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Shots Fired At Two Police Officers
Tue Sep 10, 7:22 AM ET
For the second time in less than a week, Cincinnati police officers had to shield themselves from gunfire.
Shots were fired at about 1 a.m. Monday at two officers patrolling an apartment complex in North Fairmount, WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported.
The officers were not injured. At least two or three shots were fired, according to a Cincinnati police spokesman.
The incident began when the officers attempted to stop a car they saw driving erratically, WLWT reported.
The officers chased the car for about 10 seconds before the shots were fired, the police spokesman said.
After the shots were fired, the four suspects ran from the car in opposite directions.
Police arrested four suspects several hours later, WLWT reported.
The names of the officers and the suspects were not released.
On Friday, two undercover detectives came under gunfire in Avondale. The officers were not injured, and police are continuing to search for suspects.
WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and ChannelCincinnati.com will continue to update this story as additional information becomes available.
Diverdan
Here it is...
http://www.funeral.com/funeral/index.jsp
Diverdan
8-Year-Old Caught in Crack Cocaine Sting
Wed Aug 28, 1:14 PM ET
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - An 8-year-old Canadian boy has been placed in foster care after he was caught aiding a drug dealer by holding crack cocaine for sale, police said on Tuesday.
An undercover officer discovered the child when he tried to lure the dealer into selling him 3.5 grams (an eighth of an ounce) of cocaine in a well-known drug-trafficking area east of the downtown core in Calgary, Alberta, on Friday.
The boy was found holding nearly three grams of the drug. It did not appear he had been using crack, Sgt. Sean Doyle of the Calgary police drug unit said.
"We have nothing to say that he's been at it for any length of time, but he was clearly under the direction of this older trafficker," Doyle said. "We had uniforms come in and arrest both of them."
The child is too young to be charged under Canadian law, so police turned him over to Family Services. It is not clear whether his parents knew of his activities, although Doyle said authorities had "intervened" with the family.
"It's an unfortunate situation to have an 8-year-old involved in trafficking crack," he said. "This is not usual. My thoughts are that this person who was the trafficker knows full well that the police can't arrest this 8-year-old."
Diverdan
Atlanta Airport Screening Supervisor Fired for Missing Gun
08/27/2002
by David B. Caruso, Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - An airport screening supervisor in Atlanta was fired because he missed a loaded gun during a hand-check of a bag belonging to a woman charged with carrying the weapon into a terminal at Philadelphia International Airport, federal officials said.
Nancy Keller, 37, of Huntersville, N.C., was detained Sunday morning after she put a carry-on bag containing a .357-caliber handgun through an X-ray machine at the airport's Terminal F, authorities said.
Keller got the weapon past security screeners in Atlanta, said the head of the Transportation Security Administration, retired Coast Guard Adm. James Loy.
A woman screening bags in Atlanta noticed something strange on her screen and alerted a supervisor, who did a hand-check of Keller's bag and "simply missed" the weapon and another clip of ammunition, Loy said Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"I just simply don't know how the miss occurred, but the procedures were conducted as we would hope they would be, and the officer ... was not able to find the weapon in the handbag," Loy said.
Keller told an FBI agent that the gun belonged to her husband and she wasn't aware it was inside the bag. She was charged with boarding an aircraft with a concealed weapon.
FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said Keller arrived in Philadelphia on a plane from Atlanta and was making a flight connection that required her to leave and re-enter the airport's secure zone.
No one was injured and no flights were delayed, officials said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacob Hart ordered Keller released on $100,000 unsecured bond during a brief court hearing Monday. She was ordered to give up her passport and restrict her travels to Pennsylvania and Ohio. Prosecutors said she is in the process of moving from North Carolina to the Columbus area. Hart also ordered her to stay out of airports.
"I hope you aren't planning on flying the next two weeks," Hart said.
"Not anymore," Keller said.
Keller declined to address the charges outside the courtroom. When a reporter asked if the gun belonged to a relative, Keller said, "something like that."
Lanii Thomas, a spokeswoman for Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, would not provide any details on the security breach.
Court papers filed by an FBI agent said the semiautomatic handgun was found inside a small nylon bag within Keller's carry-on bag, and was loaded with 13 rounds. The bag also contained a second 12-round clip labeled, "restricted law enforcement, government use only." Federal gun laws bar civilians from possessing magazines with more than 10 rounds.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms was tracing the weapon. Vizi said she didn't know whether Keller's husband worked in law enforcement.
US Airways spokesman John Bronson confirmed that there had been a "security incident," but referred questions to local and federal authorities.
Diverdan
Police bullet hit Duluth cop
Copyright 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution...08/27/2002
BETH WARREN
A bullet that struck a Duluth police officer last week was fired from a supervisor's gun and not by a man police later shot and killed.
