[KY] Officer Evans wants to go back to work, his alleged victim wants dv protection order to stay in place

...[Maysville Police Officer Bernard] Evans is seeking relief from the order on the grounds that it prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition and resulted in him being placed on unpaid administrative leave from the police department... Judge W. Todd Walton II found domestic violence had occurred and was likely to occur again... "Judge Walton gave each party ample opportunity to testify and present witnesses and found (the woman's) testimony to be more credible than that of Bernard Evans"...

Previous posts:

• [KY] Disarmed Officer Evans wants his guns back. (Should it matter what he wants?) - ...A photograph of the woman was submitted to court showing a wound on her forehead with stitches... The woman also said her daughter was afraid of Evans... "Bernard stated to me that if I ever reported him that he would have someone to take care of me without hesitation from Covington"...
• [KY] Officer Evans' ex now says she's not sure how she was injured - ...The woman also alleged in a written statement that Evans busted through a door and punched her in the head... the woman indicated in her testimony she was not punched as her written statement said, but hit by a door... "I don't know"...
  

EVANS SEEKS RELIEF FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORDER
The Ledger Independent
By Misty Maynard
December 1, 2009

Citing the safety of her client as well as public safety, Attorney Beverly Kirch filed a counterstatement last week to the appeal of Maysville Police Officer Bernard Evans to dismiss a domestic violence order issued in September.

Evans is seeking relief from the order on the grounds that it prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition and resulted in him being placed on unpaid administrative leave from the police department. In the statement of appeal filed by Evans' attorney, Debra Rigg, Rigg said Evans has an expectation to return to work once the condition he relinquish his weapons is removed.

The DVO was issued at the request of a woman with whom Evans once lived. She testified in Mason County District Court that Evans once punched her or caused a door to strike her, resulting in stitches to her forehead. She also testified that her daughter was afraid of Evans and that he had once attempted to break into a locked bedroom where she and her daughter were sleeping because of a glass broken in the dishwasher.

The woman filed for the EPO after a Sept. 12 incident in which Evans allegedly drove by her while on duty and made a derogatory remark. He also threatened her on numerous occasions that if she went to police, he would have people from Covington "take care" of her, the woman said.

The counterstatement highlights the testimony from the woman regarding the various incidences of domestic violence.

According to Rigg, the testimony offered in district court was a "swearing contest" of "he said/she said."

Evans contended the Sept. 12 incident never occurred and that the injury to the woman's head was accidental, the result of a door hitting her as he was attempting to enter the residence. Evans said he never threatened the woman.

Rigg also noted in the statement of appeal that the woman lived with Evans until he had her removed in August, though contact was maintained after she moved out.

According to the woman, phone calls made after she moved out were regarding a loan payment, including 40 calls on Sept. 13, though Evans said the calls were conciliatory.

In the counterstatement, Kirch said Judge W. Todd Walton II found domestic violence had occurred and was likely to occur again, based on the evidence presented at the Sept. 18 hearing for the DVO.

Kirch cited Civil Rule 52.01, which "states that findings of fact shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and due regard shall be given to the opportunity of the trial court to judge the credibility of the witnesses." Furthermore, she said findings of fact are clearly erroneous only if they are against the weight of evidence.

"The hearing on Sept. 18, 2009, lasted approximately one hour and 20 minutes," Kirch said. "Judge Walton gave each party ample opportunity to testify and present witnesses and found (the woman's) testimony to be more credible than that of Bernard Evans."

The fact that Evans has been placed on administrative leave from his employment should not be considered, Kirch said.

The verbal record of the court indicates the protective order be in effect for three years, although the written order gives an expiration date of Sept. 18, 2010.

The appeal will be considered in Mason County Circuit Court. According to a spokesperson for the Mason County Circuit Clerk's office, the judge may file a decision without a hearing or request the case be placed on the docket. Additionally, the attorney for either party can request it be placed on the docket.

The case was not scheduled for a hearing as of Monday and a time frame for when a decision will be rendered was not known, the spokesperson said.

