[CA] The wife of Susanville Police Officer Rob McElrath and another are jailed for his murder

Susanville Police Officer Robert "Rob" McElrath

[See or leave updates in the comment section below.]

The suspects are McElrath's wife, Joanna McElrath, and her boyfriend, Robin Glen James... charged with first degree murder in connection with his death... Susanville Police Chief Jeffrey D. Atkinson said in a statement that McElrath began working for his department in 2003... But despite the resolution, the Sheriff said the investigation was draining for the whole law enforcement community. McElrath worked for the [Lassen County] Sheriff's Department before he was hired by the Susanville Police Department. Both the Police Chief and the Sheriff spoke about how much McElrath will be missed...

Funeral
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at the Assembly of God Church with food and fellowship after.


McElrath Shooting Press Conference January 7th, 2011

PRESS CONFERENCE
SusanvilleStuff.com
[Excerpts] In a press conference held Friday [1/7/2011] afternoon Lassen County Sheriff-Coroner Dean Growdon gave preliminary details of the investigation into the Sunday shooting death of 37 year old Robert McElrath... Sheriff Growdon was joined at the press conference by Susanville Police Chief Jeff Atkinson; Captain Tom Downing from the Susanville Police Department; Sgt. Matt McFarland, case manager for the Sheriff’s Department and Lassen County Undersheriff John Mineau... [Full article here]

MEMORIAL PROCESSION ON 01/15/11
SusanvilleStuff.com
[Excerpts] The Susanville Police Department has announced the route for Saturday morning’s procession leading to McElrath's service... Services at the Assembly of God Church Parking at the church will be directed by parking attendants. [Full article here]

MAP OF THE JANUARY 15TH MCELRATH MEMORIAL PROCESSION ROUTE [HERE]

VIDEO:

TWO FACE MURDER & CONSPIRACY CHARGES IN POLICE OFFICER DEATH: Two people will remain in jail over the weekend charged with conspiracy and murder, in connection with the death of Susanville police officer Robert McElrath.
kolotv.com
kendra kostelecky
Posted: 8:26 PM Jan 7, 2011
[Excerpts] Two people will remain in jail over the weekend charged with conspiracy and murder, in connection with the death of Susanville police officer Robert McElrath... Law enforcement officers from Lassen County Sheriff's Office and Susanville Police were somber as they spoke of the victim, who had been a friend and coworker. All wore black bands across their badges, in memory of McElrath and his untimely death. "We're a small department," said Jeffrey D. Atkinson "Rob was an important part of what we do and we will miss him greatly." Several agencies, including the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, California Department of Justice and others, teamed up to help Lassen County Sheriff's Officers with this investigation... Thursday, Sheriff's Officers arrested the victim's estranged wife, Joanna McElrath and her boyfriend Robin Glen James. Both are charged with Murder and Conspiracy. They are being held without bail... [Full article here]

CARSON CITY SHERIFF-CORONER'S OFFICE STATEMENT
January 7, 2011
[Excerpts] On January 2, 2011 at approximately 10;59 a.m. The Lassen County Sheriff-Coroner's Office received a report of a deceased person in the area of Devil's Corral, near the railroad trestle... On Monday, autopsy findings revealed that McElrath's death was the result of a gunshot wound... Through investigation leads we determined McElrath's wife, Joanna and her boyfriend Robin James were responsible. Both of them were arrested yesterday and booked into the Lassen County Jail for conspiracy and murder... The Sheriff's Office received tremendous investigative aid from: The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Justice. [Full article here]

SHERIFFS ARREST SUSPECTS IN COP HOMICIDE
ktvn.com, Channel 2 News
Arianna Bennett
Jan 07, 2011 11:59 PM PST
Updated: Jan 08, 2011 12:11 PM PST
[Excerpts] Police in California's Lassen County have two suspects in custody for the alleged murder of Susanville police officer Rob McElrath. But even with this development in the case, they say the process of the ongoing investigation has been difficult for the whole law enforcement community... The suspects are McElrath's wife, Joanna McElrath, and her boyfriend, Robin Glen James. Both are being held without bail... "I am very proud of the how my organization and our fellow law enforcement agencies responded to this tragedy," Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon said... But despite the resolution, the Sheriff said the investigation was draining for the whole law enforcement community. McElrath worked for the Sheriff's Department before he was hired by the Susanville Police Department. Both the Police Chief and the Sheriff spoke about how much McElrath will be missed. "Even though Rob is an employee of mine," Atkinson said, "everyone on scene treated him like he was one of theirs, and we will...we will be alright"... [Full article here]

