Posted on 02/21/2011 11:04:08 AM PST by jaydubya2
LA PORTE — A La Porte man will go to jail for pretending with his finger to shoot at police.
James Walpole, 57, was given 150 days in the La Porte County Jail and 30 days on probation.
He pleaded guilty to Class D felony intimidation.
On Dec. 20, La Porte Police twice responded to an apartment on Maple Avenue where Walpole lived with his ex-wife, according to court documents. Initially, Walpole was accused of grabbing the woman’s arm.
Officers less than an hour later were called back when he allegedly threw shoes and other items at her. According to court documents, Walpole told officers he would resist any attempts to arrest him. He quickly raised his hand and with his index finger pointed at Officer Jason Sponaugle and said, “Bang, bang,” according to police.
Walpole began resisting when informed he was being arrested and it took help from another officer to force him down to a couch. He kept putting up a physical struggle until Tasered, police said.
While being booked at the La Porte County Jail, he told La Porte Police Officer Robert Greer “You’re on the top of my list,” according to court documents.
Walpole, throughout the proceedings, used a hearing aid to understand Judge Tom Alevizos.
He could have faced an up to three-year sentence.
In exchange for the plea, another count of intimidation was dismissed. La Porte Police Assistant Chief Tom Heath said what Walpole did with his finger is not viewed by law enforcement as a joke given the dangers officers routinely face.
“It’s very inappropriate conduct. I applaud the court for taking the action that it did,” Heath said.
I would have taken my chances with a jury.
Maybe it was loaded.
“Stand back! I have a finger and I’m not afraid to use it!”
Oy. Just freaking Oy. It’s so much easier to run roughshod over harmless stooges than it is over real menaces to society.
The citizens cannot and must not intimidate the union cops in ANY way or manner.
Maybe it was loaded.
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Well more than likely it had a nail in it.
He could have said “Pull my finger” but that may have had bad results with a bunch of cops threatening to arrest you.
Good thing he didn’t have a dog.
57 years old and not any smarter than a 10 year old.
they shoot dumb asses like this in PDX.
2 domestic calls in one day, usual ‘not taking me alive’ crap, shoots his mouth off at the cops, resists.
lucky old fool.
Harmless? The officers were TWICE called to his house. Why were they called and who called? What was he doing and Who was he doing it to?
He pleaded guilty to Class D felony intimidation.
I'm concerned for the citizens of La Porte if their policemen get intimidated by just a finger. What would happen if they faced a real weapon..............run and hide in Rockford, IL???
Two domestic violence calls in less than an hour, physically resisting arrest .... Why would you go to a jury?
After repeat calls to the same address for violence by the same man, I would take it as a threat for future actions.
The Constitution should allow us to express our politics like that. But pointing a finger at a cop? Into the re-education camp for you!
If that is a crime I will grantee you about 69% of the cops should be in jail for the same thing.
If that is a crime I will grantee you about 69% of the cops should be in jail for the same thing.
Before the 'finger trick' he proclaimed that they would never arrest him. He plead guilty to intimidation of the officers. It was more than just a 'finger trick'. They were called to his house twice for domestic disputes.
The problem with your statement is that the cops were called to his house TWICE in one day for domestic disputes. And obviously there was something else going on as he proclaimed they would not be able to arrest him BEFORE he gave them the finger and shouted 'bang bang'.
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