Contact Misty Maynard at misty.maynard@lee.net or by calling 606-564-9091, ext. 272. [LINK]
[officer-involved, domestic violence, abuse, law enforcement, kentucky state, recant, pfa, protection order, protection from abuse order oidv]

[FL] Officer Jones faces firing - accused of punching, kicking, & choking his wife - Chief wants him out

...The two got in an argument then [Boynton Police Officer Thomas "Tommy"] Jones punched, kicked and choked her... Jones told investigators that he didn't remember how much he had to drink. Jones says he struck his wife after she asked him about his car... He was charged with domestic strangulation and battery but was found not guilty... In 2001, he was involved in a car crash with a fellow officer in Boynton Beach. Both were off-duty. Jones smelled of alcohol at the scene but he didn't seem drunk, police said, so no field sobriety tests were conducted... Prosecutors say they did not file charges against Jones because there wasn't sufficient evidence...

[Comments on the web say that the victim is also an officer. Is that true?]

BOYNTON BEACH OFFICER FACES DISMISSAL
wptv.com
Reported by: David Gould
Last Update: 12/01 2:29 pm
On January 31st 2009 Officer Thomas Jones was arrested. Boynton Beach Police charged Jones with domestic battery after he allegedly struck his wife. The Boynton Beach officer told investigators that he had been drinking at the Carolina Ale House and later went to Platinum Showgirls. Information released by the Boynton Beach Police says officer Jones told investigators that he didn't remember how much he had to drink. Jones says he struck his wife after she asked him about his car. Boynton Beach Police Chief of Police G. Mathew Immler reviewed Officer Jones' case and has recommended that he be released. The Boynton Beach City Manager will make the final decision on Thomas Jones' status with the police department.  [LINK]

BOYNTON BEACH COP MAY BE FIRED OVER DOMESTIC ABUSE CHARGE
Sun-Sentinel.com
By Jerome Burdi
December 1, 2009
[Excerpts] Boynton Beach Police Chief Matthew Immler recommended firing an officer arrested in January for allegedly beating his wife. He was charged with domestic strangulation and battery but was found not guilty in April. Officer Tommy Jones, 31, hired in February 2001, remains on paid leave while City Manager Kurt Bressner makes the final call. The internal affairs investigation closed in November. According to the report: Jones got home about 2:15 a.m. Jan. 31 after a night of drinking and was yelling outside because he didn't have his keys. His wife let him in. The two got in an argument then Jones punched, kicked and choked her. It was the second time Jones had a brush with the law. In 2001, he was involved in a car crash with a fellow officer in Boynton Beach. Both were off-duty. Jones smelled of alcohol at the scene but he didn't seem drunk, police said, so no field sobriety tests were conducted and he was not arrested... [Full article here]

EARLIER NEWS:

BOYNTON BEACH POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
By CHRISTINA DeNARDO
Saturday, January 31, 2009
[Excerpts] A Boynton Beach Police officer was arrested early this morning by his own department and charged with domestic violence, the second time he has been in trouble with the law. Officer Thomas Jones, 30, was suspended with pay... He was charged with felony battery or domestic violence with strangulation, as well as battery... In October 2001, Jones was stopped by police after he injured a fellow law enforcement officer in a car crash. Earlier in the evening, Jones and investigator Scott Caudell played pool and drank a few beers. At about 3 a.m., Jones hit Caudell's motorcycle when Caudell stopped to avoid a pickup. Caudell's ankle was cut severely... Police did not arrest Jones, but an internal investigation said that the police officers did not ask enough questions and should have arrested Jones. Prosecutors say they did not file charges against Jones because there wasn't sufficient evidence, and there had been a delay between the accident and blood tests to determine alcohol levels... At the time Police Chief Marshall Gage suspended Jones for three weeks. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement lethal florida state repeat hx cop-on-cop]

[SC] Officer Cameron charged with domestic violence, suspended, then fired

North Augusta Department of Public Safety Officer Brandon Cameron was arrested, charged with criminal domestic violence, suspended, and then fired once the internal investigation was completed. (The way the news tells the story it doesn't come together - but I will trust that the information gathered during the investigation is more extensive and just not given over to the media.)

