Teen held in heart-attack death of deputy

Palm Beach Post ^ | April 2, 2002 | Susan Spencer-Wendel

[Pern]

WEST PALM BEACH -- A teenager who faces a murder charge in the heart attack death of a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy is being kept in juvenile detention after his first appearance before a judge Monday morning.

On Sunday, William Robert Waters Jr., rushed at deputies after they found the 17-year-old Lake Worth High School sophomore lying on the ground at the Casa Del Monte trailer park, according to reports.

The deputies, including Donald Lee Schavolt, 48, were investigating a loud music complaint when Waters kicked Schavolt in the leg. Schavolt later collapsed and died at Wellington Regional Medical Center, apparently suffering a massive heart attack.

There is no word yet on whether the State Attorney's Office will charge Waters as an adult.

Authorities said they have no choice but to charge the teen with second-degree murder. Waters committed a felony -- resisting arrest with violence -- that resulted in Schavolt's death, a sheriff's spokesman said Sunday. Waters could face life in prison.

Read the full story in tomorrow's Palm Beach Post or online at PalmBeachPost.com.

[Pern]

Authorities said they have no choice but to charge the teen with second-degree murder. Waters committed a felony -- resisting arrest with violence -- that resulted in Schavolt's death,...

This is insane. Yes, the teen resisted arrest, I could understand those charges. But attempted murder? Once again, illogic rules.

The deputy probably had a heart-attack from eating too many doughnuts.

[RangeRatt]

on CNN, it was reported that the officer was kicked in the chest. THAT, I can see causing a heart attack. A kick in the leg, not really.

[Poohbah]

This is insane. Yes, the teen resisted arrest, I could understand those charges. But attempted murder? Once again, illogic rules.

There is probably some forensic evidence that indicates the heart attack was brought on by the kick...can you say "arterial blood clot?"

The deputy probably had a heart-attack from eating too many doughnuts.

Ha ha, very funny. Hope you don't ever need the services of a cop.

[Poohbah]

Depends. If he got a blocked artery from a blood clot, or the clot broke loose and worked its way to his heart...entirely possible.

[Pern]

Hope you don't ever need the services of a cop.

In my 33 years of life I never have, and they usually leave me alone because I'm up to date on my payoffs.

KNOCK! KNOCK! Opps, did I mail off this month's?!

[john639753]

AHH the services of a cop.....that would be ticketed for not wearing my seat belt, or a helmet, or a ticket for a blown tag lightbulb that carries a 90 dollar fine, or maybe a ticket for having an expired tag while driving the car to the repair shop to have it fixed after it failed an emissions test, or how bout being stopped at a random paper checkpoint, or threatened with jail if you don't want your car searched at said checkpoint, or having your life destroyed because you use a drug the good government thinks you should not....or even being shot in the mouth in a clean shoot of a helpless teenager....tell me oh poobar,,,what good are the police??? they never stop a crime, they create crimes where none exist, break every law they want, bust down doors in the middle of the night and shoot the occupants,,but it's ok, they just had the wrong home.....the list is virtually endless..but what good do they do??

[Poohbah]

what good are the police???

Based on my experiences with (a) police and (b) you, the answer is "a lot more good than you are."

You seem to be one of those folks that is a waste of food, water, oxygen, and DNA.

[Jonathon Spectre]

I wonder what the FBI agent who shot the innocent boy in the face with his assault rifle will be charged with?

[RLK]

This is insane.

--------------------

No, it's not. It's the law. It's part of the legal doctrine known colloquially as egshell skull. If, you attempt to physically damage anyone in any way and it happens that through weakness of the person who is attacked the damage is more severe than you intended or expected, you become responsible for the entire extent of the damages.

[murdoog]

The deputy probably had a heart-attack from eating too many doughnuts.

This doesn't help you make your point at all.

That said, it doesn't seem reasonable to charge the kid with murder. And you don't have to be a cop-basher to think that.

[Fpimentel]

Something like that happened in Costa Mesa, CA.
Two men were fighting in front of a movie theatre.
One of the men stepped back and onto a woman.
She was treated for her injury and that man was arrested for assault.
He was later charged with manslaughter.
She died of a heart attack caused by a blood clot from her injury.

[RangeRatt]

Okay, I'll go along with your logic about blood clots, at least until we have more info as to where the LEO was kicked.

Anyone want to field this one?

[Pern]

I am a cop basher only when I see evidence that double-standards are obvious. If this were to happen to joe citizen, it would have been written off as an unfortunate accident, which is exactly what this is. One rule applies to all.

I see all too often citizens face stupid charges in order for a prosecutor to make a name for himself in order to run in some future election. That way he can say he was 'tough on crime'. Make no mistake, the authorities can dream up any bogus infraction to charge you with, and haul your ass away. To live under the guise of 'fairness of the law' is an illusion. Law enforcement is about money now days, plain and simple.

[Pern]

The FBI thug that shot that kid in Ca. will be found innocent, while 'performing his duties as an agent'. Mark my words.

[marktwain]

Authorities said they have no choice but to charge the teen with second-degree murder.Nonsense. Lets turn this around, and say it was an off duty cop who got drunk and kicked the teenager. I would bet a whole lot of money that the prosecutor would not be saying that he had no choice to charge the cop with second degree murder. Prosecutors have discretion.

[Centurion2000]

Ha ha, very funny. Hope you don't ever need the services of a cop

What good is a cop other than a flimsy deterrent against crime and a historian ?

It's not like they will come through charging and save the day.

I put more trust in my 454 than in a badge to defend me.

[geaux]

I still don't think the kid should get charged with murder. If a cop is going to be working the beat, he's got to be in shape. If his ticker isn't up to par, put him behind a desk.

[Politicker]

Deputy Schavolt did not die from too many doughnuts. He probably died from Deep Venous Thrombosis resulting from that trauma to his leg. Wake up, this is serious.

[bjs1779]

The teen probably was in possession of smoking materials anyway, throw the key away.

[RangeRatt]

and I will ask my original question again- the Palm Beach paper says the LEO was kicked in the leg; CNN reported the LEO was kicked in the chest. I, for one, am more interested in the accuracy of the reporting, although I am shocked that another deputy has died in the execution of his duties. This did NOT have to happen.