VIDEO:

COURT DOCUMENTS DETAIL SUSANVILLE POLICE OFFICER'S LAST MOMENTS
News 4
Victoria Campbell vcampbell@mynews4.com
Monday January 10, 2011 7:21pm PST
[Excerpts] The Lassen County District Attorney's office has filed court documents that purportedly detail the final moments of Susanville Police Officer Robert James McElrath's before he was murdered last weekend. McElrath's wife, Joanna, and her boyfriend Robin James, are charged with first degree murder in connection with his death. The court documents say Robin James supplied Joanna McElrath with prescription narcotic medication... Later, documents say, she gave him more of the medication... When Officer McElrath was "essentially incoherent", according to the documents, Joanna McElrath and Robin James put him in his own car, drove him to Devil's Corral outside Susanville, took him onto the old vehicular bridge, and shot him... Leaving him for dead, according to the documents, the couple returned later to dump his body off the bridge and onto the riverbank below... [Full article here]


Complaint details officer's death
Lassen County Times
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011
On Monday, Jan. 10, Lassen County District Attorney Bob Burns filed two complaints of premeditated murder and conspiracy against Robin James Glen and Joanna (Beckett) McElrath in the Lassen County Superior Court. The complaint also outlines how the alleged murder of Susanville Police Officer Robert McElrath took place... During a Monday, Jan. 10 arraignment, McElrath and James pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder and conspiracy and special allegations that the murder was committed for the purpose of financial gain, lying in wait and that James allegedly used the handgun during the felony and that action resulted in McElrath’s death... [Full article here]

ROBERT JAMES MCELRATH
Obituaries for Jan. 11, 2011
Lassen County Times
[Excerpts] Robert James McElrath, lifetime resident of Susanville, Calif., passed away Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. He was born in Susanville on Apr. 26, 1973. He lived in Susanville all of his life with the exception of his U.S. Marine Military Service from 1992-1996. Robert was a City of Susanville Police officer, named "Officer of the Year" in 2008, and was a member of the Police Officer Association. He was the soccer coach for his childrens’ teams and for his community. He deeply loved his family and his community... He is survived by his mother... his father... He is also survived by his wife Joanna McElrath; children... sister... brothers... grandparents... and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at the Assembly of God Church with food and fellowship after. Contact the church for details. Memorial donation trust accounts are set up at Golden1. [Full article here]

MEMORIAL TONIGHT IN SUSANVILLE FOR SLAIN POLICE OFFICER: Thousands of mourners are expected to gather tonight in Susanville, Calif., to remember a police officer murdered more than one week ago.
Jan. 11, 2011
[Excerpts] ...At 7 p.m. tonight, a candlelight vigil is being held at Banner Lassen Medical Center, 1800 Spring Ridge Drive, to remember McElrath, said organizer Debra Vanderbyl, who was McElrath’s friend. The event will start around the facility’s flag poles, as McElrath had served as a U.S. Marine, she said. Participants are asked to bring their own candles. Saturday, the officer’s funeral services are being held at Susanville Assembly of God, 473-465 Richmond Road North, authorities said. Susanville Police Chief Jeffrey D. Atkinson said in a statement that McElrath began working for his department in 2003 as a reserve officer. He previously was a deputy sheriff for the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating his murder. "Rob was an important part of our police department family and we will miss him greatly," Atkinson said. "Rob was always quick with a smile and his positive attitude made our department a better place."... McElrath was a father to two children and had adopted two more children... "He was an amazing officer, an amazing man and a wonderful father...We are all devastated. It’s hard to believe." [Full article here]

UPDATE:

R.I.P Robert McElrath

HUNDREDS ATTEND SLAIN OFFICER'S SERVICE
More than 90 patrol cars led the way to Officer Robert McElrath's memorial service early Saturday afternoon.
kolotv.com
Lauren Garber
Jan 15, 2011
[Excerpts] Officer Rob McElrath's friends and family are still in shock over how the 37 year-old died...Still, more than 700 mourners put all of that aside Saturday to remember the life of Officer McElrath... More than 70 official vehicles from California and Nevada led the way to Officer McElrath's Memorial Service in Susanville where crowds coming to pay their respects spilled out of the church... His adopted daughter said she'll miss being able to watch movies with her dad on the couch.... McElrath leaves behind four children, two biological and two adopted. The two adopted children are his wife's children from a previous marriage.... [Full article here]

SISKIYOU OFFICERS RECOGNIZED IN SUSANVILLE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION
Siskiyou Daily News
By Jamie Gentner
Posted Jan 14, 2011
[Excerpts] Yreka, Calif. — Calls for assistance from outside agencies were made, as an autopsy revealed McElrath’s death was as a result of a gunshot wound and the case was considered a homicide. But according to Susanville Police Chief Jeff Atkinson, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office didn’t need to be called. “I know some of the Siskiyou guys, and my understanding is that when they heard, they called and offered any assistance we needed”... A Lassen County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office press release says they received “tremendous investigative aid” from the SCSO. They also received support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Justice, at least seven other agencies as well as volunteers and law enforcement chaplains, the release said. “Everyone involved in the investigation treated my guy like he was one of their own,. I can’t even put into words how important that is to us and how good it makes us feel,” Atkinson said. “I’ll never be able to thank the Siskiyou unit enough for the work they did. We’re forever grateful for their work on behalf of Robert”... [Full article here]

OFFICER'S SLAYING TROUBLES SUSANVILLE
The Sacramento Bee
By Hudson Sangree
and Jane Braxton Little
Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011
Last Modified: Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011
[Excerpts] The New Year's Day killing of police Officer Robert McElrath casts a pall over this prison and ranching community on the Sierra Nevada's eastern flank. McElrath's body was found Jan. 2 in a remote, snowy area about seven miles outside town... Susanville Police Chief Jeff Atkinson said the killing "is so far out of the norm for us"... Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon said the suspects may have been trying to make it look like a suicide. Other authorities said financial gain could have been a motive... Joanna McElrath and James were arrested four days later... Lassen County court records show that James has two convictions for spousal abuse. In 2002, he was charged with a felony... In December 2007, James' wife told police he had destroyed their Christmas tree and torn out chunks of her hair... In interviews with The Bee, fellow officers, residents, family and friends described the officer as kindhearted, upbeat and always smiling. Susanville Police Officer Alan Inman, McElrath's shift partner, said he had a calming influence on people and even those he arrested found it hard to dislike him. Last winter, Inman watched as his partner took off his gunbelt, tied a rope around his waist and waded into the partially frozen Susan River to save a drowning dog... McElrath and his wife, a former Miss Lassen County, had two younger children together and McElrath adopted his wife's two daughters from a prior marriage. McElrath had recently reconciled with his estranged wife for the sake of their children, relatives said... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities lethal murder california state female perp perpetrator jail]

[WA] Deputy alleged to have held knife to his wife's throat.

...The deputy’s wife told a family friend, who also is a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy, that "there was an incident between her and her husband at their house and that he put a knife to her throat..."

Thank you to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State for their prompt and professional initial response. Sheriff’s Spokeswoman Rebecca Hover: "Events unfolded quickly Friday evening, and we felt we needed to act on the information we had."

Time matters.