...He was accused of pulling his girlfriend out of a vehicle and throwing her to the ground. She had a contusion on the right side of her head... Deputies said that Cameron's story changed several times...

News Excerpts November 18 through December 1st 2009:

NORTH AUGUSTA OFFICER ARRESTED FOR CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
NBC Augusta 26 News
By Arielle Clay
Nov 18, 2009
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. - A North Augusta public safety officer is in jail charged with criminal domestic violence. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office arrested Brandon Cameron Wednesday. Cameron has been suspended from his duties while the investigation continues. Cameron has been on the force for three years. [LINK]

N.A. OFFICER ARRESTED, SUSPENDED
Aiken Standard
By Karen Daily
11/18/2009 9:27 PM
[Excerpts] A North Augusta Public Safety officer has been suspended after he was arrested on allegations he grabbed his girlfriend from a parked vehicle during an argument and threw her down to the ground, causing her to strike her head on the ground. Brandon L. Cameron was arrested Wednesday and transported to the Aiken County detention center where he was charged with criminal domestic violence. North Augusta Public Safety immediately suspended the officer... The Aiken County Sheriff's Office was the arresting agency... Cameron called 911 from the parking lot of the Windsor Fire Department after an argument between the two escalated. Only moments before, the two nearly collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, according to reports. When deputies met with the couple, they said the truck the two were in had two flat tires. The couple had been traveling west on Highway 78 when the vehicle they were in veered into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler. The victim was driving... She told deputies they were both shaken up, and she told Cameron to drive... According to police, the victim said Cameron was going to walk home... She then grabbed one of four pistols in the vehicle and fired it into the ground to "let him know she was serious" and to leave her alone... She said she fell to her knees and put the weapon on the ground. Cameron then took the gun from her and put it into the vehicle, according to the report. She got into the driver's side and sat down. Cameron then reportedly grabbed her by her left arm and attempted to pull her out of the vehicle. In doing so, she said he lost his grip and fell. He got up and grabbed her again by her arm and pulled her out of the truck and reportedly "threw her" on the ground, causing her to hit her head on the ground, the incident report states. She said he climbed on top of her while she was on the ground and told her that he loved her and was sorry but she needed help, deputies reported. The couple then got into the vehicle and waited on deputies... Deputies said that Cameron's story changed several times when they asked him to explain what happened. He was arrested. She was not charged and was not transported for medical attention. According to the incident report, the woman was upset that Cameron was going to jail and wanted to pull her statements from the investigation.... [Full article here]

NORTH AUGUSTA OFFICER RELEASED FROM JAIL
The Augusta Chronicle
Stephanie Toone, South Carolina Bureau Chief
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009 2:02 p.m.
A North Augusta Public Safety officer charged with criminal domestic violence has been released from jail. Brandon Cameron, 27, was released Wednesday from the Aiken County Detention Center, but his suspension with the department will continue until the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation is complete... [Full article here]

N. AUGUSTA OFFICER FIRED FOR VIOLATING PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY
Aiken Standard
By Karen Daily
11/28/2009 12:34 AM
North Augusta Public Safety has fired an officer who had been put on suspension earlier this month after he allegedly grabbed his girlfriend from a parked vehicle during an argument that caused her to fall and strike her head on the ground... Public Safety Director John Thomas said the officer was terminated Wednesday, adding that Cameron violated policy. "It was the result of an internal investigation," he said. Thomas said Cameron's termination is aside from the criminal investigation. The Aiken County Sheriff's office is investigating the criminal allegations... [Full article here]

NORTH AUGUSTA PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER FIRED
NBC Augusta 26 News
Nov 30, 2009
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. - A North Augusta police officer has been fired after he was arrested for domestic violence. North Augusta Public Safety Department suspended Brandon Cameron earlier this month. After an internal investigation, the department decided to fire him. He is accused of throwing his girlfriend on the ground when the two were fighting. Cameron had been on the force for three years. [LINK]

