Police Officer Involved Domestic Violence.
Lighting a candle of remembrance for those who've lost their lives to domestic violence behind the blue wall, for strength and wisdom to those still there, and a non-ending prayer for those who thought they had escaped but can't stop being afraid.
Firefighter faces charges in Quincy domestic assault The Boston Herald By Jessica Van Sack and Jessica Fargen jfargen@bostonherald.com Monday, June 30, 2008 A 46-year-old Boston firefighter arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend is expected to appear in a Quincy court this morning... Joseph Houlder will be arraigned today in Quincy District Court accused of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon... Steve MacDonald, spokesman for the Fire Department, confirmed last night that Houlder is a firefighter, but said the department had not been notified of an arrest... A police source said Houlder is accused of assaulting his girlfriend by throwing a jewelry box and other {???} objects at her... MacDonald said any firefighter involved in a court action must notify a supervisor. Officials then decide what, if any, action to take. Boston Firefighters Local 718 President Edward Kelly could not be reached last night... [Full article was here]
A FEW MONTHS AGO REGARDING A BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR: "...[HE] PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO TWO COUNTS OF ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON A POLICE OFFICER, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, AND RESISTING ARREST..."
AND AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER BOSTON FIREFIGHTER WAS ARRESTED AGAIN. REGARDING HIS PREVIOUS BATTERY CASES: "...PROSECUTORS SAID THERE WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO GO TO TRIAL BOTH TIMES, BUT AGREED TO DISMISS THE CHARGES AS LONG AS GASTON STAYED OUT OF TROUBLE..."
It all comes down to being able to pay the $1M to get out of jail? He did. Now what? No article fears out loud for his family.
...AUTHORITIES SAID BRUCE BOCHICCHIO TURNED OVER MORE THAN 40 FIREARMS TO STATE POLICE IN MAY TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTRAINING ORDERS. BUT POLICE SAID THEY FOUND 11 MORE GUNS AT HIS HOUSE WHILE EXECUTING A SEARCH WARRANT THIS WEEK, INCLUDING TWO FULLY AUTOMATIC SUBMACHINE GUNS AND AN ASSAULT RIFLE...
..."ON JUNE 21 AND 22 HE WAS VERBALLY BERATING ME, CALLING ME A BITCH, AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME. HIS BEHAVIOR HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY ALARMING. I AM FEARFUL HE MAY RETALIATE FOR POLICE INTERVENTION"...
MORRIS MAN, FORMER WATERBURY COP, ARRESTED IN WEAPONS VIOLATION, THREATENING Waterbury Republican American, CT By Brigitte Ruthman Republican-American June 26, 2008 The brother of a former state trooper who shot and killed his wife and critically injured her lawyer before killing himself during a bitter divorce three years ago was arrested Thursday for possessing firearms in violation of a restraining order, and threatening his wife. Bruce Bochicchio, 41, a former judicial sheriff and retired Waterbury police officer, turned himself in to police at Troop L here early Thursday morning after learning a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Bochicchio was arraigned later Thursday morning in Bantam Superior Court where Judge Charles D. Gill doubled the amount of his bond, from $500,000 to $1 million... Gill imposed a protective order, which is more restrictive than a restraining order, forbidding Bochicchio from coming within 100 yards of his wife or returning to the family home at 174 Bantam Lake Road in Morris where he has been living with his wife, their two children; her two children by a previous relationship and two children who are friends of the family. The Bochicchios also have custody of a niece and nephew orphaned when Michael Bochicchio fatally shot his wife, Donna, and seriously injured her Waterbury-based attorney, Julie Porzio, outside of Middletown Superior Court in 2005. According to court documents, state police and testimony, Bochicchio and his wife Christine, 43, were involved in a domestic dispute on Tuesday. Christine Bochicchio said it was part of a pattern of escalating violence. She said she feared for her safety and believed her husband had weapons in the house in violation of a previous restraining order filed against him by her 18-year-old son Geoffrey. Police obtained a search and seizure warrant and found 11 weapons, including an assault rifle, and two fully automatic submachine guns. "This is the most blatant disregard of a court order I have seen in 25 years, particularly because it was someone involved in law enforcement," Gill said. "Some of these weapons are only to be used on human beings. This is a red flag for danger." Bochicchio, who appeared in court wearing shorts and a T-shirt, told Gill he has never hurt anyone, especially not a member of his family... Bruce Bochicchio once worked as a deputy sheriff in the same court district where he was arraigned. He was hired as a Waterbury police officer in December 1995, and retired on a medical disability in August 2006. His charges include several firearms possession charges, failure to surrender a pistol permit, violation of a restraining order and second-degree threatening. His case was continued and transferred to Litchfield Superior Court, where the most serious cases are heard. If he posts his bond, Waterfall said Bochicchio will probably move in with his parents, who live in town. [Full article here]
MAN HELD ON $1 MILLION IN GUN CASE Register Citizen By Tracy Kennedy courts@registercitizen.com Jun 27, 2008 Bruce Bochicchio, 41, wanted to shed the shackles and go home, but the fear that history would repeat itself was too great Thursday in Bantam Superior Court... “I love my family. I would never cause them harm, or harm anyone,” [Bruce] Bochicchio said. [Judge Charles] Gill looked sternly at Bochicchio and shook his head. “Starting out with the premise that you had 41 or more weapons, mixed with emotions and a handful of children — these things don’t mix,” Gill said. Bruce and his wife, Christine Bochicchio, took in Michael and Donna’s two children to live in their Morris home with their four children, but recently tempers started to flare, according to court documents. In April, Bruce argued with Geoffrey, Christine’s 19-year-old son, and Geoffrey sought and obtained a restraining order against his stepfather. Geoffrey claimed Bruce held him against the wall and strangled him in his bedroom. He struck his arm and screamed obscenities at him, Geoffrey claimed in the application for the court order. A week later, on May 9, they tangled again and Bruce allegedly strangled Geoffrey and threw him to the floor. In the restraining orders, Judge John Pickard and Judge Elizabeth Gallagher ordered Bruce Bochicchio to turn over his pistol permit and any firearms he had to state police... Bruce Bochicchio has no prior criminal record, is a former Waterbury police officer and manages property for a living, Waterfall said. He is a civic leader and has a stellar business career, the defense attorney argued... On Monday, Bruce told Christine not to come home. “He told me it was his home and he allowed me to live there,” Christine wrote in the affidavit. When she saw a rifle in the walk-in closet of the master bedroom Tuesday, she took their 6-year-old son and went to the state police barracks in Litchfield. At 9:30 p.m. Bruce Bochicchio refused to let police search the house, according to the warrant. Police returned with a search warrant at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday and collected an assault rifle, two fully automatic submachine guns, six handguns, a revolver and a Taser. “This is probably the most blatant disregard for a court order I have ever seen in my 25 years on the bench, particularly from someone involved in the court system and law enforcement,” Gill said. Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Devin Stilson believe Bruce Bochicchio had an ulterior motive. “As the reports from the victim unfold, this woman was being terrorized,” Stilson said... [Full article here]
KILLER'S BROTHER ACCUSED OF THREATENING WIFE Hartford Courant By KATIE MELONE kmelone@courant.com June 27, 2008 ... Eight months before Donna Bochicchio's death, in the middle of her contentious divorce, she warned family she was worried Michael Bochicchio would kill her... In a similar situation, Christine Bochicchio reported to police that on Saturday or Sunday, Bruce Bochicchio threatened to kill her. He also told the children he would be leaving in a week, and Christine Bochicchio was not welcome in the house, according to her account in an arrest warrant affidavit... [Full article here]
MORRIS MAN POSTS $1M BOND AFTER GUN ARREST Register Citizen By Tracy Kennedy courts@registercitizen.com Jun 28, 2008 A Morris man involved in two domestic disputes and jailed Thursday for illegally keeping 11 prohibited weapons is at liberty after posting a $1 million bond... “We are aware he was released,” said Lt. Paul Vance, state police public information officer. Bochicchio is expected to follow the conditions set by the court for his release including having no contact with his wife and the six children living in their home, Vance said... [Full article here]
...FOX 5 NEWS HAS LEARNED DEKALB POLICE WANT TO TALK TO DEPUTY DERRICK YANCEY ABOUT THE DOUBLE KILLINGS AT HIS HOUSE, AGAIN. IT APPEARS HIS ACCOUNT OF THE INCIDENT IS BEING QUESTIONED...
