlook that,” he said. “The appearance of justice has to apply equally ... It can’t be a two-tiered system.”
Mr. Zumbrunn will serve 15 months in state prison on the charge of distribution of a controlled substance and eight months concurrently on a second charge of illegal use of a telephone.
The pronouncement of sentence ended quiet in the courtroom as women started weeping. Atchison County Sheriff John Calhoon took custody of Mr. Zumbrunn and removed him.
Mr. Zumbrunn’s arrest led to Greg Hoffman, Weston’s mayor, asking the Platte County Sheriff’s Department to investigate police procedures for handling evidence. Three detectives are handling that investigation and the Weston Police Department’s evidence locker was seized. No date has been announced for completion of the investigation.
Officer Joseph Pena Arrested for Domestic Violence
A La Vergne police officer is under investigation for his role in an alleged domestic incident following an arrest early Sunday morning.
Joseph Pena, 37, was arrested by Smyrna police around 5:30 a.m. after fighting with his girlfriend at a Henricks Hill Drive home.
A transcript of the call shows an unidentified female at the home called police to report Pena and her aunt, Janet Morris, 36, were fighting. Morris asked the female to call, but Pena said not to because he was afraid of losing his job. Pena has worked as a patrol officer in La Vergne since Nov. 23, 2008.
“He’s been put on administrative leave pending our internal investigation. We’ve asked him to come by the police department, but he has yet to do so,” La Vergne Police Chief Ted Boyd said late Monday afternoon.
The dispatch report from Smyrna police states Pena threw Morris into a wall at the home and sat on her. In addition to the caller, Pena’s three children visiting from Ohio, were at the home as well. One of the children managed to get a cell phone and dial 911.
At one point, Pena took the phone from the caller and said nobody had been assaulted, but that he and Martin had been drinking. He also told dispatchers that he and his girlfriend had no history of assault and that Martin was upset by the argument.
Dispatchers were able to hear Martin calling for the children to come witness part of the struggle as Pena was holding her down, the report said.
The mother of Pena’s children was notified and drove down from Ohio to pick them up.
Pena was charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest and given a $3,000 bond. He was taken to the Rutherford County Jail on a 12-hour hold and was released sometime after 4 p.m. Sunday.
Boyd said he and other members of his department were conducting their own investigation to determine what caused the situation.
“There’s always two sides to a story. It’s a bad situation for anybody, but especially an officer, because it limits your ability to earn a living,” he said.
Joseph Pena, 37, was arrested by Smyrna police around 5:30 a.m. after fighting with his girlfriend at a Henricks Hill Drive home.
A transcript of the call shows an unidentified female at the home called police to report Pena and her aunt, Janet Morris, 36, were fighting. Morris asked the female to call, but Pena said not to because he was afraid of losing his job. Pena has worked as a patrol officer in La Vergne since Nov. 23, 2008.
“He’s been put on administrative leave pending our internal investigation. We’ve asked him to come by the police department, but he has yet to do so,” La Vergne Police Chief Ted Boyd said late Monday afternoon.
The dispatch report from Smyrna police states Pena threw Morris into a wall at the home and sat on her. In addition to the caller, Pena’s three children visiting from Ohio, were at the home as well. One of the children managed to get a cell phone and dial 911.
At one point, Pena took the phone from the caller and said nobody had been assaulted, but that he and Martin had been drinking. He also told dispatchers that he and his girlfriend had no history of assault and that Martin was upset by the argument.
Dispatchers were able to hear Martin calling for the children to come witness part of the struggle as Pena was holding her down, the report said.
The mother of Pena’s children was notified and drove down from Ohio to pick them up.
Pena was charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest and given a $3,000 bond. He was taken to the Rutherford County Jail on a 12-hour hold and was released sometime after 4 p.m. Sunday.
Boyd said he and other members of his department were conducting their own investigation to determine what caused the situation.
“There’s always two sides to a story. It’s a bad situation for anybody, but especially an officer, because it limits your ability to earn a living,” he said.
Officer Jonathan Pratt Arrested for Drug Possession
A reserve Athens police officer arrested over the weekend for drug possession is no longer with the force. The Athens Police Department removed Jonathan Pratt on Sunday. A Limestone County sheriff's deputy arrested Pratt on Saturday after a traffic stop.
The deputy stopped a car Pratt was riding in, and arrested him and the driver for possession of a controlled substance.
Athens reserve officers volunteer with the police department. They are not sworn officers. They work special events, wear a reserve officer badge, carry a gun, and sometimes drive a car. Most of the time, they ride with a police officer.