NORTH AUGUSTA POLICEMAN FIRED FOLLOWING DOMESTIC ARREST
The Augusta Chronicle
By Stephanie Toone, SC Bureau Chief
Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 10:57 a.m.
NORTH AUGUSTA – A North Augusta Department of Public Safety officer has been fired after being arrested for domestic violence earlier this month. Brandon Cameron was fired Wednesday after the department conducted an internal investigation into the incident involving the three-year, Public Safety veteran, said Lt. Tim Pearson. “He’s no longer employed with North Augusta as result of that investigation,” he said... [Full article here]

OFFICER IS FIRED AFTER VIOLENCE INVESTIGATION
ACROSS THE AREA
The Augusta Chronicle
From Staff
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
A North Augusta Department of Public Safety officer who was arrested on a domestic violence charge last month has been fired. Brandon Cameron, a three-year veteran, was fired Wednesday after an internal investigation... He was accused of pulling his girlfriend out of a vehicle and throwing her to the ground. She had a contusion on the right side of her head, according to the report. [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement south carolina state professionalism]

[TN] La Vergne Police Chief Ted Boyd seems to immediately lean toward protecting Officer Joseph Pena from career damage of dv charge

..."He's been put on administrative leave pending our internal investigation. We've asked him to come by the police department, but he has yet to do so," La Vergne Police Chief Ted Boyd said... Boyd said he and other members of his department are conducting their own investigation to determine what caused the incident. "There's always two sides to a story. It's a bad situation for anybody, but especially an officer, because it limits your ability to earn a living," he said...

WHERE IS THE CHIEF'S EQUAL CONCERN FOR THE VICTIM'S SAFETY, THE CHILDREN'S TRAUMA, OR EVEN THE OFFICER'S VERY LIFE? THIS IS TOO COMMON OF A RESPONSE - TO APPROACH THE ENTIRE INCIDENT ALREADY TUNNEL FOCUSED ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S CAREER AS THE TOP PRIORITY, REGARDLESS OF THE DRINKING, CRIMINAL HOME VIOLENCE, POTENTIAL FUTURE HARM TO OTHERS OR SELF, AND BLATANT LACK OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT. BY THE CHIEF'S WORDS THIS ASSAULT OF A WOMAN IN FRONT OF CHILDREN SOUNDS LIKE MORE OF A CAREER SNAG THAN A CRIME, WARNING, OR LIABILITY.

LAVERGNE OFFICER ARRESTED BY SMYRNA OFFICER
wgnsradio.com
December 1, 2009
Smyrna Police arrested a LaVergne Police Officer on domestic violence charges. Joseph Pena, age 37, was arrested early Sunday morning at a Smyrna address. The arrest came after an alleged fight between Pena and a female. According to a report filed with Smyrna Police, Pena was accused of throwing a 36-year old female into a wall. Pena’s three children were said to be in the home when the incident occurred. The 36-year old female is not believed to be the mother of the children who were only visiting their father from out of state. The mother of the kids had to be notified by telephone and reportedly drove to Tennessee to pick the children up. When handcuffed, Pena was also charged with resisting arrest. Pena has been a LaVergne Police Officer since 2008. [LINK]

OFFICER CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC ASSAULT SUNDAY
The Tennessean
Mealand Ragland-Hudgins
November 30, 2009
A La Vergne police officer is under investigation for his role in an alleged domestic incident following an arrest early Sunday morning.

Joseph Pena, 37, was arrested by Smyrna police around 5:30 a.m. after fighting with his girlfriend at a Henricks Hill Drive home.

A transcript of the call shows an unidentified female at the home called police to report Pena and her aunt, Janet Morris, 36, were fighting. Morris asked the female to call, but Pena said not to because he was afraid of losing his job. Pena has worked as a patrol officer in La Vergne since Nov. 23, 2008.

“He’s been put on administrative leave pending our internal investigation. We’ve asked him to come by the police department, but he has yet to do so,” La Vergne Police Chief Ted Boyd said late Monday afternoon.