Officer Jill Manders, an eight-year veteran of the Duluth Police Department, was shot in the hip and thigh during a gun battle sparked by suspect Roman Khaimov, 38.
"The surgery on Jill Manders removed the bullet and revealed that it was a police round," Gwinnett District Attorney Danny Porter said Monday. "I don't know who fired the shot."
The bullet matches an uncommon weapon carried by Duluth police supervisors --- not the suspect's weapon or two other types of guns carried by officers, he said. About three supervisors were at the shootout at the Grove Park subdivision, off Pleasant Hill Road, the prosecutor said.
The bullet will be sent to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur this week for ballistics tests, Porter said.
Tests also will show whether the bullet struck something else first and then ricocheted, he said.
"It was clearly an accident," Porter said.
Khairnov had been struggling with depression and first fired shots at his estranged wife at a nearby park, according to family friend Steve Santhuff.
He then held the community at bay for two hours and fired at police from his back door, garage and an upstairs bedroom window, Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher said.
Khairnov was killed when police returned fire.
Diverdan
Alabama cops seek Atlantan in shootings
Copyright 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution...08/27/2002
BEN SMITH
Montgomery police have issued a warrant and a $ 10,000 reward for an Atlanta man accused of shooting two police officers during a traffic stop in that city.
Neil Perkins, 31, of 5675 Roswell Road is being sought on attempted murder charges.
He is accused of shooting one officer in the forehead and the other in the chest Thursday night. The two police corporals, D.L. Blankenship and C. Daniels, were investigating two hotel robberies when the incident took place.
After being stopped near one of the hotels, the suspect, who had been driving a dark Ford pickup truck, burst out of the vehicle and opened fire.
Blankenship, who's listed in serious but stable condition, was hit once in the head. Daniels was struck in the chest but was not seriously injured because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Soon after the shooting, investigators found the suspect's abandoned truck, which had been stolen from DeKalb County, in a nearby neighborhood.
Diverdan
Police: Guard Shoots Suspect In Bank-Robbery Attempt
Mon Aug 26, 8:21 AM ET
A man suspected of trying to rob a bank was hospitalized in serious condition Friday after he was shot by a security guard, the Marion County Sheriff's Department said.
Police said James Velez, 42, was armed when he entered a Union Planters Bank branch at 3310 W. 86th St. and announced his intention to rob it.
Security guard William Bitsell, 49, fired four shots, hitting Velez three times, police said. Police received a report of the shooting around 12:50 p.m.
Three tellers and four customers were in the bank at the time, police said.
Velez was sent to Wishard Memorial Hospital. No other injuries were reported.
"The gunman walked in and did not see the armed guard," said Col. Scott Minier of the Marion County Sheriff's Department. "(Velez) announced the robbery, waving his gun around."
Minier said Velez may have missed a warning on the bank's door that says an armed guard is on duty during business hours.
The bank was closed Friday afternoon as police investigated the incident.
Diverdan
Burglary Victim Facing Manslaughter
Tue Aug 27, 1:21 PM ET
A car burglary suspect was shot and killed Tuesday in New Orleans East by the car's owner, police said.
The incident happened just before 3 a.m. outside the Walnut Square apartments in the 8500 block of Cedar Lane.
Investigators said two men were apparently breaking into several vehicles at the apartment complex, when one of the owners spotted them and opened fire from a second-floor balcony about 30 yards away.
A 19-year-old was hit in the face and chest. He died at the scene. The other suspect fled.
Detectives determined that the car owner, Sean Minor, 29, was not in imminent danger at the time of the shooting. Minor was taken to Central Lockup and booked with manslaughter.
Diverdan
Police Shoot, Kill 16-Year-Old After Chase
Tue Aug 27,12:39 PM ET
A 16-year-old boy is dead and another was seriously injured after being shot by police on Cleveland's west side early Tuesday morning.
NewsChannel5's Brad Harvey said the incident took place at about 1:15 a.m. in the 7000 block of Lawn Avenue after officers pulled over a suspected stolen car.
The driver of the car took off. Officers chased the car into an alley where it got stuck, but the three occupants would not get out of the vehicle, Harvey reported.
When the driver put the car in reverse, police said they felt they were in danger and opened fire.
Ricardo Mason, 16, of Cleveland, was killed and Malcolm Coil was shot in the face. A third teen in the car was taken into custody.
Harvey said that residents in the neighborhood aren't happy about the police explanation of the shooting.
Diverdan
Man Who Shot Police In Face High On PCP
Sun Aug 25,11:56 AM ET
The man who shot a police officer in the face was high on PCP, the Cuyahoga County coroner said.
NewsChannel5 reported Elizabeth Balraj released the results of toxicology tests performed Jeffrey Hopkins Friday.
PCP can cause hallucinations.