Athens Police Chief Wayne Harper says it's a shame what has happened.
Limestone County stopped the car Jonathan Pratt was a passenger in Saturday night. The deputy stopped the driver for speeding. Reports say the deputy then found prescription pills in the car.
"It's not a good thing, and it's embarrassing," said Harper. "Mr. Pratt's been with us for about a year. We did an in-depth background on him when we put him on our reserve unit and he checked out well."
Harper says Pratt had seemed like a good fit for the department.
"It's a bad situation," Harper said. "I wish it hadn't of happened."
Chief Harper says they had to take care of the situation.
"As soon as we found out we found out yesterday [Sunday], he was immediately relieved," said Harper. "He's no longer with the reserve program."
Harper says this shouldn't give the reserve program a black eye.
"They're a valuable asset. This in no way is representative of our reserve unit or our police department and i just wish it hadn't of happened," said Harper.
Athens Mayor Dan Williams says the city may evaluate drug testing the reserve officers.
"We do background checks on the people that come to work for us," said Williams. "The reserve officers are restricted in what they can do and they have to be with people who are certified policemen."
The report from the Limestone County Sheriff's Department says Pratt said he has a prescription for the pills found on him. There were other pills found in the car that were unaccounted for.
Chief Harper says Pratt came by the office Monday morning and apologized for embarrassing the police department.
The deputy stopped a car Pratt was riding in, and arrested him and the driver for possession of a controlled substance.
Athens reserve officers volunteer with the police department. They are not sworn officers. They work special events, wear a reserve officer badge, carry a gun, and sometimes drive a car. Most of the time, they ride with a police officer.
Athens Police Chief Wayne Harper says it's a shame what has happened.
Limestone County stopped the car Jonathan Pratt was a passenger in Saturday night. The deputy stopped the driver for speeding. Reports say the deputy then found prescription pills in the car.
"It's not a good thing, and it's embarrassing," said Harper. "Mr. Pratt's been with us for about a year. We did an in-depth background on him when we put him on our reserve unit and he checked out well."
Harper says Pratt had seemed like a good fit for the department.
"It's a bad situation," Harper said. "I wish it hadn't of happened."
Chief Harper says they had to take care of the situation.
"As soon as we found out we found out yesterday [Sunday], he was immediately relieved," said Harper. "He's no longer with the reserve program."
Harper says this shouldn't give the reserve program a black eye.
"They're a valuable asset. This in no way is representative of our reserve unit or our police department and i just wish it hadn't of happened," said Harper.
Athens Mayor Dan Williams says the city may evaluate drug testing the reserve officers.
"We do background checks on the people that come to work for us," said Williams. "The reserve officers are restricted in what they can do and they have to be with people who are certified policemen."
The report from the Limestone County Sheriff's Department says Pratt said he has a prescription for the pills found on him. There were other pills found in the car that were unaccounted for.
Chief Harper says Pratt came by the office Monday morning and apologized for embarrassing the police department.
Five Toledo Officers Face Criminal Charges
All of five of the officers face a variety of criminal or administrative punishments.
Five Toledo police officers are being accused of either driving drunk or using drugs, just in the last six weeks. The numbers have some concerned.
It's the job of Deb Chany and the Sylvania Community Action Team to try to keep Lucas County teens away from drugs and alcohol. So when she heard a Toledo police officer was charged with drunk driving she was concerned.
Deb Chany, executive director of the Sylvania Community Action Team says, "It saddened me at first because these are our role models. These are the people we trust to help our community be safe and healthy."
Shawn Parra, 34, is accused of driving drunk, crashing his vehicle then leaving the scene. The incident happened just before 3:00 Thursday morning.
"It really sends a mixed message. We are kind of fighting a battle, saying oh my goodness here are people trying to help our community be safe and make good choices and they aren't themselves."
Two weeks ago, during a random drug test, two other Toledo police officers tested positive for an illegal substance. In late October, Officer Donald Mitchell was arrested after showing signs of drunkenness while on the job. It was the second that month. James Breier was charged with driving drunk after showing signs of intoxication at an accident scene. Chany says teens will take notice, not only of the actions, but also the punishment.
"What are the consequences going to be of that I think people are going to sit back and look at that," says Chany.
All of five of the officers face a variety of criminal or administrative punishments.
Five Toledo police officers are being accused of either driving drunk or using drugs, just in the last six weeks. The numbers have some concerned.
It's the job of Deb Chany and the Sylvania Community Action Team to try to keep Lucas County teens away from drugs and alcohol. So when she heard a Toledo police officer was charged with drunk driving she was concerned.