I can't say who did what, but besides his own attorney, & by the third day after the killings of Linda & Marcial, there appears to be no one speaking out for the innocence, or even character, of DeKalb Deputy Derrick Yancey. Even sadder, the things that his attorney comes up with seem to further heighten, not lessen, the appearance of a double homicide.
...[DEFENSE ATTORNEY KEITH] ADAMS SAYS [DEKALB DEPUY DERRICK] YANCEY EVEN PREPARED LUNCH FOR CAX-PULUC. AT SOME POINT, THE ATTORNEY SAYS, LINDA YANCEY CAME HOME AND THE THREE OF THEM ENDED UP IN THE BASEMENT. THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS THAT'S WHEN YANCEY HANDED HIS WIFE ABOUT $2,000 CASH. "HE'S STANDING THERE AND IN A COUPLE OF SECONDS HIS WIFE IS SHOT. AND HE'S GOT TO DO SOMETHING..." ATTORNEY ADAMS ALSO SAYS BOTH OF THE WEAPONS FOUND ON THE SCENE DID BELONG TO YANCEY...
[See all previous blog entries on the deaths of Linda Ann Thomas Yancey & Marcial Cax Puluc here.]
EXCERPTS FROM NEWS SINCE THE LAST TIME I POSTED: DAY WORKER SHOT BY DEPUTY WAS 'INNOCENT,' FRIENDS SAY The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By MARY LOU PICKEL mpickel@ajc.com Published on: 06/17/08 Roommates of a Guatemalan man shot and killed last week by an off-duty DeKalb County sheriff's deputy say their friend was a quiet day laborer who arrived in the United States six weeks ago. Deputy Derrick Yancey told police he shot Marcial Cax-Puluc because the man fatally shot his wife in the deputy's home during an attempted robbery June 9. Yancey had picked up Cax-Puluc at a gas station earlier that day to perform work around the house, according to a police report. Cax-Puluc's roommates doubt the deputy's version of events. "We're not going to stop until this gets cleared up," roommate Jose Perez, 29, said. "We know they killed an innocent guy who was just trying to get some money to help his mama in Guatemala," Perez said... Roommates at the Stone Mountain-area apartment complex where Cax-Puluc lived described him as a "timid" teenager who didn't speak much. "He was a quiet kid. He didn't smoke. He didn't drink," Jose Perez said... The men said Cax-Puluc was 18 years old, although police have given his age as 23. The undocumented day laborer came from the town of San Pedro Sacatepequez, Guatemala... [Full article here]
DAY LABORER'S ROOMMATES SAY HE WAS 'TIMID' Killing case: Consul general of Guatemala in Atlanta plans to meet with DeKalb police chief. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By Mary Lou Pickel 06/18/08 ...The roommates want to hold a wake for Cax-Puluc in their home on Saturday. "We want justice, and that this never happens again," said Luis Perez. Beatriz Illescas, consul general of Guatemala in Atlanta, said the Guatemalan government will help defray the cost of sending the body back to Guatemala. Illescas said DeKalb police Chief Terrell Bolton will visit the consulate today to talk about the investigation. Bolton has assured her the police will be impartial in their handling of the case, she said... [Full article here]
LAWYER: EVIDENCE WILL SUPPORT DEKALB DEPUTY The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By DAVID SIMPSON 06/19/08 A lawyer for DeKalb County sheriff's deputy Derrick Yancey said Thursday that the evidence will prove Yancey is telling the truth about the fatal shootings of his wife and a day laborer in his home... "His account of what occurred can be supported by the evidence and numerous witnesses," [defense attorney Keith] Adams said. Adams said at least one witness saw Linda Yancey alive some time after Cax-Puluc had begun working at the home, which would contradict any suspicion that Yancey brought the laborer to his home after his wife was killed. Adams said he had not been told the results of any laboratory tests which might show whether Cax-Puluc fired a weapon. Linda Yancey, 44, also was an employee of the sheriff's office... [Full article here] CONSUL: CHIEF SAYS PROBE INTO LABORER'S KILLING WILL BE FAIR Roommates say Guatemalan man was timid, had no gun Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA By MARY LOU PICKEL Published on: 06/18/08 DeKalb County Police Chief Terrell Bolton assured the Guatemalan consulate today that he is working hard to solve the case of the slain sheriff's deputy and the day laborer. "He was very eager to show me he was going to find out things exactly the way they happened," said Guatemalan Consul General of Atlanta Beatriz Illescas... THE ROOMMATES OF THE SLAIN IMMIGRANT SAY THEY DOUBT THE DEPUTY'S VERSION. They say Cax-Puluc arrived in the United States six weeks ago and dedicated himself to waiting at a nearby gas station, hoping to work odd jobs. He was timid, they said, and didn't own a gun... [Full article here] BODY OF MAN SHOT BY DEKALB DEPUTY GOING BACK TO GUATEMALA The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By MARCUS K. GARNER Published on: 06/21/08 Marcial Cax-Puluc's only friends in America gathered in the south Atlanta area Saturday night to bid him one last goodbye. "We are not promised tomorrow," Malcolm Lewis said, consoling the younger mourners who gathered for a visitation at the Airport Mortuary Shipping Service in Hapeville, near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Lewis is a Stone Mountain contractor who had hired the young day laborer from Guatemala to lay tiles. "When I paid him the $80 for the day, he was like a kid getting a new popsicle," Lewis said. Such was the enthusiasm Cax-Puluc had about working to send money home to his mother. But that was not to be... Oscar Perez, 28, who lived and worked with Cax-Puluc for the six weeks he was in the U.S., said he couldn't believe his friend would have done what Yancey said he did. "He was the kind of person who didn't drink or smoke," Perez said. "But the only proof I have is myself and anyone that knew him." Another roommate, Alejandro Montes, said he had run the deputy's account of the incident past many of his friends. "They don't believe it," Montes said. "I don't believe it, either. I'm going to keep telling people this was wrong"... The Guatemalan Consul General in Atlanta, Beatriz Illescas Putreys, paid half of the $4,000 cost to send his body back to his family. The body leaves on Tuesday, said Putreys, who also attended the visitation. "His friends came up with the rest (of the money)," she said. "Although they are very poor, they worked very hard." Saying this won't be the first sad story she's seen in her position, Putreys said she hopes justice is done. "But if he is innocent, this is the very worst thing I've seen," she said. [Full article here] FRIENDS ATTEND SERVICE FOR SLAIN DAY LABORER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By Marcus K. Garner 06/22/08 Marcial Cax-Puluc's only friends in America gathered in the south Atlanta area Saturday night to bid him one last goodbye. "We are not promised tomorrow," Malcolm Lewis said, consoling the younger mourners who gathered for a visitation at the Airport Mortuary Shipping Service in Hapeville... Lewis is a Stone Mountain contractor who had hired the young day laborer from Guatemala to lay tiles. "When I paid him the $80 for the day, he was like a kid getting a new popsicle," Lewis said. Such was the enthusiasm Cax-Puluc had about working to send money home to his mother. But that was not to be... The Guatemalan Consul General in Atlanta, Beatriz Illescas Putreys, paid half of the $4,000 cost to send his body back to his family. The body leaves on Tuesday, said Putreys, who also attended the visitation. "His friends came up with the rest" of the money, she said. "Although they are very poor, they worked very hard." Saying this isn't the first sad story she's seen in her position, Putreys said she hopes justice is done. "But if he is innocent, this is the very worst thing I've seen," she said. [Full article here]