DEPUTY ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGED DV ASSAULT
Submitted by Associated Press
Sunday, January 9th, 11:09am
[Excerpts] Snohomish County sheriff's officers say an off-duty deputy has been arrested for investigation of a domestic violence assault. [He] was booked into the Marysville jail after being arrested late Friday for investigation of second-degree domestic violence assault. Few details have been released by the sheriff's office, including the man's name, his relationship with the alleged victim and whether anyone has been hospitalized.... [Full article here]

DEPUTY ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGED ASSAULT
HeraldNet.com
By Diana Hefley
Saturday, January 8, 2011
[Excerpts] An off-duty Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy was arrested late Friday for investigation of second-degree domestic violence assault. The deputy, 35, was booked into jail in Marysville, where he was being held without bail... He has not been charged with a crime. The deputy was immediately placed on paid administrative leave while detectives investigate the allegations... Meanwhile sheriff’s officials expect to conduct an internal investigation... The sheriff’s office became aware of the incident after receiving a complaint on Friday from a third party... [Full article here]

WIFE ACCUSES SHERIFF'S DEPUTY OF ASSAULT
HeraldNet.com
By Eric Stevick
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
[Excerpts] The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is investigating one of its own after allegations that an off-duty deputy assaulted his wife last Thursday night. The sheriff’s office did not release the deputy’s name Monday because he has not been charged with a crime... But court and jail records indicate Rex Haunold, 35, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree domestic violence assault... An Everett District Court judge on Sunday found there was probable cause to hold him on $10,000 bail. He posted bail and was later freed. The deputy’s wife told a family friend, who also is a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy, that "there was an incident between her and her husband at their house and that he put a knife to her throat," Hover said. The woman reported she was scratched but not otherwise injured. She left the house after that, but did not call police... Second-degree assault is a felony... Deputies went to the suspect’s house in unincorporated Snohomish County and arrested him. He was booked into the Snohomish County Jail and was held as a courtesy in the Marysville City Jail... "We are investigating the incident," [Sheriff’s Spokeswoman Rebecca] Hover said. "Events unfolded quickly Friday evening, and we felt we needed to act on the information we had." After 15 years of marriage, the deputy’s wife in October filed court papers seeking a legal separation. After his arrest on Friday, the deputy immediately was placed on paid administrative leave while detectives investigate the allegations... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety lethal washington state jail]

[AR][TN] 2 years ago today Marie Harper Cogburn was stolen from the people who love her

Marie Harper Cogburn
July 19, 1974 - Jan. 10, 2009

2 years ago today former Murfreesboro police officer Danny Gardner says he accidentally shot his girlfriend Marie Cogburn in the back with an AR-15 rifle as he was pushing her with it during an argument. Marie was bruised up and had a broken nose. Gardner was sentenced last year to 20 years. He must serve 70 percent of the sentence before he becomes eligible for parole. Marie was also known as Ree and she unwillingly left three sons who love her.


PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [AR][TN] Ex Officer Gardner's "accidental" killing of his girlfriend Marie Harper Cogburn - ...Gardner told officers he used an AR-15 rifle to push the woman toward a door, and the gun went off...
• [AR][TN] Ex-Officer Gardner competent to face trial for shooting his girlfriend Marie Cogburn in the back, killing her - A former Murfreesboro police officer has been found mentally competent to stand trial for murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend...
• [AR][TN] Marie Cogburn's ex-cop boyfriend sentenced to 20 years for killing her - ...Gardner 's plea agreement resulted in the toughest penalty under Arkansas law. Gardner must serve 70 percent of the sentence before he becomes eligible for parole...

Marie Harper Cogburn
Jul. 19, 1974 - Jan. 10, 2009

Marie Cogburn, age 34 of Nashville, Ar. Passed away, Saturday, January 10, 2009 in Nashville. She was born July 19, 1974 in Murfreesboro... She was a manager for Murphy Oil... She leaves behind to cherish her memory, her mother and step-father... her father and step-mother... her Ex-husband... 3 Sons... 2 Brothers... 1 Sister... 1 step-sister... 2 step-brothers... nephews... a host of Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends... [LINK]


[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities lethal murder arkansas tennessee state accident accidental convicted justice]

[IL] Elgin Police Officer Monforti arrested on domestic battery bodily harm, assaulting, provoking

...Elgin patrol/ police officer Darren T. Monforti has been charged with domestic battery / bodily harm and domestic battery / assaulting and provoking... accused of dragging his 26-year-old girlfriend out of her car... “Regardless of who the allegations are made against we’ll thoroughly investigate it,” [Deputy Police Chief Bob] Beeter said...

