[WA] The day before our police chief committed murder-suicide

(The 2 banners link to the Myspace project)

If you haven't been there yet, please stop by Lane Judson's webpage. His daughter Crystal was murdered by her husband, Tacoma Police Chief David Brame. Now Lane and Crystal's mother Patty travel together as he shares what they've learned about what's needed. Brokenhearted, they came out swinging. Lane's page is full of good works fighting domestic violence he and others have accomplished since that tragic day here, April 26th 2003. And please remember Crystal and David when your police union insists they don't need a specific policy or that the chief should oversee all internal decisions regarding officers who commit or are accused of domestic incidents. Form your policies to include what to do when the accused is part of the command staff. Covering for someone can kill them, others, and nothing makes the whole organization look worse than having an active or passive role in letting the deaths occur.
Learn from us.
Tacoma can never turn back the hands of time.

The day before our chief shot Crystal and himself in a public parking lot - with their 2 very young children running to them immediately after - an area newspaper published that Crystal's allegations would not be investigated:

The wife of Tacoma police Chief David Brame has accused him in court documents of pointing his service revolver at her and trying to choke her during two separate incidents in the past six months... He explained his unusual behavior in court documents by saying he wanted to "protect himself" in case his wife ever tried to malign him with false abuse allegations... Tacoma City Manager Ray Corpuz, who hired Brame, cautioned that accusations made during a contested divorce must still be proven. "He's doing a great job," Corpuz said. "I'm not interested in exploring David's personal life at this time." Mayor Bill Baarsma, who sits on the City Council's public safety committee, was surprised at the allegations but said they were a "private matter." - "He's been an outstanding chief... Unless there's a complaint filed with the city manager as to his performance, I'm not prepared to comment"... Her fear increased last November when she alleged that Brame "choked me and threatened that he could snap my neck if he wanted to." It was the fourth time that year he'd tried to choke her, each time sending flowers later to apologize, she said. And just before they separated in February, she alleged in court documents that Brame pointed his service revolver at her, "telling me 'accidents happen.' "... "I do remain very afraid of my husband," she said in a court declaration. A hearing on the restraining order scheduled for last week in Kent was canceled after a motion was filed to move the case to Pierce County Superior Court. In court papers, Brame blamed his wife's "ferocious temper" and emotional instability for the abuse, noting his embarrassment at being victimized by someone who is just over 5 feet tall and weighs 105 pounds. Brame is 6-foot-1 and weighs 175 pounds. "As hard as it is to believe and as ashamed as I am of this fact, Mrs. Brame has physically abused me for a number of years, often in the presence of the children... Now, I see that I have become the very victim who frustrated me all those years," Brame said. But he denied pointing his revolver at his wife or choking her, saying that he was "scrupulously careful" to defend himself in the least aggressive manner when she attacked him.

Learn what you will from this. Victims need to consider - for everyone involved or effected - getting to higher ground if this sounds like their department -and if you do, I have accumulated some links and also friends with helpful advice. Email me.