[GA] POLICE WANT TO TALK TO DEPUTY YANCEY RE: WIFE'S MURDER
...DEPUTY DERRICK YANCEY SAYS HE IS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME COPING WITH HIS WIFE LINDA'S UNTIMELY DEATH. THE CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THOUGHT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEADLY SHOOTING OF HIS WIFE LINDA AND DAY LABORER MARCIAL COX-PULUC WOULD HAVE FINISHED BY NOW. INSTEAD SUSPICION SEEMS TO BE SWIRLING AROUND YANCEY...
POLICE SEEK TO QUESTION DEKALB DEPUTY IN SHOOTING DEATH AT HIS HOME myfoxatlanta.com Aungelique Proctor 23 Jun 2008 There is new information in the case of a DeKalb County deputy who says he shot and killed a day laborer who had just killed his wife. Linda Yancey and Marcial Cox-Puluc were both killed in what Deputy Yancey says was a robbery attempt. FOX 5 News has learned DeKalb police want to talk to Deputy Derrick Yancey about the double killings at his house, again. It appears his account of the incident is being questioned but his attorney says Yancey story can be backed with evidence. Deputy Derrick Yancey says he is having a difficult time coping with his wife Linda's untimely death. The career law enforcement officer thought the investigation into the deadly shooting of his wife Linda and Day Laborer Marcial Cox-Puluc would have finished by now. Instead suspicion seems to be swirling around Yancey. Because of the on-going investigation, the 17-year veteran is talking through his attorney. "It's difficult for Derrick Yancey now," said Yancey's Attorney Keith Adams, "because there has been five million stories and speculations, rumors about what happened there. The fact of the matter is when the incident occurred he called 911 right away." Adams says Yancey picked up Guatemalan Day Laborer Cox-Puluc at a Chevron... the next stop was at the Home Depot where Yancey bought pinestraw and Roundup. "That can be collaborated..." said Yancey. Adams says Yancey even prepared lunch for Cox-Puluc. At some point, the attorney says, Linda Yancey came home and the three of them ended up in the basement. The defense attorney says that's when Yancey handed his wife about $2,000 cash. "He's standing there and in a couple of seconds his wife is shot. And he's got to do something. And that's unfortunate. It's a terrible, terrible tragedy. All the way around"... Attorney Adams also says both of the weapons found on the scene did belong to Yancey. The deputy believes Cox-Puluc took one of his guns and used it to kill his wife... [Full article here] PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM HERE AND THERE
AN INSIGHT? Anonymous said... Derrick was going to prevent Linda leaving anyway possible. When he first learned of her plans to end the marriage and file for divorce he went absolutely nuts. Derrick thought he planned the perfect crime. He had no inention of sharing what "HE" worked so hard far . He would set the house on fire first before he woulkd sell it in a divorce. [Comment found here]
A PARALLEL: Dakota Valkyrie Jun 10, 2008 at 10:19 am - There was a case some time ago where a man set up a guy in order to kill his wife. Wife had gotten weirded out by a taxi driver. Husband called taxi company and complained. He then called the driver and asked him to come over to discuss the situation. When the driver got there, hubby had beaten his wife to death, then shot the driver. He planted the gun on the dead driver. [Newslink] Wonder if this is going to be a similar story. [Comment found here]
A COMMON COMMENT: jenjen0135 Jun 11, 2008 at 12:59 pm - Here’s the link from Fox5 Atlanta. They have been following the story since it broke. Even though they used day laborers often for landscaping, a lot of folks around here seem to go with the opinion that: He may have brought this guy home to use as a “pawn” in his game of lets get rid of the wife without them pinning it on me… And he could of course shoot the laborer in “self-Defense” of the guy having a gun and “robbing” them. Dead dudes don’t talk... [Comment found here]
SOMEONE HAS QUESTIONS: Anonymous said... Fact: Officer Yancey, AKA Antonio, is or was in the weekend landscaping business. He is known by me and other to have picked up Hispanic guys at Central Dr. and Hairston to do work at his home and others. He hire these men (day laborers)to work at the homes of other police officer's, attorney's, entertainer's and more. Sometimes he buys beer and serve food to these guys. Once Officer Yancey befriends the day labors he exchanges telephone numbers and if one of them has a vehicle he will have that person pick up the others and bring them to his house. Soooooo, there is no need for him to cruise Central Dr, he just have to call one of his buddies to get the guys. Also never just hire one person to do a job, it's always two or more. Fact: Almost all the men have no transportation, have no idea of where they are when they get to the "job". They are escorted to and from the location by "Antonio" or he instructs one of them where to take the others. Ques. Why did the officer need to go to Central Ave himself and only hire just ONE person? If that person planned to rob his employer what was his exit strategy? Hitch hike out of the complex and then jump on the Marta? Antonio, Antonio, Antonio!!!! Was things between you and your wife that bad that you had to kill an innocent man to cover up your evil doing? Do you not value human life? Do you think Hispanic lives are of no value and that this man will not be missed? If so, Antonio, you were WRONG. [Comment found here]
PEOPLE TALK, BUT WHO KNOWS?: Anonymous said... A question for Mr. Jose Perez of AJC. Have you heard anything about another day laborer found dead the same day Officer Yancey killed Mr. Cax-Puluc in his home, June 9, and also in the Stone Mountain area? Saturday, June 28, 2008 6:26:00 PM PDT [Comment found here]
...The appeals court said it agreed with the prosecution that evidence of a protection order against Phelps and his arrest for violating it were relevant to show motive for wanting his ex-wife killed...