ELGIN OFFICER CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC BATTERY
TribLocal
By Melissa Jenco
January 5, 2011
[Excerpts] An Elgin patrol officer has been placed on administrative leave because he is facing misdemeanor domestic battery charges, a police spokesperson said. Darren T. Monforti, 38, and a female acquaintance allegedly were arguing over a cell phone... “As he was trying to grab it, apparently he caused various scratches on her arms,” she said. Monforti reported the incident to his supervisor. He has been charged with domestic battery / bodily harm and domestic battery / assaulting and provoking... [police spokeswoman Sue] Olafson said the department took his gun and badge and he is on administrative duty... There will be a criminal investigation and also an internal investigation, according to Olafson. “We’re investigating because of the severity of the accusation,” she said... [Full article here]

VETERAN ELGIN COP LOSES POLICE POWERS OVER DOMESTIC BATTERY CASE
The Daily Herald
By Lenore T. Adkins
1/4/2011 06:14 PM
[Excerpts] A veteran Elgin police officer has been placed on restricted duty while a domestic battery case against him goes through the courts. Darren T. Monforti, 38, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery, stemming from an off-duty case Dec. 23, in which he is accused of dragging his 26-year-old girlfriend out of her car by her left arm, Deputy Police Chief Bob Beeter said.... Afterward, Monforti called his off-duty supervisor, said he’d been involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, but did not give much detail, Beeter said. His boss then called another supervisor at the police station and an investigation followed... “Regardless of who the allegations are made against we’ll thoroughly investigate it,” Beeter said. On Monday, authorities stripped Monforti of his police powers, confiscated his gun and badge and assigned him to administrative work that involves data entry... His bail was set at $1,000, but he was allowed to sign out on his signature. He was also ordered to avoid his girlfriend and her family... He is due to appear in court Feb. 8 at the Kane County Judicial Center... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety illinois state professional preferential]

[NE] Robert took his detective father's weapon to school, 2 dead including Robert, another injured

Tragic

...The shooter was identified as Robert Butler Jr., son of Omaha Police Det. Robert Butler... The World-Herald has been told it was his father's Glock .40...

SON OF OMAHA POLICE DETECTIVE KILLS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, SELF
abcnews.go.com
By Brian Braiker
Jan. 5, 2011
[Excerpts] A high school student who was the son of a police detective shot two school officials at Millard South High School in Omaha today and then shot himself, police said. The shooter was identified as Robert Butler Jr., son of Omaha Police Det. Robert Butler... Assistant principal Vicki Kaspar died Wednesday evening, as the result of her wounds, according to Omaha police. The principal, Curtis Case, is in stable but serious condition at Creighton University Hospital... According to a statement by police, Butler's father, a 7-year veteran of the department, was being interviewed, to try to get some insight into what prompted the incident... Butler's body was found in a red Honda about a mile from the school. Police said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound... Police immediately headed to the school and to an apartment where the suspect was believed to live. They also learned that the suspect's mother might live in Lincoln, and advised the Nebraska State Patrol... [Full article here]