The dispatch report from Smyrna police states Pena threw Morris into a wall at the home and sat on her. In addition to the caller, Pena’s three children visiting from Ohio, were at the home as well. One of the children managed to get a cell phone and dial 911.

At one point, Pena took the phone from the caller and said nobody had been assaulted, but that he and Martin had been drinking. He also told dispatchers that he and his girlfriend had no history of assault and that Martin was upset by the argument.

Dispatchers were able to hear Martin calling for the children to come witness part of the struggle as Pena was holding her down, the report said.

The mother of Pena’s children was notified and drove down from Ohio to pick them up.

Pena was charged with domestic assault and resisting arrest and given a $3,000 bond. He was taken to the Rutherford County Jail on a 12-hour hold and was released sometime after 4 p.m. Sunday.

Boyd said he and other members of his department were conducting their own investigation to determine what caused the situation.

“There’s always two sides to a story. It’s a bad situation for anybody, but especially an officer, because it limits your ability to earn a living,” he said.

— Mealand Ragland-Hudgins, 615-459-3868 [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement tennessee state children coverup good ol boys]

[PA] Murdered County Prison Corrections Officer Melissa Baker was trying to leave an abusive marriage

...Court records show that a Greene County Prison corrections officer filed a protection-from-abuse order against her husband just two months before she was killed... Several people said Melissa Baker planned to get a divorce... Scott Baker's 12-year-old son, [N.B.], also was residing in her home. Police said [N.B.] was in the home when Scott Baker killed his wife...

HUSBAND CHARGED WITH KILLING COUNTY PRISON OFFICER WHO ONCE GOT PFA
Affidavit: Children Present When Melissa Baker Was Attacked
thepittsburghchannel.com
POSTED: 10:31 pm EST November 20, 2009
UPDATED: 6:57 pm EST November 23, 2009
[Excerpts] Court records show that a Greene County Prison corrections officer filed a protection-from-abuse order against her husband just two months before she was killed, allegedly at his hands while two children were home. The body of Melissa Baker, 30, was discovered inside a mobile home on Crucible Road in Cumberland Township sometime after 6 p.m... Police said she died of apparent trauma to the throat. After interviewing witnesses, police arrested her husband, Scott, 37, and charged him with criminal homicide. "I was devastated when I got the phone call yesterday that they had found Officer Baker deceased. She's a very good officer, had been with us about a year," Warden Harry Gillispie said... A co-worker who lives nearby knocked on Melissa Baker's door, but there was no answer. Police went by and found her inside. Neighbors told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that Melissa Baker had just moved in a month ago with her 18-month-old son. Court papers said she moved there to get away from her husband and start divorce proceedings... Scott Baker took his 12-year-old son and the couple's boy to Melissa Baker's home Friday afternoon. The affidavit states Scott Baker ordered his son to take the baby to his room... "When (the boy) came into the living room, he saw Melissa on the floor and Scott was on top of her. Scott had his arm over Melissa's mouth, and (the boy) thought Scott was smothering her... as he was leaving, he saw Melissa motionless on the floor," the affidavit states... The PFA was filed Sept. 14 and would have stayed in effect until 2012, but Cipriani reported that Melissa Baker asked to withdraw it and the request was granted... Her husband faces a preliminary hearing scheduled for Dec. 12 and remains held without bail. [Full article here]