Previous entry: [AL] Deputy Phelps' plot to have ex-wife & her boyfriend killed gets him 25 years ...Cullman County Sheriff's Deputy James Brian Phelps - who has also worked as a U.S. air marshal and as a police officer in Arab, Douglas, and Guntersville Police Departments - was sentenced Friday for his domestic murder-for-hire plots...
Appeals court upholds Arab man's conviction He was charged with plot to kill ex-wife, her friend Times Montgomery Bureau Huntsville Times Friday, June 27, 2008 MONTGOMERY - The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the conviction of an Arab man on charges of trying to hire someone to kill his ex-wife and her boyfriend. James Brian Phelps of Arab, a former U.S. air marshal, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by Marshall County Circuit Judge Tim Riley. Phelps was convicted Aug. 24, 2007, of two counts of solicitation to commit murder after a weeklong trial... an FBI agent posed as a hitman after a U.S. air marshal Phelps worked with in Chicago told his supervisor that Phelps wanted to see his ex-wife's photograph on a milk carton... [Phelps] told the appeals court that Riley should have granted his motion for acquittal because the state did not provide enough evidence to show Marshall County as the proper place for his trial. The appeals court said the state showed Phelps lived with his parents in Arab after he left his job as an air marshal and continued to work in Arab after he moved to Blount County. The evidence shows Phelps received phone calls about the murder-for-hire plot while he was at work, said the court, and his intended victims lived in Marshall County... Phelps also said Riley should not have allowed the jury to hear about his arrest for domestic violence and his ex-wife testify that Phelps had been "locked up." The appeals court said it agreed with the prosecution that evidence of a protection order against Phelps and his arrest for violating it were relevant to show motive for wanting his ex-wife killed. [Full article here] A few notes from past news:
Mar 2, 2005 Deputy Phelps is fired... "There's been cases not just in Alabama, but all over the nation, police officers being arrested for domestic violence. Like I said domestic violence is a control issue and violence is part a tool the perpetrator will use against an intimate partner to maintain control," Todd Adams, Boaz Police Deputy Chief, said... Sources say Phelp's wife put out that restraining order and there had been previous domestic disturbance instances...
Mar 31, 2005 ... no bond set after he allegedly tried to hire someone to kill his ex-wife and her friend... The arrest was Phelps' fourth in the last month... Phelps is a former Cullman County deputy and had also worked for the Guntersville and Douglas police departments.
Aug 29, 2007 A former Cullman County Sheriff’s Deputy was found guilty in Marshall County Circuit Court Friday on two counts of soliciting someone to kill his estranged wife and her boyfriend...
Oct 07, 2007 ...James Brian Phelps of Arab, a former U.S. air marshal, was sentenced Friday to 25 years... Phelp's ex-wife, Jamie Phelps, urged Riley to grant her ex-husband probation... An agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation posed as a hitman, Waldrop said, after a U.S. air marshal Phelps worked with in Chicago told his supervisor that Phelps wanted to see his ex-wife's photograph on a milk carton...
...“He wrote a whole list of things he was going to do to her... It included he was going to kill her when he was done, and she knew that”...
FORMER CITY COP RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE FOR SEXUAL BATTERY New Britain Herald By Lisa Backus lbackus@newbritainherald.com Jun 27, 2008 [Excerpts] A retired New Britain police officer was sentenced to life in prison June 19 for kidnapping and sexual battery. He was convicted by Florida authorities of torturing his estranged wife until she shot him in the chest to get away. Prosecutors said Daniel J. Begley Sr., 56, extracted a horrifying revenge for his wife’s leaving him by spending hours sexually torturing and threatening to kill her on the night of Nov. 5, 2006. “He tied her up and put duct tape over her mouth,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Rich Buxman, who prosecuted the case. “He put clothespins on her body, beat her with a hanger and at some point after he raped her, he inserted objects inside her”... Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Herndon, who prosecuted the case with [Assistant State’s Attorney Rich] Buxman, told the jury the woman feared for her life and believed that when Begley was finished torturing her, he would kill her. The incident ended when Begley left the room to check on the couple’s children, whom Buxman estimated to be between 11 and 13 years old. The woman untied herself with her teeth, found his .38-caliber revolver and shot him in the chest after he returned, police said. She ran to a neighbor’s house, naked, to alert police to the incident. The woman has never been charged with a crime. While he was at the hospital being treated for the chest wound, police found a list in Begley’s clothing identifying the various methods of torture he planned to use on his wife. “He wrote a whole list of things he was going to do to her,” Buxman said. “It included he was going to kill her when he was done, and she knew that”... He was sentenced to life in prison June 19, and is designated a sex offender. Begley has 30 days to appeal the conviction and sentence... [Full article here]
...CHOKED HER AND PUSHED HER... HAD BRUISES ON HER BACK, ARM, THIGH AND NECK...
