[IA] Fired but "not guilty" - Officer Rosdail's paperless investigation for son's custody case

...The state's attorney Timmons expressed disappointment at the verdict. "When officers abuse their authority they need to be held accountable"...

Former Cedar Rapids officers found not guilty of misconduct
The Gazette
By Elizabeth Kutter
October 31. 2008 9:20PM
[Excerpts] CEDAR RAPIDS — It took a Linn County jury only five minutes and one vote Friday to find Greg Koenighain not guilty of abusing his authority as a police officer. It took four hours and four votes before reaching the same conclusion in the case against Donald Rosdail Sr. Rosdail, 65, and Koenighain, 41, were accused of using their jobs as Cedar Rapids police officers in 2006 to aid Rosdail's son in a custody dispute. Koenighain was found not guilty on one count of misdemeanor non-felonious misconduct in office. Rosdail was found not guilty on four counts of the same charge. Had they been found guilty, they could have faced fines up to $1,875 and a year in jail on each count. The officers were fired in 2007 after a police department internal affairs investigation found that they had violated the department's regulations and standard of conduct. They were also found to be insubordinate and untruthful during the internal affairs investigation. The men appealed their firings to the Civil Service Commission, which upheld their dismissals. The state alleged that Rosdail initiated three investigations so the information from them could be used in a bitter custody case involving his son Donald Rosdail Jr. and ex-wife Jocelyn Rosdail. Assistant Attorney General Denise Timmons said Rosdail exceeded his authority as a police officer, engaging in activities that were designed only to further the interests of his family... Following the not guilty verdict, Rosdail refused to comment on the trial except to say, "I wouldn't talk to The Gazette under any circumstances. That rag. And you can print it." The state's attorney Timmons expressed disappointment at the verdict. "When officers abuse their authority they need to be held accountable," she said. "Despite the jury's verdict, at the minimum, the defendants at least have to answr to the public for what they did. The state has no regrets in bringing these charges." [Full article here]