WIFE RETRACTED PFA ON HUSBAND
Washington Observer-Reporter
By Bob Niedbala, Staff writer, niedbala@observer-reporter.com
11/24/2009 3:30 AM
[Excerpts] Melissa Baker filed for a protection-from-abuse order against her husband, Scott, two months ago after an incident in which he told her he was going to kill himself, pushed her to the floor and threatened her. The petition was filed and a temporary order granted Sept. 14. But two weeks later, the order was withdrawn at Melissa Baker's request. On Friday, Melissa Baker was found dead in her mobile home in Crucible. She had been strangled and her neck cut with a knife. Her husband, Scott J. Baker, 37, of Nemacolin, is being held in Washington County Jail charged with her death... In her PFA petition, Baker said she and her husband argued Sept. 14 about whether to have another child. He had been drinking, she said, and had made her write down that he was not responsible for their 18-month-old son; he wanted to give up his rights to the child. Scott Baker said he was going to kill himself and grabbed a knife, Melissa Baker said. He also told her to get her gun but she refused. Scott Baker slammed the door on her hand and pushed her to the floor, injuring her foot and hand. He also waved the knife in her face. "He was still saying he was going to kill himself and that it could be a slow painful death or he could blow his brains out," the petition said. He also said he could stab her if she didn't get the gun. Melissa Baker said she eventually escaped and was able to call police. An ambulance came and Scott Baker agreed to go to the hospital and commit himself, the petition said. Scott Baker was served the petition by a sheriff's deputy that day on the fourth floor at Southwest Regional Medical Center. The floor contains the hospital's behavioral health unit. Melissa Baker also said in the petition that Scott Baker had abused her in the past, pushing her into the oven and injuring her head on a knob, pushing her to the floor and threatening to kill her and her child. He also had threatened her with a knife, she said... Several people said Melissa Baker planned to get a divorce. The petition indicates she also was seeking custody of the couple's 18-month-old son... Scott Baker's 12-year-old son, [N.B.], also was residing in her home. Police said [N.B.] was in the home when Scott Baker killed his wife Friday and witnessed part of the assault. A man who knew the couple, Travis Penich of Carmichaels, said the couple seemed to get along well but it was easy to see Scott Baker was "very controlling." Penich said he lived with Scott Baker in Crucible for four to six years about eight years ago. Melissa Baker also lived in the home with Scott for about two years. "Melissa was a really, really nice person. She would go out of her way to do anything for anyone," Penich said. Penich said Scott Baker was "actually OK." He was not violent or the type of person to go out and start trouble, but he was very serious. "You could joke with him, but everything he did in life was pre-meditated. He was very organized down to the last penny." He also was very impatient and appeared on edge or like "he could snap," Penich said. Penich, who is an uncle to Scott Baker's son [N.B.], said he believes Scott Baker wasn't working and was on disability for a knee injury... [Full article here]

COMMENT FROM THAT WEBSITE:
Betrayed
11/24/2009
You cant trust anyone anymore. I trusted that man w the most important thing in my life my son. My son looked up to that man as is ftball coach and a friend. We were on the phone with scott the night the cops were looking for him and he acted like we were talking to him about an mutual freind not his wife.Anyone that can stay that calm as he did both times we spoke to him on friday definatly has mental issues. Ijust wish that i would have knew sooner that he was like that because my son would have never went near his place. My heart goes out to those boys and the family. Ihope someday god forgives scott because i dont see him getting it from all he decieved. May you spend the rest of your life scott with nothing but pain and remorse.