Cleared cop not on patrol Was just the charge of domestic battery 'conduct unbecoming'? Charleston Gazette, WV By Andrew Clevenger aclevenger@wvgazette.com June 28, 2008 Five months after he was acquitted on domestic battery charges, a Charleston police officer remains on paid administrative leave. Last June, Patrolman Daniel A. Dodd was arrested and charged with domestic battery for allegedly grabbing his girlfriend by the throat [*1] during an argument. He was immediately placed on leave by the department. On Jan. 9 [*2], after a bench trial in front of Kanawha County Magistrate Ward Harshbarger, Dodd was found not guilty. Dodd's girlfriend, [DP] [*3], refused to testify and submitted a sworn statement maintaining that Dodd never assaulted or abused her. She said she was the aggressor and he was only defending himself. More than five months later, Dodd has not been reinstated. Nor has he been dismissed from the department. He remains on paid administrative leave. Dodd, 26, said Friday that he is waiting for Chief Brent Webster's office to make a decision... Webster could not be reached on Friday. Multiple calls to Maj. John Shannon, the deputy chief of police, went unreturned... Charleston Police Lt. Steve Neddo, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 74, said he had no specific knowledge of Dodd's situation... "Just because criminal charges go away doesn't mean that the department doesn't still have an interest in an officer," Neddo said. "There's one catch-all charge that's famous in law enforcement circles, it's called 'conduct unbecoming [an officer]'... "Could he be charged with something [else] by the department? Yes, he could," Neddo said. Once an officer faces an administrative charge, he is entitled to a hearing in front of a review board of other officers and representation by a lawyer, which could explain the apparent delay, he said. "That can drag on forever," he said. [Full article here] [*1] This article says Dodd grabbed [DP] by the throat. Let's say that's VERY abbreviated thanks to the local news reporter who wants us to focus on a cop getting paid for nothing instead of a cop getting away with battery OR what would feel to ME like ATTEMPTED MURDER. From an article in the Charleston Gazette last June: ...ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT, DODD HIT HIS GIRLFRIEND, [DP], CHOKED HER AND PUSHED HER DOWN. [DP] HAD BRUISES ON HER BACK, ARM, THIGH AND NECK Is the issue then that Dodd is still getting a check? Or is it a corrupt legal system? How can a court accept from [DP] that she lied that she had been assaulted with that much physical evidence on her body of what happened? What were Dodd's bruises from her madwoman attack? Dodd could have restrained her instead of choked her and beat her entire body if he was defending himself. Where's the police report? What did the officers on the scene see and hear? (Did they even write it down? Did the report disappear? What does it say?) Looks to ME like everyone involved is corrupt - From the judge to the prosecutor to the police department to those that control the local media and don't ask the screaming questions and who so quickly drop off the details - all hiding by something or other to circumvent truth when it comes to a police officer - the ultimate boyhood hero. [*2] The article above says there was a bench trial on January 9th (2008) where Dodd was found not guilty because DP didn't come and recanted that she was the victim. Missing in the reporting then is the link between that January bench trial and the fact that - according the Charleston Gazette (hidden in another article, at the very bottom) the charges were dropped 2 months earlier than that - which would mean the chief has been THINKING for seven months, not five: "by Andrew Clevenger October 16, 2007 ...Also on Monday, a domestic battery charge against a Charleston police officer was dropped in Kanawha Magistrate Court. Daniel Adam Dodd has been on administrative leave since June... Magistrate Traci Carper-Strickland dismissed the charges after the victim failed to appear in court after having been served with a subpoena." [*3] DP refused to testify? Is that the best the prosecutor or the reporter can come up with? No questions asked. DP was by herself with all the powers-that-be against her. [*] Is it insignificant that before the time of this attack Dodd had a wife? Was she safe? Was DP safe? Are they safe now? What has CPD known over the years? Who cares? Not the Charleston Gazette or the Charleston Daily Mail. I look out the window and wonder what change can there ever be without the media using their power to help make things right and without the general public responding to that by raising their voices? Victims of officer-involved domestic violence are used to not getting any help from dv agencies... kind of left out in the windstorm to die or blow away. [police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder gypsy cophop cophop hx repeat teflon west virginia state politics]
..."The town of New Boston Police Department sincerely apologizes to Mont Vernon Police Chief Alexander Brougham and his family for any inconvenience it may have caused the Chief, his family members, and professional associates," the release reads...PREVIOUS ENTRY: [NH] Chief Brougham's wife: I and my children need to be protected- ...THE COURT PAPERS QUOTED THE WIFE AS SAYING, BROUGHAM CALLED AND DEMANDED TO SPEAK WITH THE CHILDREN BEFORE INFORMING HER THAT HE HAD A CAN OF GAS AND WAS PLANNING TO BURN THEIR HOME DOWN AROUND HIM... "UNTIL SUCH TIME AS MY HUSBAND GETS SOME HELP FOR HIS RAGING ALCOHOLISM, I AND MY CHILDREN NEED TO BE PROTECTED"... SHE CITES AN INCIDENT MAY 15, WHEN SHE ALLEGES BROUGHAM GOT "VERY DRUNK," AND SEARCHED HER CAR. HE LATER BURNED THE DIVORCE DOCUMENTS IN THE WOODSTOVE... THE PHONE CALL DID NOT INVOLVE A THREAT OF VIOLENCE, SAID [NEW BOSTON POLICE CHIEF CHRIS] KRAJENKA...
POLICE CHIEF APOLOGIZES FOR IMPROPER ARREST The Union Leader, NH June 28, 2008
NEW BOSTON – The town police chief took the rare move yesterday of publicly apologizing to the Mont Vernon police chief for arresting him last month on an allegations that he violated a restraining order and tried to contact his estranged wife.
An investigation by New Boston police has determined that Mont Vernon Police Chief Alexander Brougham had not violated the court order, Police Chief Christopher L. Krajenka said in a statement issued yesterday.
Police dropped the matter in Goffstown District Court.
"The town of New Boston Police Department sincerely apologizes to Mont Vernon Police Chief Alexander Brougham and his family for any inconvenience it may have caused the Chief, his family members, and professional associates," the release reads.
The release said a citizen had alleged the violation.
According to past reports, Brougham's wife filed for a divorce in April.
Brougham was arrested in late May after allegedly trying to telephone her. Bail conditions had prevented him from carrying a firearm, and Mont Vernon selectmen placed him an paid leave.
...[Misty's mother] Gail said the effects of the infection were apparent. "I SAID 'MY DAUGHTER HAS AN INFECTION. SHE'S DYING'... He said 'You know I don't believe in doctors. That's God's will.' He said Satan took their baby"... POLICE OFFICER NO LONGER ON FORCE Lee's Summit Tribune, mo Matt Bird-Meyer 6/27/2008 A Lee's Summit police officer who was investigated following the death of his wife and child is no longer on the force. Master Police Officer Caleb Horner's last day was Friday, June 20. City officials refused to comment on an internal investigation, which was initiated to determine if Horner violated any department or city policies. The investigation came shortly after Jackson County Prosecutor James Kanatzar in December 2007 declined to file charges against Horner. The officer's wife, Misty Horner, died Jan. 9, 2007 about a month after her daughter, Sydney, died at birth on Dec. 8, 2006. Misty refused medical treatment during and after the home-birth, which was in line with the couple's religious beliefs. Kanatzar said he made his decision based on the lack of proof to sustain manslaughter or child endangerment charges... [Full article here]
TINA MOORE, ONE OF MISTY'S BEST FRIENDS: "I don't think I'm ever going to, in my opinion, have justice just because he's not going to be brought up on any criminal charges - but at least now he'll have to find another line of work... He's been paid, from what we understand, this entire time. I guess that's just how it works..."
CALEB HORNER OFF LS POLICE FORCE Lee's Summit Journal, MO By Brett Daltont Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008 ...city officials would not say whether Caleb Horner voluntarily left the force or was removed. “We don’t comment on personnel action”... The controversy surrounding their deaths stemmed from the lack of medical attention given during Misty’s pregnancy and during delivery. According to her family members, Misty refused medical treatment due to her religious beliefs, which were thought to be influenced by Caleb Horner and his brother, John Horner Jr. Misty Horner’s family said she was “brainwashed” and they wanted charges brought against Caleb, but the Jackson County prosecutor announced in December that no charges would be filed.... [Full article here] EXCERPTS FROM OLDER NEWS:
FEB 9, 2007 AFTER DEATH OF WIFE AND BABY OFFICER HORNER GETS INDEFINITE LEAVE [Excerpts from initial 8 articles] ...No criminal investigation has been initiated and no charges filed. Police Chief Ken Conlee said there is nothing to investigate... According to Misty's family, the couple declined medical treatment because of they believed scientific healing was an affront to the healing power of Jesus Christ. THOSE SAME BELIEFS LED CALEB TO ISOLATE HIS WIFE FROM HER FAMILY, EXCEPT FOR FEW BRIEF VISITS, they said... The Mansfield's received a rare opportunity to visit their daughter after the still birth in December. Gail said the effects of the infection were apparent. "I SAID 'MY DAUGHTER HAS AN INFECTION. SHE'S DYING'," Gail said. "He said 'You know I don't believe in doctors. That's God's will.' He said Satan took their baby"... The Mansfields would not see their daughter for nearly two weeks; they said Caleb refused to let them see her... When Misty died, she looked nothing like the vibrant woman the family had always known. Her face was bloated. Her fingernails were blackened. Her hands were so swollen and wrinkled the funeral home placed them at her sides instead of the traditional way, on the abdomen.... "He wanted to change her whole life, get her to be submissive... and he did," Mansfield said.... "It's the Horner belief. I asked Caleb, 'Where did you get your teachings?' 'My brother, John'"...
