Posted on 12/31/2001 7:07:39 AM PST by expose
Sheriff May Block Columbine Police Shooting Probe
Legal Experts Think Stone May Block Investigation That He Requested
DENVER -- Legal experts said that a sheriff who will head an investigation into the shooting of one of the Columbine victims could find himself hamstrung by the person who requested the review: Jefferson County Sheriff John Stone.
Stone has asked El Paso County Sheriff John Anderson to investigate claims that a Denver SWAT officer shot and killed student Daniel Rohrbough (pictured, left) when police converged on Columbine High School on April, 20, 1999.
Rohrbough was among 15 people, including the two gunmen, killed during the rampage at the school. Brian Rohrbough has long claimed his son was shot by police, and he said an affidavit filed last week by a former school official boosts his claim. The affidavit contains information about a conversation with a Denver officer.
Students Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed themselves after carrying out the assault.
Stone asked Anderson to conduct an independent investigation in hopes Rohrbough and other victims' families would accept Stone's office's findings that Klebold and Harris were responsible, said Jacki Tallman, Stone's spokeswoman.
The roadblock, legal experts said, could be Stone himself. The sheriff wouldn't talk to a commission appointed by Gov. Bill Owens looking into the tragedy, and the panel's chairman doesn't believe Stone will be forthcoming with anyone else.
"Stone made a promise at the first meeting that they'd cooperate in every way," said William Erickson, the chairman and a former Colorado Supreme Court chief justice. "After the first meeting, we were unable to get any information from anybody in the sheriff's office."
Denver lawyer and legal analyst Andrew Cohen called Stone's request for an investigation an empty gesture. He said he doesn't believe officers will agree to be interviewed.
Stone's call for an outside review follows last week's filing of an affidavit by a former school official who said Denver police Sgt. Dan O'Shea told her two days after the massacre that he was afraid he may have shot a student.
Anderson said he doesn't see the investigation as a wild goose chase.
"We are not going in with any preconceived notion. We believe that an investigation is simply a search for the truth," Anderson said.
He said his investigators will interview a number of people, including officers. But he said a lot of it will be an independent review of the forensic evidence, witness testimony, the coroner's report and other evidence.
Anderson said he expects the investigation to last two to three months and to be conducted by a team of four to five people.
Stone asked Anderson to head the investigation because no El Paso County deputies were involved while the shootings were going on, Tallman said.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sultan said Anderson is a good choice because of his track record.
"He has a tremendous reputation, probably far better than any sheriff in the state as far as forensic and criminal investigations go," Sullivan said.
Posted: 11:44 a.m. MST December 30, 2001
DENVER -- More than half of the Denver police officers disciplined for breaking laws in the past decade still wear a badge, according to an analysis by the Denver Post.
Since 1990, the Denver Police Department has punished 82 officers who violated laws ranging from reckless driving and DUI to child abuse and theft.
Of those, 17 were fired or decided to resign or retire because of the violations, according to the Post analysis of a department database of officer discipline. Sixteen others left the force years later: Five were fired for a different reason, and 11 retired.
That leaves 49 of the 82 lawbreaking officers still wearing police badges.
They include a sergeant convicted of assaulting a suspect with a flashlight and then lying about it, and two veteran officers convicted last year of destroying evidence from about 80 drug arrests because they didn't want to do the paperwork. The department estimates hundreds of cases may have been affected.
Chief Gerry Whitman said he wouldn't comment on the analysis because most of the disciplinary actions occurred before he took command in February 2000.
"I take officer discipline very seriously, but what's preceded me isn't something I can discuss because I wasn't chief," Whitman said.
Ari Zavaras, Denver Manager of Safety, said the department sometimes is harsher with officers than the courts. He declined to discuss specific cases.
City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth said she was surprised to learn so many officers had broken the law.
"Even if they're breaking only traffic laws, this is very concerning," said Wedgeworth, chairwoman of the council's public safety and personnel committee.
Councilman Ed Thomas, a former police officer of 22 years, said he's not surprised some of the officers are still on the job.
"Should a police officer keep his job for a traffic violation? Probably," Thomas said. "For child abuse? Absolutely not. But it's unfortunate that some of them do. That's how the system works."
Files Reveal Disturbing Incidents Police discipline files at the city Civil Service Commission and court records include the following:
A 10-year veteran was stopped for driving 95 mph on Interstate 70 after a history of speeding in his private car and being let go with a warning each time. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving. The department took three vacation days from him.