Hopkins shot officer Mike Schmitt in the face after Schmitt and his partner gave Hopkins a ride to public square in Downtown Cleveland.
Hopkins's partner returned fire, killing Hopkins.
Schmitt is in stable condition.
A man who shot a Cleveland Police officer in the face was on drugs, the coroner said.
Diverdan
Officer Expected To Recover
Tue Aug 27, 1:22 PM ET
A Boston police officer is expected to fully recover after being shot twice early Tuesday morning, police said.
NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that the officer was shot in the arm and the leg after she and her partner spotted a man who was on a department flier. Police Commissioner Paul Evans said that Officer Zenaida Flores, a four-year veteran of the department, was stable and should recover.
"The female officer was struck in the arm and in the leg and fell at 25 Beech St.," Evans said.
James Gaines, 45, of Waltham, Mass., was shot in the arm and arrested by the officer's partner following a foot chase, Evans said. Gaines was being treated at Boston Medical Center and was expected to be arraigned later Tuesday.
"We have multiple locations where shots were fired by both individuals," Evans said. "Again, that's part of the ongoing investigation. At this time, we believe there was a running gun battle."
Throughout the morning, friends, relatives, and coworkers visited Flores, who Evans said was the first female Boston police officer to be shot in the line of duty.
"She has suffered two wounds, one to the arm and one to the leg," Evans said. "Her condition is stable, not life-threatening. Her family members, her mother and her sisters, are all with her, and it appears she's going to be all right."
There was no indication how long Flores will be at the hospital. Police said that they have also confirmed that the gun Gaines allegedly used had been stolen.
Diverdan
WOW! Most impressive and intimidating eom
Diverdan
HSN guide
Here is where you can find the HSN in your local area:
http://hsn.channelfinder.net/start.asp
Diverdan
WOW! That is good news!
SEAVIEW TO OFFER SECUREVIEW CAMERA SYSTEM ONLY ON
TV SHOPPING NETWORK HSN
TIERRA VERDE, FL, August 26, 2002 --SeaView Video Technology, Inc. [OTC BB: SEVU] has received an initial order for the company's patented power-line SecureView "camera in a light bulb" from TV shopping network HSN of St. Petersburg, FL. This new form of video monitoring is designed to look like a regular outdoor light bulb, but actually contains a hidden video camera.
The hidden camera transmits a video signal through regular power lines and allows owners to view the video simply by plugging a special decoder and standard television monitor into any of the building’s power outlets. When the SecureView debuts on HSN in late September, customers will be able to see first hand the numerous benefits and easy 1-2-3 installation of the SecureView camera system.
"HSN will bring SecureView into the television retailing arena for the first time and will expand our market reach beyond the already successful internet/catalog distribution," states Michael Ambler, chief operating officer of SeaView. "We are extremely excited about not only the sales potential from HSN, but the opportunity to educate so many consumers on the advantages of SecureView and power-line technology in general."
About SeaView Video Technology Inc.:
SeaView Video Technology Inc. (www.sevu.com) designs, manufactures and markets, among other devices, products and applications developed to transmit voice, video, audio and data either individually or any and all combinations over power lines, in AC and DC power environments, on any and all power grids. These products or prototypes include acVIDEO, acVIEW, dcVIEW, dcVIDEO, dcDATA, SecureView, SPLSS, and acAMR, and are described in various product and marketing materials. The Company has also developed and manufactures different kinds of underwater video cameras, lights and accessories for the marine, commercial and consumer retail markets.
About HSN:
HSN, a division of USA Interactive (NASDAQ: USAI), celebrates its 25th anniversary this year as the company that originated the television shopping concept in 1977. The idea materialized on a small AM radio station in Florida and has since grown into a global multichannel retailer with a thriving TV, catalog and Web business on hsn.com. Now residing on a 1.4 million square foot facility on 53 acres in St. Petersburg, Florida, HSN generated worldwide consolidated sales of $1.93 billion in 2001 and reaches more households worldwide than any other television shopping network.
Source: SeaView Video Technology Inc.
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding our plans, future events, objectives, expectations, forecasts, or assumptions. Any statement in this press release that is not a statement of historical fact is a forward-looking statement, and in some cases, words such as "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "plans," "seeks," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from the anticipated outcomes or result, and undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. These risks and uncertainties may include: the adoption of our new products by customers; our ability to identify, develop, and commercialize new applications for our products; the ability to manage our anticipated growth; scaling-up our manufacturing capabilities; protecting our intellectual property; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including risks described in subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, Form 10-K, Form 8-K, and other filings). SeaView Video Technology, Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Diverdan
Story:
Local company puts security cameras where you may not expect them. SeaView Technologies mastered the underwater camera a few years ago. Now it's moving on to cameras in other devices aimed at both homeowners and businesses.