FEB 11, 2007 OFFICER'S WIFE MISTY HORNER & BABY'S DEATH WILL BE REVIEWED [Excerpts from 4 articles] On Dec. 31, police again were called to the Horner home to check on her welfare. According to police dispatch notes, a caller reported that Misty was “very sick” and possibly dying with a “very high fever” and that she was crying out in pain. Police again went to the home. Again, she refused medical treatment, police said. Police returned to the Horner home on Jan. 9. Misty had died, 31 days after the delivery... Misty Horner was the former Misty Mansfield of Sugar Creek. At the time of the couple's engagement in 2003 she was a dispatcher for the Lee's Summit Police Department. She stepped down as a dispatcher in November, 2006, in expectation of caring for her child... In a statement released late Friday, Mayor Karen Messerli said Horner, a nine-year veteran patrol officer, will remain off duty on a leave of absence while the police department and other agencies review the matter...
FEB 23, 2007 COP HORNER'S MOM-IN-LAW TRUSTING THAT HE'LL BE ARRESTED ...KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported that Thursday's interviews are part of an ongoing inquiry into the deaths of Misty and her stillborn child, Sydney. While no criminal investigation has ever begun, there has been an internal police probe into what happened, officials said... Misty's mother said she has faith in the police department. "I think they will pick Caleb up and possibly (his) sisters, too -- it's got to be stopped," Gail Mansfield said. "Picked up?" Weinbaum asked. "Picked up and bring them to jail," Gail Mansfield said...
MAR 21, 2007 COP'S WIFE -MISTY HORNER'S AUTOPSY IS SEALED. ...The complete autopsy report, which contains the exact cause of death, is still unavailable to the public, said Mike Childs, public information officer for the LSPD... We, the undersigned residents of the City of Lee?s Summit, MO, petition our Lee?s Summit Police Department to consider the serious concerns of the undersigned with the ability Caleb Horner to serve and protect us if allowed to return to duty as a member of our police force for the following reasons: He denied life-saving aid to his breeched, infant daughter for five days while he and two sisters attempted homebirth based on his religious beliefs, and he assisted his wife, who stated that she had to be submissive to her husband, in refusing life-saving aid for over a month as she died...
I keep rereading these few sentences trying to find the part that says he's in jail or that his ex's family is being protected. It's not there. They are all in my prayers.
Westview Officer Charged With Making Terroristic Threats Suspect Works For Three Departments WPXI.com - Pittsburgh,PA June 25, 2008 A part-time Westview police officer has been issued a summons on charges he threatened to kill his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her family. Channel 11 news has learned Walter Johnson faces three counts of terroristic threats and one count of harassment. According to court documents, Johnson got into an argument with [BW], the mother of his three children, on June 22. The documents state Johnson threatened to smash the head of [BW]'s father, to hurt her mother, and to kill [BW] and her parents. Johnson works for Westview, Avalon and Crescent Township police departments. The Westview police chief said Johnson has been removed from the schedule and his job status with the department is pending on the outcome of the case. Channel 11 has left calls with the other police chiefs to find out the status of Johnson's employment.
Keep a cop that breaks the law and what do you get?
DEA joins investigation of Norwich copState's attorney's office also involved in probe of police lieutenant, brother as New York drug connection is alleged TheDay, CT By Claire Bessette 6/26/2008 An investigation into the arrest of city police Lt. Michael Blanchette in May for a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia has expanded to involve the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the state's attorney's office... In 2004 Blanchette was arrested on domestic disturbance charges... The charges were dismissed after Blanchette agreed to attend classes and counseling... [Full article here]
..."It never occurred to me that I had an alcohol problem. I just knew that I was numb when I drank and it made boredom, emotional pain and loneliness go away. I continued using alcohol as my coping mechanism when I became a police officer"... If he follows the court's orders, gets treatment and stays out of trouble, the charges will be dismissed in two years.
Previous blog entries:
[WA] Officer Galusha's "bar fight" was assault of his police officer wife & bouncer- ..."He was a really nice guy as a neighbor, I liked him a lot,... But I used to do gardening outside and I would hear him yelling at his kids and his family a lot. And he could be mean to his dog."... City records also show that his wife is a reserve officer for the Grandview police department...
Judge to rule if officer charged with assault will get guns Mid Columbia Tri City Herald, WA By Paula Horton Thursday, Jun. 26, 2008 [Excerpts] A District Court judge is expected to decide today whether a former West Richland police officer who has admitted assaulting his wife will get his guns back. Brian Galusha, who resigned earlier this month, had his personal guns seized following his March 10 arrest for assaulting his wife and a bouncer at a Kennewick bar. The 39-year-old was charged in Benton County District Court with two counts of assault, one with a domestic violence allegation. Galusha has admitted to committing the assaults, said his actions were caused by an alcohol problem and requested a deferred prosecution. That means if he follows the court's orders, gets treatment and stays out of trouble, the charges will be dismissed in two years. The deferred prosecution was granted May 8, over the objections of the Kennewick city attorney's office... Under federal law, a person who is convicted of a