MILLARD SOUTH SHOOTING: SUSPENSION IGNITED FURY
Omaha World-Herald
By Henry J. Cordes and John Ferak, et al
Published Thursday January 6, 2011
[Excerpts] Robert Butler Jr. was pulled from his first-period class Wednesday at Millard South High School, summoned to the school office to face the music. A school security camera had caught the 17-year-old senior — who transferred to the school this past fall — driving across a school football field. Assistant Principal Vicki Kaspar informed him of his penalty: a 19-day suspension. Butler was escorted out of the school. Sometime afterward, he posted an item on Facebook about the “evil'' that the school had driven him to. As the lunch period wound down in the suburban Omaha school's buzzing halls, the meaning of those words became clear. Butler returned to Kaspar's office, this time brandishing a handgun. He shot the 58-year-old administrator, mortally wounding her, then fired on Principal Curtis Case. Butler, the son of an Omaha police officer, then fled by car. Omaha police found him about 35 minutes later in a parking lot, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot... It is believed to be the worst school shooting incident in Nebraska history. After Wednesday, Millard South joins the long, sobering list of schools around the globe that have been devastated by disaffected students with guns... Butler's father is Robert Butler Sr., an Omaha police detective. Omaha police officials released no details on the handgun that the young Butler used, though The World-Herald has been told it was his father's Glock .40, a common police service weapon... Butler, who reportedly had not had previous disciplinary problems at the school, was pulled from his first class by a school security officer and brought to Kaspar's office between 8 and 8:30 a.m. She imposed the suspension after the damage to school property. Kaspar also called Butler's father in his presence... His father did not pick him up, so it was unclear how he left the school or where he went. It also was unclear what time Butler made his Face­book posting. The indefinite time stamp for the status update, made via a cell phone, makes it appear that it could have been either just before or just after the shootings. Either way, the words he wrote are chilling. “ur gomna here about the evil s--- I did but that f---- school drove me to this,'' he wrote. “I greatly affected the lives of families ruined but I'm sorry. goodbye.'' Butler reappeared on the school campus about 12:45 p.m. He walked past an unarmed security guard and into the main attendance office, where Assistant Principal Kaspar worked. He opened a latch to get behind a counter where four secretaries are stationed and walked into Kaspar's office, just feet away. Without saying a word, Butler shot Kaspar with a handgun as she sat behind her desk, hitting her three or four times in the upper torso. Responding to the commotion, Principal Case bolted out of his office across the hall. Butler exited Kaspar's office and shot Case two or three times from about five feet away, hitting the principal in the back and hip. As Butler left the school office, he fired wildly twice down the hall... Police found the red Accord about 1:25 p.m. in a parking lot near 148th and D Streets, about a mile from the school. Officers approached the car and found Butler dead behind the wheel from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police announced about 9 p.m. Wednesday that Kaspar, too, had died of her wounds... [Full article here]


UPDATE: MILLARD SOUTH SHOOTING VICTIM DIES OF INJURIES: Suspect found dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound
wowt.com
Posted: 1:05 PM Jan 5, 2011
Updated: 1:52 AM Jan 6, 2011
[Excerpts] ...Butler posted a message on a social media Web site (see photo below). “Everybody that used to know me, I'm sorry but Omaha changed me and the school I now attend is even worse. You're going to hear about the evil I did, but that school drove me to this. I want you guys to remember me for who I was before this. I greatly affected the lives of the families ruined, but I'm sorry. Goodbye”... Westside Church at 156th and Dodge and Christ Community Church at 108th and Dodge held prayer services Wednesday evening. Late Wednesday, a candlight vigil that began with a dozen students grew, in a half-hour, to more than 200 standing outside the main entrance to Millard South -- as close as you could get without going around the crime tape. Students held candles and prayed... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder-suicide nebraska state child children service weapon guns gun glock toddler teen teenager gun safety]

[OH] If the police chief is for Struthers Officer Richard Craig, who is protecting his wife's family?

...He threatened to kill members of her family with his AK-47, she told police, and he indicated he “would do it in front of her so she would have to watch it.” Craig’s wife left the house and went to a relative’s, where her husband contacted her on her cell phone and threatened to “put a bullet in [the relative’s] head,” the report says... [Police Chief Tim] Roddy said last week that there were no restrictions for Craig in coming back to work...

The last I collected on this was in October. I was waiting before I posted but now I'm not sure what there is to wait for. Sanity? Professionalism? Mass murder and mahem? This couldn't be much more lethal. How are people doing with him patrolling the streets in Struthers?