POLICE: NEMACOLIN MAN KILLS CORRECTIONS OFFICER WIFE WHILE CHILDREN NEAR
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
By Liz Zemba lzemba@tribweb.com
412-601-2166.
Monday, November 23, 2009
[Excerpts] A Greene County man killed his wife while his two children played in a nearby room, according to court documents. Scott Joseph Baker, 37, of Nemacolin is charged with criminal homicide in the death of Melissa Ann Baker, 30, of the village of Crucible in Cumberland Township, Greene County. Melissa Baker, a corrections officer in the Greene County Prison, died of throat trauma, police said. In a criminal complaint, police said she suffered a slash wound to the right side of her neck. Her body was discovered by two coworkers who stopped by her mobile home after she failed to report for the 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift Friday in the jail, said Warden Harry Gillispie. "When they knocked on the door, it went open a little on its own, and they saw her on the floor," Gillispie said. "She didn't have a pulse, so they called 911." In the criminal complaint, police said Scott Baker's son [N.B.] told them that he, his 18-month-old half-brother and Scott Baker went to Melissa Baker's house on Friday morning. Melissa Baker was the 18-month-old child's mother and [N.B.]'s stepmother. Court documents did not give [N.B.]'s age. [N.B.] told police he was in the bathroom when he heard his stepmother scream and his father calling for him to come and get his half-brother. When [N.B.] went into the living room, he saw his father on top of Melissa Baker, police said. "Scott had his arm over Melissa's mouth and [N.B.] thought Scott was smothering her," the complaint says. "[N.B.] took the baby into the baby's room and played with him until he heard Scott call and tell him to bring the baby, it was time to leave." [N.B.] told police that as he was leaving the residence, he saw his stepmother motionless on the floor. He said his father drove to a service station and then went home. Sometime later, Scott Baker went back to Melissa Baker's residence, police said. [N.B.] told police he sat in a truck outside the residence while his father went inside "to make the home look like a robbery had happened." Scott Baker then returned to his residence, police said. Gillispie said Sunday that Melissa Baker was in training to fill a supervisor's position. He described her death as a "tremendous loss" to the prison. According to the criminal complaint, Melissa Baker had previously obtained a protection-from-abuse order against Scott Baker. "It's another senseless case of domestic violence," Gillispie said. "It's so senseless. A waste of a human being over nothing." According to her MySpace page, Melissa Baker's survivors include a toddler son, [B.B.], and her stepson, [N.B.]. She obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and was a 1997 graduate of Laurel Highlands High School. Scott Baker was initially placed in the Greene County Prison without bond, but he has since been transferred to the jail in Washington County. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement fatality fatalities murder pennsylvania state jail]

[NC] Almost immediately FIRED Deputy Dillon charged with assaulting his Domestic Violence Police Detective wife

...[New Hanover County Sheriff's Deputy] Nicholas Dillon fled the scene early Sunday morning, but told WWAY Monday, he planned to turn himself in... Police said he was well aware of the laws he allegedly broke... "It gives us a bad name, it gives us a black eye... He was terminated from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Department almost immediately after Sheriff McMahon got word of what happened. He told us he has a zero tolerance level for any type of domestic violence...  “As soon as I was informed of this incident, Dillon's employment was immediately terminated... I will not tolerate this type of behavior”... Now that Dillon is in the custody of the Sheriff's department, it is up to law enforcement to protect the alleged victim...

NEW HANOVER DEPUTY FIRED, CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING WIFE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 17, 2009
LELAND - A North Carolina sheriff's deputy has been accused of assaulting his estranged wife. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office says it has fired 28-year-old Nicholas Dillon. The Star-News of Wilmington reported Tuesday that Dillon is charged with assault on a female in neighboring Brunswick County. Dillon's wife is a Wilmington police detective who investigates domestic violence cases. Leland Police Lt. Karl Smith said the woman was hit in the face and ribs outside her home in Leland... [LINK]

BAILIFF UNDER CUSTODY AFTER ALLEGED ASSAULT ACCUSATIONS
WWAY
16 November 2009 - 7:31pm.
[Excerpts] A former New Hanover County bailiff is now in the custody of the Sheriff's department. He's accused of assaulting his estranged wife, a domestic violence detective with the Wilmington Police Department. Nicholas Dillon fled the scene early Sunday morning, but told WWAY Monday, he planned to turn himself in... Police said he was well aware of the laws he allegedly broke. Sargeant John Keel said, "It gives us a bad name, it gives us a black eye. Because we are supposed to uphold the law and protect the public, so when things like this happen it gives us a bad name." Dillon fled the Willows subdivision in Leland, after allegedly assaulting his estranged wife [A.D.]. Turns out, she is a Domestic Violence Detective at Wilmington Police Department. Working hand in hand with victims. Sources said the two are legally married, but recently separated. We spoke with Dillon on the phone Monday morning. All he would say is that there are two sides to this story. "It is a domestic, which is one of the more severe misdeameanor charges. And he is law enforcement too," said Keel. Dillon won't face any additional charges because he is a member of law enforcement. But he was terminated from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Department almost immediately after Sheriff McMahon got word of what happened. He told us he has a zero tolerance level for any type of domestic violence. Now that Dillon is in the custody of the Sheriff's department, it is up to law enforcement to protect the alleged victim... [Full article here]