domestic violence allegation is banned from possessing firearms. Galusha was put on paid administrative leave after his arrest and resigned June 6. He was hired by West Richland police in 2005, after spending four years with the Richland Police Department... [Full article here] Galusha: "It never occurred to me that I had an alcohol problem." KEPR 19, WA By Chelsea Kopta Jun 26, 2008 [Excerpts] A Former police officer busted for domestic violence, now wants to pack heat again. According to court papers, Brian Galusha assaulted his wife at Cavanaugh's, the bar inside the Red Lion Hotel, where he was later arrested and put in jail. What we know now, is that Galusha blamed his actions on what was served behind the bar: alcohol. Galusha admitted to having a drinking problem and is Alcoholics Anonymous as well as an outpatient treatment program. But prosecutors argued in court Thursday that Galusha's bar brawl might not be an isolated incidence. And if it's not an isolated incidence, would Galusha entitled to get his guns back?... Brian Galusha, was charged with two counts of assault, one a domestic violence charge. But instead of jail time, he's in rehab... Court documents report that Galusha comes from a family of drinkers, including two uncles who were alcoholics, two cousins who received treatment for the disease and a grandfather who died of sclerosis of the liver. Galusha had his first taste of alcohol at age nine, and admitted he continually drank throughout high school, and during his time in the military. An affidavit from Galusha states: "It never occurred to me that I had an alcohol problem. I just knew that I was numb when I drank and it made boredom, emotional pain and loneliness go away. I continued using alcohol as my coping mechanism when I became a police officer." Indeed, court documents state officer Galusha was drunk when grabbed his wife by the hair, "put her in a headlock" and "slammed her against a wall". Galusha told investigators he blacked out and can't remember what happened. "I have concerns for what would happen if he would fall out of treatment, and specifically if he would fall out of treatment with guns," City Attorney Eric Eisinger said... No one returned our calls. The question we all wanted to know was, if Galusha had an extensive history with alcohol - and said he used it while as an officer - did the West Richland police department know about it? The answer is no. West Richland Police Chief Layne Erdman told Action News that Galusha never showed any indication that he had problems with alcohol, and never showed to work that way... [Full article here]
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST SOUTH BEND OFFICERWSBT BY PABLO ROS 06/2/08 PROSECUTORS DISMISSED DOMESTIC BATTERY CHARGES AGAINST A SOUTH BEND POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS PLACED ON UNPAID LEAVE AFTER HIS WIFE ACCUSED HIM OF HITTING HER IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN IN JANUARY 2007. LISA BOOCHER, THE WIFE OF WAYNE BOOCHER, TOLD A ST. JOSEPH SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE THURSDAY MORNING THAT WHILE SHE FORMERLY TOLD POLICE THAT HER HUSBAND HAD HIT HER OUTSIDE A TARGET STORE, CAUSING SOME BLEEDING, SHE IN FACT HAD HURT HERSELF. A ST. JOSEPH COUNTY DEPUTY PROSECUTOR ASKED JUDGE ROLAND W. CHAMBLEE JR. TO DISMISS CHARGES AGAINST BOOCHER BECAUSE THE VICTIM NO LONGER WISHED TO PROSECUTE AND BECAUSE A COPY OF A VIDEOTAPE RECORDING OF THE INCIDENT HAD NOT BEEN ADMITTED AT TRIAL. BOOCHER’S TRIAL FOR FELONY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAS TO START MONDAY. [SOURCE & COMMENTS]
IN THE TEXT OF AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE CLOSE TO BOOCHER, WHO ACTUALLY WROTE TO ME IN HIS DEFENSE, WAS THIS:
"...SIX EYE WITNESSES CLAIM HE LAYED IN WAIT FOR HER AND HIT HER AND DRUG HER AROUND THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THEIR TWO CHILDREN..."
01/28/07 A 40-YEAR-OLD SOUTH BEND POLICE OFFICER [WAYNE BOOCHER] HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF BATTERING A WOMAN OUTSIDE A LOCAL TARGET STORE. SGT. WAYNE BOOCHER, A 15-YEAR VETERAN OF THE FORCE, WAS ARRESTED SATURDAY AFTER ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING THE FEMALE OUTSIDE OF TARGET... POLICE SAY WHEN THEY ARRIVED HE WAS IN AN ARGUMENT WITH A WOMAN, AND THAT WOMAN TOLD THEM BOOCHER ASSAULTED HER...
01/30/07 ...SGT. WAYNE BOOCHER, 40, WAS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC BATTERY ALONG WITH ONE COUNT OF CLASS D FELONY DOMESTIC BATTERY... BOOCHER ALLEGEDLY DROVE TO THE STORE AND CROUCHEDOUTSIDE THE EXIT DOORS, WAITING FOR HIS WIFE TO EXIT THE STORE... WHEN THE WOMAN LEFT THE STORE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, BOOCHER REPORTEDLY GRABBED THE WOMAN'S CELL PHONE AND STRUCK HER IN THE MOUTH... ALTHOUGHOFFICERS ASKED BOOCHER TO REMAIN AT THE STORE WHILE THEY DETERMINED WHAT HAPPENED, THE MAN TOOK HIS CHILDREN AND DROVE HOME...
02/27/07 ...MARK LENYO, ATTORNEY FOR OFFICER WAYNE BOOCHER, ASKED JUDGE ROLAND W. CHAMBLEE JR. TO PROHIBIT TARGET EMPLOYEES FROM TESTIFYING AT BOOCHER'S UPCOMING TRIAL IN LIEU OF A SURVEILLANCE TAPE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RULED OUT AS EVIDENCE BECAUSE OF ITS POOR CONDITION... WITNESSES SAY HE WAS ARGUING WITH HIS WIFE AND HIT HER IN THE MOUTH, IN FRONT OF TWO OF THEIR CHILDREN... HE IS SCHEDULED TO GO ON TRIAL AUGUST 9TH. IF CONVICTED, HE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO CARRY A GUN OR SERVE AS A POLICE OFFICER.
03/01/07 A SOUTH BEND POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED OF HITTING HIS WIFE IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN OUTSIDE A TARGET STORE RECEIVED PERMISSION THIS WEEK TO SEE HIS WIFE AGAIN... ACCORDING TO ST. JOSEPH COUNTY POLICE REPORTS, THE JAN. 27 INCIDENT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME OFFICERS HAD BEEN CALLED REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE BOOCHERS. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE BOOCHERS' MILLER ROAD HOME THREE TIMES IN 2005...