Deb Chany, executive director of the Sylvania Community Action Team says, "It saddened me at first because these are our role models. These are the people we trust to help our community be safe and healthy."
Shawn Parra, 34, is accused of driving drunk, crashing his vehicle then leaving the scene. The incident happened just before 3:00 Thursday morning.
"It really sends a mixed message. We are kind of fighting a battle, saying oh my goodness here are people trying to help our community be safe and make good choices and they aren't themselves."
Two weeks ago, during a random drug test, two other Toledo police officers tested positive for an illegal substance. In late October, Officer Donald Mitchell was arrested after showing signs of drunkenness while on the job. It was the second that month. James Breier was charged with driving drunk after showing signs of intoxication at an accident scene. Chany says teens will take notice, not only of the actions, but also the punishment.
"What are the consequences going to be of that I think people are going to sit back and look at that," says Chany.
All of five of the officers face a variety of criminal or administrative punishments.
Officer Nigel Hodges Waives Rights to Hearing for Assaulting Bartender
A Robinson Township police officer accused of assaulting a female bartender at closing time waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday morning before North Fayette Township District Judge Anthony Saveikis.
Nigel Hodges, 51, a North Fayette resident, will be tried in Allegheny County Court on charges of indecent assault, indecent exposure, harassment and false imprisonment, according to court documents.
A charge of official suppression was dropped.
The incident occurred after 11 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Tavern With the Lights. According to court records, Hodges visited the bar, left, and then returned when the bartender was alone.
Hodges is accused of grabbing the 20-year-old bartender, whose name is not being released, and kissing her until she broke away. He then performed a sex act in front of her for several minutes, and asked her suggestive questions, according to a police report. He refused her repeated requests to stop. He also grabbed her hand and began sucking her fingers, according to court records.
The woman reported the incident two days later, saying she was initially afraid because Hodges is a police officer.
Nigel Hodges, 51, a North Fayette resident, will be tried in Allegheny County Court on charges of indecent assault, indecent exposure, harassment and false imprisonment, according to court documents.
A charge of official suppression was dropped.
The incident occurred after 11 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Tavern With the Lights. According to court records, Hodges visited the bar, left, and then returned when the bartender was alone.
Hodges is accused of grabbing the 20-year-old bartender, whose name is not being released, and kissing her until she broke away. He then performed a sex act in front of her for several minutes, and asked her suggestive questions, according to a police report. He refused her repeated requests to stop. He also grabbed her hand and began sucking her fingers, according to court records.
The woman reported the incident two days later, saying she was initially afraid because Hodges is a police officer.
Councilwoman Says She Witnessed Police Using Excessive Force
A Darlington City Councilwoman says she witnessed a Darlington Police officer use excessive force while arresting a 64-year-old man.
According to Gloria Hines, the officer arrested Bizmark Richardson around noon on Saturday on South Main Street for "drunkenness."
Hines says Richardson must have said something the officer did not like; the officer allegedly responded by hitting Richardson's head into the back of the patrol car.
Hines said she heard the thump from about 200 feet away.
The officer, who Hines said was a white man, used excessive force on Richardson, who is black, according to Hines.
The councilwoman said she had not yet filed a complaint.
According to Gloria Hines, the officer arrested Bizmark Richardson around noon on Saturday on South Main Street for "drunkenness."
Hines says Richardson must have said something the officer did not like; the officer allegedly responded by hitting Richardson's head into the back of the patrol car.
Hines said she heard the thump from about 200 feet away.
The officer, who Hines said was a white man, used excessive force on Richardson, who is black, according to Hines.
The councilwoman said she had not yet filed a complaint.
Officer Adam Stoddard Refuses to Make Public Apology
Officer Adam Stoddard was ordered to make a public apology or be thrown in jail by Nov. 30. But late late Monday he defended his actions, saying, "The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie."
MCSO detention officer Adam Stoddard was caught on tape snatching a privileged document from the desk of a defense attorney last month.
Stoddard was held in contempt of court for taking the note from Joanne Cuccia's desk. It happened during the aggravated assault sentencing hearing for Antonio Lozano.
"He is to give Ms. Cuccia a sincere verbal and written apology for invading her defense file and for the damage that his conduct may have caused to her professional reputation," said Judge Gary Donahoe. Judge Donahoe said that his deadline for the apology is Nov. 30.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that Stoddard was just doing his duty and is in opposition of the judge's order.