NEW HANOVER SHERIFF FIRES DEPUTY CHARGED WITH HITTING ESTRANGED WIFE
StarNewsOnline.com
By Dave Reynolds
November 16, 2009
[Excerpts] Leland police are searching for a New Hanover County sheriff's deputy who is accused of assaulting his estranged wife Sunday. Nicholas Dillon, 28, is wanted on a warrant for assault on a female after he allegedly assaulted his estranged wife, said Leland Police Lt. Karl Smith. Dillon's wife is Wilmington Police Detective [A.D.]... New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon said Dillon was fired from his job after the allegation of an off-duty assault. “As soon as I was informed of this incident, Dillon's employment was immediately terminated,” McMahon said in a statement. “I will not tolerate this type of behavior.” Nicholas Dillon, a Burgaw resident, went to his estranged wife's house sometime from 3 to 4 a.m. Sunday and struck [A.D.] in the face and ribs outside the house... Leland police responded as soon as they received a call. [A.D.] was treated and released from the hospital... Leland Police Chief Tim Jayne said his police force is working closely with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office to find the suspect. “We're hopeful we'll be able to locate him by the end of the day”... The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office is assisting the Leland Police Department with the case... [Full article here]

FIRED NEW HANOVER COUNTY DEPUTY ARRESTED ON ASSAULT CHARGES
starnewsonline.com
Shannan Bowen
November 17, 2009
[Excerpts] Nicholas Dillon, the former New Hanover County deputy charged with assault on a female after allegedly assaulting his estranged wife, was taken into custody Monday night by the Leland Police Department on an outstanding warrant. He is being held without bond in the Brunswick County jail as of Tuesday morning, pending a first appearance in court. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office assisted the police department in locating Dillon... Nicholas Dillon was fired by the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office afternoon as a result of the allegation of an off-duty assault, New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon said. [Full article here]
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Accountability: Expungement of criminal records doesn't wipe away all traces

...Expungement doesn't wipe away all traces. Local news Web sites routinely post arrest mug shots, which are nearly impossible to eradicate from the Internet... Arrests that have been legally expunged may remain on databases that data-harvesting companies offer to prospective employers; such background companies are under no legal obligation to erase them...

MORE JOB SEEKERS SCRAMBLE TO ERASE THEIR CRIMINAL PAST
The Wall Street Journal, page A1
By Douglas Belkin
[Excerpts] U.S. job seekers are crashing into the worst employment market in years and background checks that reach deeper than ever into their pasts. The result: a surge of people seeking to legally clear their criminal records... Civil-rights organizations have long complained that young black men are disproportionately hindered when prospective employers ask about applicants' arrests or convictions. But attorneys say past offenses are increasingly catching up with blue-collar and middle-class applicants with solid work histories... Background checks have become more commonplace in the years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and cheaper. More than 80% of companies performed such checks in 2006, compared with fewer than 50% in 1998, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, an association of HR professionals.
ERASED, SEALED, BLOCKED
Though the definition, terminology and methods of expungement vary by state, its general intent is to restore people to the legal status they enjoyed before a brush with the law - often giving them the right to answer "no" when a prospective employer asks if they've been arrested or convicted. Most felonies, such as sexual assault or armed robberies, can't be removed. But in many states, some lesser crimes can. After a successful appeal, official records may be shredded, erased, sealed or blocked from view by anyone except entities such as police or schools. Expungement doesn't wipe away all traces. Local news Web sites routinely post arrest mug shots, which are nearly impossible to eradicate from the Internet. Search engines can turn up a smattering of decades-old news and police reports, plus caches of newer ones. Arrests that have been legally expunged may remain on databases that data-harvesting companies offer to prospective employers; such background companies are under no legal obligation to erase them... Some lawyers have created services to help clients clear records... [Full article here]