Seattle Police Detective Ronald Lee Murray, the Domestic Violence Unit Sgt. who was witnessed by other officers assaulting his girlfriend in public, got a sweet deal:...“I don’t know the last time, if ever, we’ve done a deferred prosecution on a domestic violence case,” [Judge Nancy] Harmon said...
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[WA] Police say they saw SPD Domestic Violence Unit Sgt. Murray assault girlfriend in public - ...A few of our officers saw Mr. Murray dragging the female victim by the upper part of her jacket and hair through the gravel parking lot," [Chelan County Det. Sgt. Jerry Moore] told seattlepi.com. "Numerous witnesses as well as officers saw the assault take place"... Deputies noted the woman was intoxicated but did not indicate whether Murray was believed to be intoxicated. The arresting deputy noted that Murray said he knew he was wrong and had no excuse for his behavior... Police sources say the victim in this case also works for the department... "She was literally being dragged"...
The message to other abusive officers: Relax.
COP'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE DEFERRED FOR TREATMENT
Wenatchee World
By Jefferson Robbins
Friday, December 30, 2011
[Excerpts] The Seattle police detective charged with domestic violence after a Leavenworth Oktoberfest scuffle will avoid prosecution if he carries out a program of alcoholism treatment and probation. Ronald Lee Murray, 55, admitted to a history of alcoholism Thursday in Chelan County District Court, telling Judge Nancy Harmon he would undergo two years of treatment followed by three years of court supervision. State law allows such deferred prosecution in some cases involving alcoholism, drug dependency or mental illness. Eligible defendants must meet court-ordered conditions to qualify for dismissal of charges.... “I don’t know the last time, if ever, we’ve done a deferred prosecution on a domestic violence case,” Harmon said... Murray, at the time a detective sergeant with the Seattle Police Department’s Domestic Violence Unit, was arrested Oct. 15 after Chelan County sheriff’s deputies saw him dragging his girlfriend by her hair and coat across a gravel parking lot near the Oktoberfest venue... Deputies said Murray’s victim, identified as his 44-year-old live-in girlfriend, pleaded with them to release Murray and refused to give a statement about the incident... SPD spokesman Det. Jeff Kappel said now that Murray’s criminal case is closed, the department’s Office of Professional Accountability will begin an internal investigation. Murray was transferred out of the domestic violence unit after his arrest, although he remains on duty with the Seattle police. His girlfriend was also a Seattle police administrative employee at the time of the arrest... [Full article here]
In Chelan County Courts it appears that there is no higher standard for an officer of the law who has knowingly been concealing his alcoholism while being entrusted with a department issued firearm weapon and exercising his sworn powers of arrest over others who break the same law(s). There is no higher nature of offense or hypocrisy noted for a domestic violence unit sergeant assaulting his girlfriend in a publicly flagrant manner.
Teflon. No stick.
Deferred prosecution means if he fulfills the requirements being put on him, the charge for "4th degree assault" will likely be dismissed. It appears he admitted to alcoholism, but not to domestic violence. Slick. Admitting what you've done is a part of the requirements to be allowed to defer - so he was allowed to admit to something other than what he was there for. I don't see any indication that he has to enter domestic violence treatment of any kind. There's no indication in his sweet deal that dragging a woman across the rocks by her hair was a bad thing to do.
Smoke and mirrors.
Murray should at least resign.
AFTER THE INVESTIGATION INTO TACOMA WASHINGTON POLICE CHIEF DAVID BRAME COMMITTING MURDER-SUICIDE ON HIS WIFE CRYSTAL, OUR THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND NOW GOVERNOR, CHRISTINE GREGOIRE SAID:..."We have to get tough. I'm telling law enforcement, 'Either you do something about it or it will be done to you'. We must take a no-nonsense attitude. If there is a confirmed domestic violence incident, this person should not be an officer any more. There are plenty of jobs that don't require you carrying a gun"...
Source: Clean up your act, police told: 'We have to get tough' with abusive cops, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, By Ruth Teichroeb and Julie Davidow, July 25, 2003.
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety teflon preferential treatment cop on cop washington state politics]
I do wish him the best in his recovery. I hope safety from harm for both of them, Murray and the girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteWASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS
ReplyDeleteProsecutor's Domestic Violence Handbook
CHAPTER 14
GUILTY PLEAS AND OTHER DISPOSITIONS
[Excerpts] The simple truth is that most domestic violence cases will be resolved without a trial. Many alternatives exist to a trial. Some of the alternatives, however, are inappropriate in domestic violence cases.
A. DEFERRED PROSECUTION, RCW 10.05
...Should a domestic violence defendant be allowed to participate in this program?
No.
...Deferred prosecution should not be used in domestic violence cases. Experts who work with batterers state that alcohol and drugs do not cause battering behavior, but only exacerbate it. There may be instances where mental illness could lead to battering in which case a deferred prosecution could be utilized upon proper diagnosis.
If a court should grant a deferred prosecution in a domestic violence case, the prosecutor should advocate that the treatment component of the program include participation in domestic violence treatment rather than anger management. A comparison of the two programs appears on the next page. [LINK]
Wow I cannot believe this why isnt that good enough for everyone rather it be an Officer of the Law or AN AVERAGE CITIZEN this would NEVER BE AVALIABLE TO JUST ANYBODY. HOW IS IT THAT JUDGES GET AWAY WITH SUCH UNJUST PUNISHMENT BECAUSE SOME ABUSIVE MEN OR WOMEN HAVE TITLES>>>I FIND THIS DISGUSTING AND VERY SAD WHAT HE DID WAS A ABUSIVE AND ACTUALLY A FELONY BUT NOT FOR ALL OBVIOUSLY....
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