Full Statement by Officer Stoddard
"I am Maricopa County Detention Officer Adam Stoddard. I work in the Court Security Division of the Sheriff’s Office and have been with the Sheriff’s Office for five years.
"Recently, Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered me to hold a press conference to publicly apologize for doing the job I have been trained to do.
"Part of my job in providing security to the court is to inspect documents brought into the courtroom. On October 19th, I saw a document that I had not yet screened, and that raised security concerns. I retrieved that document in plain sight and had court personnel copy it to preserve it as evidence in case it was a security breach.
"It was a split second decision and I do not regret my actions.
"Judge Donahoe has ordered me to feel something I do not and say something I cannot. I cannot apologize for putting court safety first.
"The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie."
MCSO detention officer Adam Stoddard was caught on tape snatching a privileged document from the desk of a defense attorney last month.
Stoddard was held in contempt of court for taking the note from Joanne Cuccia's desk. It happened during the aggravated assault sentencing hearing for Antonio Lozano.
"He is to give Ms. Cuccia a sincere verbal and written apology for invading her defense file and for the damage that his conduct may have caused to her professional reputation," said Judge Gary Donahoe. Judge Donahoe said that his deadline for the apology is Nov. 30.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that Stoddard was just doing his duty and is in opposition of the judge's order.
Full Statement by Officer Stoddard
"I am Maricopa County Detention Officer Adam Stoddard. I work in the Court Security Division of the Sheriff’s Office and have been with the Sheriff’s Office for five years.
"Recently, Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered me to hold a press conference to publicly apologize for doing the job I have been trained to do.
"Part of my job in providing security to the court is to inspect documents brought into the courtroom. On October 19th, I saw a document that I had not yet screened, and that raised security concerns. I retrieved that document in plain sight and had court personnel copy it to preserve it as evidence in case it was a security breach.
"It was a split second decision and I do not regret my actions.
"Judge Donahoe has ordered me to feel something I do not and say something I cannot. I cannot apologize for putting court safety first.
"The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie."
Correctional Officer Everette Brown Arrested for Hitting Inmate with Belt
A Concordia Parish Correctional Facility officer was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and malfeasance in office following a weekend incident in which he allegedly struck an inmate on the buttocks with his belt.
In a news release Monday, Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell said Officer Everette Brown, 44, of Vidalia was arrested and immediately terminated following an investigation of the alleged incident, which happened Saturday.
The inmate, who was in lockdown for disciplinary reasons, reportedly called Brown a derogatory name, to which Brown allegedly responded by opening the cell door, taking off his belt and striking the inmate, the release said.
The release said the inmate was later checked by CPCF medical personnel and found to have only minor bruises.
“It’s not the extent of the injury as much as it’s the fact that an officer responded like this,” Maxwell said. “It just won’t be tolerated. There absolutely will not be any mistreatment of inmates.”
Such a response is against both prison policy and common sense, Maxwell said.
Brown was employed at CPCF for approximately six months, but Maxwell said it would not have mattered if the officer had been employed for six hours or six years, because his alleged response was intolerable.”
“If you cannot handle someone calling you names, then you just don’t belong in this business, and you certainly cannot work for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility,” Maxwell said. “It’s just plain wrong, and you don’t need to work here.”
“That’s why we’ve never had the reputation of this sort of thing, because we will not stand for it.”
Two investigators are assigned to the incident, and the release said the investigation is ongoing.
In a news release Monday, Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell said Officer Everette Brown, 44, of Vidalia was arrested and immediately terminated following an investigation of the alleged incident, which happened Saturday.
The inmate, who was in lockdown for disciplinary reasons, reportedly called Brown a derogatory name, to which Brown allegedly responded by opening the cell door, taking off his belt and striking the inmate, the release said.
The release said the inmate was later checked by CPCF medical personnel and found to have only minor bruises.
“It’s not the extent of the injury as much as it’s the fact that an officer responded like this,” Maxwell said. “It just won’t be tolerated. There absolutely will not be any mistreatment of inmates.”
Such a response is against both prison policy and common sense, Maxwell said.
Brown was employed at CPCF for approximately six months, but Maxwell said it would not have mattered if the officer had been employed for six hours or six years, because his alleged response was intolerable.”
“If you cannot handle someone calling you names, then you just don’t belong in this business, and you certainly cannot work for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility,” Maxwell said. “It’s just plain wrong, and you don’t need to work here.”
“That’s why we’ve never had the reputation of this sort of thing, because we will not stand for it.”
Two investigators are assigned to the incident, and the release said the investigation is ongoing.
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