01/28/08 A TEARFUL LISA BOOCHER SAYS SHE WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW SHE LIEDWHEN SHE ACCUSED HER HUSBAND OF ASSAULTING HER A YEAR AGO... DEPUTY PROSECUTOR CORY HAMEL SAYS THE CASE WILL PROCEED AS PLANNED. IT IS SET FOR TRIAL IN APRIL. HAMEL, WHO IS HANDLING THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTOR'S FAMILY VIOLENCE UNIT, SAYS IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE TO CHANGE THEIR STORIES OR TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS ABOUT PROSECUTING… BOTH OF THEM DENY THE CHARGES, BUT THEY SAY NO ONE WILL LISTEN... WAYNE WAS LOCKED IN HIS CAR BUT SAYS HE ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN PARTWAY SO THEY COULD TALK... LISA, HE SAYS, REACHED INTO THE CAR WITH BOTH HANDS, GRABBING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH ONE AND TURNING THE KEY WITH THE OTHER. SHE SAYS SHE ALSO WAS TRYING TO STICK HER HEAD THROUGH THE WINDOW. SHE SAYS SHE MIGHT HAVE HIT HER LIP ON THE WINDOW OR FRAME… “I'M SORRY I RUINED HIS LIFE BECAUSE I THOUGHT I COULD GET EVEN WITH HIM."... ON JAN. 30, 2007, JUST THREE DAYS AFTER THE TARGET INCIDENT, LISA SAYS, SHE AGAIN ACCUSED WAYNE OF ABUSING HER. A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK THAT EVENING BUT FELL ASLEEP BECAUSE OF THE DRUGS SHE WAS TAKING. HER DAUGHTER WOKE HER UP, SHE SAYS, AND SHE ENDED UP FALLING DOWN 14 STEPS. SHE TOLD THE AMBULANCE PERSONNEL THAT WAYNE HAD PUSHEDHER, SHE SAYS, BUT WAYNE WASN'T EVEN IN THE HOUSE. HE WAS OBEYING A NO-CONTACT ORDER ISSUED AFTER HIS ARREST, SHE SAID. LISA'S MOTHER CAME OVER TO WATCH THE KIDS WHILE SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, LISA SAYS, AND ENDED UP FALLING DOWN THE SAME STEPS THREE HOURS LATER. WAYNE THEN WENT TO THE HOUSE TO CARE FOR THE KIDS WHILE HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, AND HE FOUND A SUICIDE NOTE LISA WROTE. SHE SPENT A DAY IN MADISON CENTER AS A RESULT, LISA SAYS. WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE TARGET INCIDENT, LISA SAYS, SHE TRIED TO RECANT HER STORY, BUT NOBODY WOULD BELIEVE HER. THE TARGET INCIDENT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME SHE AND WAYNE HAD BEEN IN A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION. LISA HAD BEEN THREATENED WITH A BATTERY CHARGE AS A RESULT OF A CHRISTMASTIME FIGHT IN 2005, WHEN SHE WAS UPSET ABOUT A FAMILY MATTER, SHE SAYS. WAYNE SAYS LISA "WIGGED OUT AND BEAT ME UP." "I BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM," LISA AGREES. SHE BLAMES THAT INCIDENT ALSO ON HER USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. WAYNE CALLED THE POLICE ON HER, AND HE SAID AT FIRST THEY WANTED TO ARREST HIM. HE'S A BIG, HULKING GUY. LISA, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS SLENDER AND A LOT SHORTER THAN WAYNE. A POLICE REPORT LISTS HIM AS THE VICTIM AND LISA AS THE SUSPECT. LATER THAT DAY, POLICE RETURNED TO THE BOOCHER HOME, AND LISA TOLD THEM WAYNE HAD PINNED HER BENEATH THE STEERING WHEEL OF THEIR TRUCK AFTER ANOTHER FIGHT. NEITHER PARTY WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES... THAT POLICE REPORT LISTS LISA AS THE VICTIM AND WAYNE AS THE SUSPECT. LISA ENDED UP SPENDING THE NIGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHEN SHE RETURNED THE NEXT DAY, WAYNE SAYS, HE LEFT THE HOUSE WITH THEIR SON. THEN LISA CALLED POLICE AGAIN TO SAY THAT WAYNE HAD PUSHED HER AGAINST A GARAGE DOOR. WAYNE SAID HE WASN'T EVEN THERE AT THE TIME, AND LISA ACTUALLY HAD SLIPPED AND FALLEN AGAINST THE GARAGE DOOR...LISA SAYS SHE WILL TESTIFY THAT WAYNE NEVER HIT HER WHEN HIS CASE GOES TO TRIAL THIS SPRING. BUT HAMEL SAYS THE PROSECUTOR HAS OTHER WITNESSES. OTHER EVIDENCE? A MORE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM COULD BE THE DESTRUCTION OF A SURVEILLANCE TAPE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE. WAYNE'S ATTORNEY, MARK LENYO, FILED A CHALLENGE TO THE TAPE IN EARLY AUGUST. THE CHALLENGE SAYS THE TAPE HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY PRESERVED AND WAS DEGRADED BY REPEATED VIEWINGS... THE STATE HAS ASKED THE JUDGE TO ALLOW TARGET EMPLOYEES TO TESTIFY ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW ON THE TAPE BEFORE IT WAS DESTROYED, HAMEL SAYS. BUT A DEFENSE MOTION IS PENDING TO BAR THAT TESTIMONY. THE PROSECUTOR'S WITNESS LIST INCLUDES SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES TO THE ALLEGED ASSAULT, INCLUDING THE BOOCHERS' CHILDREN, AN 8-YEAR-OLD SON AND 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER...
...A special prosecutor assigned to investigate domestic assault allegations against Kent County Commissioner James Vaughn said he likely won't reach a decision on possible charges until after the Fourth of July...
COMMISSIONER VAUGHN DENIES WRONGDOING IN DOMESTIC ASSAULT ACCUSATION WZZM ONLINE Tyler Lecceadone, Matt Campbell, &Peter Ross June 26, 2008 A Kent County Commissioner arrested for beating his girlfriend denies he did anything wrong. James Vaughn attended this morning's commission meeting. The alleged victim's family was there as well. Commissioner Vaughn has not yet been charged with any crime, but Grand Rapids Police arrested him on June 17th following a domestic dispute and fight at his home. Ida Cross claims Vaughn assaulted her, causing cuts and injuries. Today, her family demanded Vaughn apologize to them and resign from office. The commission's chairman plans to meet privately today with the family of Cross. Also today, the state attorney general's office appointed Ionia County prosecutor Ron Shafer to decide what, if any, charges should be brought against Vaughn. Vaughn told WZZM 13 today: "I didn't touch nobody. That's the thing - I didn't touch nobody. All I did was break up a fight." Jarvis Beene, Jr., a brother of the alleged victim, said "This guy shouldn't be representing our county." [Article here]
JAMES VAUGHN SAYS HE DOESN'T EXPECT TO FACE CHARGES FOR ALLEGED ASSAULT The Grand Rapids Press Ken Kolker June 26, 2008 [Excerpts] A special prosecutor assigned to investigate domestic assault allegations against Kent County Commissioner James Vaughn said he likely won't reach a decision on possible charges until after the Fourth of July... Vaughn, 65, said he expects he will not face charges. His only mistake, he said, was allowing two women, including an ex-girlfriend, to continue what he called a "cat fight"...When told several of Cross' family members were asking him to resign, Vaughn laughed. Asked for a response, he said "that's it"... [Ida Cross's brother, Jarvis] Beene said Cross has stitches on an eye, an ear and her lip from the alleged 1 a.m. assault... The case has drawn scrutiny because of Vaughn's position and because police officers were concerned Grand Rapids Chief District Judge Benjamin H. Logan opted to use a "fast-track" procedure to release Vaughn from jail, an unusual step for someone charged with assault... [Full article here]
COMMISSIONER VAUGHN: 'I AIN'T BEEN CHARGED WITH NOTHING' WOOD-TV, MI Joe LaFurgey June 26, 2008 [Excerpts] Kent County Commissioner James Vaughn had an answer when asked if he'd apologize to the family of the one-time girlfriend he's accused of beating up. "I didn't touch nobody! That's that's the thing. I didn't touch nobody!... I ain't been charged with nothing. You guys have made this look like, you convicted me or something. I ain't been charged with nothing... Do your jobs. Read the report... They'll let you read it. Read the police report!" 24 Hour News 8 tried, but police reports on active investigations aren't made public... "Due process?" asked Flora Johnson, the victim's sister. "I mean, the evidence is there. He is guilty!"... The assignment of this case is important. It could have gone to the Grand Rapids city attorneys office, and been prosecuted as a misdemeanor. That would mean a fine, or possibly jail time on a conviction. But now, since the case has gone to a county prosecutor, the charges likely would be a felony. Felonies can bring fines and prison time. Shaefer has made no decision on the matter. [Full article here]