STRUTHERS COP CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WFMJ
June 16, 2010
STRUTHERS, Ohio- A Struthers police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested over the weekend on a domestic violence charge. According to a police report, Richard Craig, 31, was arrested after an argument with his wife Sunday, during which he refused to allow her to leave the house. When she did leave, Craig allegedly threatened to kill her family with an AK-47. Struthers police said the alleged incident remains under investigation. [LINK]

STRUTHERS COP CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
vindy.com
By Jeanne Starmack
June 16, 2010
[Excerpts] A city patrol officer will appear soon in court on a charge of domestic violence, court officials said Wednesday. Richard Craig, 33, is on paid administrative leave after the complaint, which was filed by his wife May 13... He is free on his own recognizance. Craig’s wife told police that her husband had been drinking since 1 p.m. the previous day. The report says Craig screamed at his wife and kicked furniture. He threatened to kill members of her family with his AK-47, she told police, and he indicated he “would do it in front of her so she would have to watch it.” Craig’s wife left the house and went to a relative’s, where her husband contacted her on her cell phone and threatened to “put a bullet in [the relative’s] head,” the report says... [Full article here]

STRUTHERS COP ON PAID LEAVE AFTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE
vindy.com
By Jeanne Starmack
Thu, June 17, 2010
[Excerpts] A city patrol officer will appear soon in court on a charge of domestic violence... Craig was arraigned May 13 and pleaded innocent, according to the court. He is free on his own recognizance. A court date has not been set for him on the charge, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Municipal Court Judge James Lanzo has recused himself from the case... Craig’s wife arrived at the police station at 4:07 a.m. May 13 with her father to file the complaint... her father told her to go to the police to get help in taking her three children out of the house... She told police that
Craig keeps an AK-47 with four loaded clips and a rifle or shotgun with ammunition nearby in the bedroom,
and a St. Bernard that doesn’t like strangers was loose in the house. Four officers, including the canine officer, went with her to the house to remove the children. Craig slept through their arrival, and the children were removed... [Full article here]

HEARING SET IN OFFICER’S DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE CASE
vindy.com
By Jeanne Starmack
Mon, October 4, 2010 @ 12:05 a.m.
[Excerpts] The case of a city police officer charged with domestic violence heads back to court next week ...Oct. 6 at Struthers Municipal Court... He pleaded innocent May 13 and was put on paid leave. He returned to work Aug. 8, said Police Chief Tim Roddy. Roddy said Craig was allowed to return after being cleared in a psychological evaluation at Allied Behavioral Health Services. The city has a contract with the private counseling agency, Roddy said. Craig was required to attend the counseling... Roddy said last week that there were no restrictions for Craig in coming back to work. “He just has to follow the recommendations of the doctor,” Roddy said. He said he couldn’t discuss what the recommendations are because of medical privacy laws. Craig’s case will be heard by visiting Judge Diane Vettori. Struthers’ Judge James Lanzo recused himself. [Full article here]

The case will be heard when? Eventually?
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety lethal terroristic threatening teflon alcohol alcoholic psych test ohio state corrupt corruption]

[IN] BREAK-IN DOMESTIC BATTERY WITH INJURY gets Asst Police Chief Jerry Cunningham a demotion? Really?

...Danville Police Chief Keith Gill said he has faith Cunningham can put the incident behind him. "I don't excuse anything Jerry did or allegedly did, don't get me wrong. I don't excuse that... I do know that there are different things and reasons that people kind of snap or go off. There were a lot of things going on behind that. I personally think it was probably a one-time deal... I think that Jerry Cunningham will appreciate he has been given a second chance and I expect him to be a fine patrol officer"... Mike Willard was injured in the incident and Cunningham's [estranged] wife also suffered a minor foot injury... Cunningham pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery in the case...

Previous Post:
[IN] The arrest and suspension of Danville Asst. Police Chief Jerry Cunningham - Assistant Police Chief Jerry Cunningham is charged for tearing off the screen door and kicking in the wood door of a man's house where his ESTRANGED, divorcing wife was - and then assaulting the man and Cunningham's soon to be EX wife. Instead of being thrown on the ground and arrested, the police CHIEF came and whisked him away to the chief's home, where hours later he was arrested in a more dignified surrounding I guess. To the people of Danville who do not think Cunningham should be held accountable, be careful. People here in Tacoma Washington supported our police chief too and closed out his wife. Soon they were both dead by his hand. Protect the people being attacked, not the attacker...