An officer pleaded guilty to second-degree forgery for writing seven fraudulent parking tickets against someone he had a disagreement with. The court gave him a six-month suspended jail sentence and fined him $5,000. The officer received a 60-day suspension for breaking the law and a 210-day suspension for improper conduct.
A sergeant put a knife under the testicles of another officer at the airport. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor menacing and received a year of probation and a 90-day suspended jail sentence. The department suspended him for three days.
A radar-gun-toting officer was disciplined last year for having "Silent Assassin" printed on his helmet. Denver CopWatch member Stephen Nash, whose group monitors police behavior, complained that Denver police act with impunity and the department's polices encourage them to act outside the law.
"I can't think of a private business in the city that would treat their employees as well as the police treat theirs," he said.
But the department can't be held solely responsible for whether lawbreaking officers keep their jobs, Councilman Thomas said.
"The private-sector worker doesn't have this protective umbrella called the Civil Service Commission like the police do," he said.
Officers who are disciplined can appeal to the commission, a five-member board appointed by the City Council and mayor. A hearing officer named by the board decides the appeal.
The city or officer can appeal the decision directly to the board and then a district court.
The commission has been lambasted by Mayor Wellington Webb, Zavaras and others for overturning harsh disciplines.
"If I say an employee doesn't deserve to be here, I'd expect some support on that," Whitman said. "But that doesn't always happen."
Since 1990, records show the commission has overturned or modified 33 of 113 police discipline cases, including six dismissals. The majority of the disciplinary actions appealed to the commission are upheld, withdrawn by the officer or settled.
Therefore don't bother investigating anything else, we'll just close our eyes and rest easy knowing that those two are to blame and that nothing else needs to be examined. Forget finding out if training and tactics are adequate, right? Forget finding out if there is anything more to this than meets the eye, right?
If this had been a federal operation, the school would have been burned and bulldozed and we wouldn't need to look at what happened, we'd have the unimpeachable testamony of the fed agencies involved.
Yes, you're right, but the Jefferson Cty. sherriff's department and other LE agencies called in for assistance have repeatedly stonewalled and lied in response to the families' requests for information.
I never said that. I just stated that Klebold and Harris hold the ultimate responsibility for the tragic events on 4/20/99, whereas some on FR think that it was the cops fault.
Police dept.'s are not and never will be perfect. I understand that. I posted that comment on this thread, because many want to turn this into a cop bashing thread and make them the focus of evil, when they did not perpetrate the events at Columbine.
Now Dane, do you remember THIS THREAD, and MY REPLY to you?
If not, go back and read the exchanges.
Now tell me...wheres the accountability here? And how can we TRUST LEO's when THIS CRAP goes on?!?!
So much for defending the LEO's huh? Look where it gets you.
When something or someone is WRONG, it/they are WRONG! No amount of defense can mittigate that, but it DOES undermine credibility and faith.
I am not a dog. Is that way you treat "underlings" such as I. Your arrogance abounds. Anyway, I still believe that you think that the cops are the bigger "evil" here, and I will not take your position.
THE COP HAD A 9mm FULL AUTO! He HELD THE TRIGGER AND EMPTIED OFF 51 ROUNDS! Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a clip and 1/2....meaning he RELOADED and KEPT ON FIRING! Where was his situational awareness, and target acquisition training?!?!
. . . but the claim is made that full automatic weapon fire was heard at the time of the controversial death. I'm afraid I don't see the justification for chambering a round in a machine gun in that setting; it's not like the officers were under heavy incoming.
No dog reference was made. Seems like you are the one with a chip on your shoulder, and an attitude to boot.
These are a bad mix with a badge...worse with a badge and a GUN!
I am officially re-requesting name and Badge #, so I can stay FAR away from your jurisdiction!
OK...point by point...
1) HARRIS AND KLEBOLD killed an as yet indeterminate number of people. And why is it indeterminare you ask...?
Because a COP may have WASTED A CIVILLIAN running for his life, and the COPS and their CHIEF WON'T ANSWER QUESTIONS, or PROVIDE EVIDENCE! I feel safer already
2) Harris and Klebold went to school with murder and mayhem on their minds...what was on the minds of the SWAT unit, as well as the Littleton Cop with a FULL AUTO 9mm?!?! If it was "To Protect and Serve", may I humbly suggest they be taught a new phrase..."Would you like FRIES with that?"
3) Dane has seen fit to say that it all comes back to Harris and Klebold, thereby absolving any LEO's from ANY responsibility here at all. Is that the kind of Two-Tiered Justice anybody here wants? If so, I want my money back for enhanced 911 service...I need to buy ammo to defend myself.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.