WHOOPS!
[FEDERAL] Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban Fact Sheet:
...The 1996 Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban, introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and passed as an amendment to the 1996 Treasury-Postal Appropriations Bill, prohibits the owning or using of fire arms if an individual (1) has ever been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offense or (2) is currently subject to a restraining order regarding an intimate partner or the child of such a partner...
The ban applies to everyone. There is NO exception for law enforcement or military personnel.
The law applies to ANY misdemeanor domestic violence conviction... [LINK]

OFFICER DEMOTED, WILL KEEP JOB AFTER ARREST: Assistant Chief Arrested In Domestic Situation
theindychannel.com
December 31, 2010

A former assistant police chief has been demoted but will keep his job after he was charged in a domestic disturbance.

A merit board voted Thursday night to reduce the rank of Danville police Col. Jerry Cunningham to patrolman.

Cunningham, who has been suspended without pay, was arrested on charges of domestic battery, battery with injury and unlawful residential entry.

Police said Cunningham forced his way into a home where his wife was visiting a male friend. The other man was injured in a scuffle, and his wife was hurt while trying to break up the fight.

Cunningham pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery in the case.

Danville Police Chief Keith Gill said he has faith Cunningham can put the incident behind him.

"I don't excuse anything Jerry did or allegedly did, don't get me wrong. I don't excuse that,” he said. “I do know that there are different things and reasons that people kind of snap or go off. There were a lot of things going on behind that. I personally think it was probably a one-time deal."

Cunningham has been with the department for 22 years. The demotion will cost him as much as $6,000 in annual pay. [LINK]


DANVILLE DEMOTION: FORMER ASSISTANT CHIEF TO LOSE 18% OF PAY: Assistant Police Chief Jerry Cunningham was arrested in October after getting into a fight with his estranged wife's boyfriend.
fox59.com
By Gene Cox Fox59
December 31, 2010

In a unanimous vote by the Metropolitan Police Board of Commissioners in Danville, former Assistant Chief of Police Jerry Cunningham was demoted to patrolman effective January 1, 2011.

Cunningham was not present at the Thursday night announcement, but several of his fellow officers were.

The crowd much smaller than the one that gathered to support Cunningham, 45, in October a few days after he was arrested for his role in a domestic battery incident. After the Police Board vote Chief of Police Keith Gill told reporters giving Cunningham a chance to stay on the force was the right decision.

"I think that Jerry Cunningham will appreciate he has been given a second chance and I expect him to be a fine patrol officer," said Chief Gill.

Chief Gill says Cunningham's pay will be reduced about five to six thousand dollars a year or roughly 18%.

The 20-year Danville police veteran, at first, faced one felony and other misdemeanor charges but he this week pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge.

According to a Hendricks County Sheriff's Department report Cunningham "tore off a screen door" and illegally entered the home of his estranged wife's new boyfriend.

Mike Willard was injured in the incident and Cunningham's wife also suffered a minor foot injury.

The misdemeanor plea deal was reached with a special prosecutor called in from neighboring Boone County.

PREVIOUS STORY:

A Danville police officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge at the Hendricks County Courthouse Wednesday.

Assistant Police Chief Jerry Cunningham was arrested in October after getting into a fight with his estranged wife's boyfriend.

Cunningham claimed he was out for a walk when broke into a home where his wife and the other man were. Investigators said Cunningham tore the screen door off the man's house and struck him. The officer's wife was injured as she tried to break up the struggle.

Two of the charges against him were dropped as part of a plea deal. If Cunningham had been convicted of the felony attempted residential entry or the domestic battery count, he would not have been allowed to own a gun, and could not have been an officer.

"The big key here is that Jerry is hopeful that he will be able to maintain his job with the Danville Police Department as Assistant Police Chief so that was a lot of the motivation for accepting the plea and doing what he did," said Paul Hadley, Cunningham's attorney.

Danville Police Chief Keith Gill told Fox59 Cunningham can not be Assistant Chief again. The rest is up to the Metro Board of Police. The board can decide to keep Cunningham as a Sergeant or as a lesser rank. The board could also choose to dismiss Cunningham from the department.

The board meets Thursday, December 30th at 6:00 p.m. in the Danville City Hall. The executive meeting is closed to the public, but the vote to determine Officer Cunningham's fate will be open to the public. [LINK]
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