http://www.baynews9.com/vidclips/2002/August/25/tech.ram
Diverdan
Here is the link.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SEAVIEW FEATURED ON BAY NEWS 9, EXTRA ON TECHNOLOGY
TIERRA VERDE, FL, August 26, 2002 --SeaView Video Technology, Inc. [OTC BB:
SEVU] was the feature segment August 24, 2002 and August 25, 2002 on Bay
News 9's, "Extra On Technology." Bay News 9 reporter; Sondra Guffey produced
the approximately 3 minute segment which featured the Company, our products
and comments from Company executives. The Secureview, "camera in a light
bulb" was shown demonstrating how simple "Powerline Peace of Mind" can be
for the residential consumer. The DC Rearview also was a feature product
with an auto demonstration. A replay of the segment may be viewed by
accessing the Bay News 9 website, www.baynews9.com
<http://www.baynews9.com>, then click "Extras," followed by clicking "Extras
On Technology."
About SeaView Video Technology Inc.:
SeaView Video Technology Inc. (www.sevu.com <http://www.sevu.com>) designs,
manufactures and markets, among other devices, products and applications
developed to transmit voice, video, audio and data either individually or
any and all combinations over power lines, in AC and DC power environments,
on any and all power grids. These products or prototypes include acVIDEO,
acVIEW, dcVIEW, dcVIDEO, dcDATA, SecureView, SPLSS, and acAMR, and are
described in various product and marketing materials. The Company has also
developed and manufactures different kinds of underwater video cameras,
lights and accessories for the marine, commercial and consumer retail
markets.
website: www.sevu.com <http://www.sevu.com>
e-mail: investor@seaview.com <mailto:investor@seaview.com>
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" that involve
risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding our plans, future
events, objectives, expectations, forecasts, or assumptions. Any statement
in this press release that is not a statement of historical fact is a
forward-looking statement, and in some cases, words such as "believe,"
"estimate," "project," "expect," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "plans,"
"seeks," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These
statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes
and results to differ materially from the anticipated outcomes or result,
and undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. These risks and
uncertainties may include: the adoption of our new products by customers;
our ability to identify, develop, and commercialize new applications for our
products; the ability to manage our anticipated growth; scaling-up our
manufacturing capabilities; protecting our intellectual property; and other
risks and uncertainties discussed in filings made with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (including risks described in subsequent reports on Form
10-Q, Form 10-K, Form 8-K, and other filings). SeaView Video Technology,
Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise.
SOURCE: Seaview Video Technology, Inc.
Doug Bauer, 727-866-7440
Investor Relations e-mail: investor@seaview.com
<mailto:investor@seaview.com>
-0-
Diverdan
U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION OFFERS NEW ROUND OF FIRE/ARSON INVESTIGATION
MANAGEMENT STUDIES FOR FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
WASHINGTON DC - The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) today announced the
beginning of its 15th annual program of providing direct technical
assistance to selected State and local fire investigation agencies. This
project is part of USFA's ongoing effort to strengthen and enhance the
work of fire investigation units across the country. USFA is a part of
FEMA.
"Arson is increasingly experienced as a violent crime committed for many
different reasons," said R. David Paulison, United States Fire
Administrator. "USFA's technical assistance focuses heavily on improving
the working relationships among fire, police, prosecutors and other state
or federal agencies by suggesting strategies for closer cooperation."
"Case prioritization and management, arson data collection and analysis,
investigation reports, training, and time-of-day staffing coverage also
are key components of the site reviews."
USFA provides this assistance to help improve arrest and conviction rates
and promote arson prevention by highlighting the positive features of a
jurisdiction's arson control operations, recommending options for
resolving problem areas, and identifying potential inter-agency and
community anti-arson partnerships. The Arson Control Assistance results in
a confidential report with guidelines to improve arson investigations and
case outcomes.
The program already has proven to be a valuable service to over 120 State
and local jurisdictions. Any state, county, or city fire investigation
agency interested in participating should meet the following criteria:
1. Have a sincere interest in ascertaining the strengths and problem
areas of their fire investigation and arson control programs and
operations;
2. Investigate a minimum of 200 fires per year, a significant portion of
which are determined to be incendiary.
3. Provide the necessary application materials and background
information, and cooperate with the designated technical assistance team
in scheduling the field work, and
4. Implement as many of the recommendations as feasible.
5. To ensure the continued success and quality of the Arson Technical
Assistance program, USFA requires that all agencies selected to
participate in this project be willing, six to nine months later, to
complete an evaluation regarding the quality of the site-work performed,
and to report on the status of implementing the recommendations contained
in the final report.
The field assessment and technical assistance on arson control is
organized around three stages. The following brief description will give
departments an idea of what to expect.
Stage One - Information collection and preparation. We use the information
on your application to get a basic idea of your current situation, and
what problems you are facing. To obtain a more complete picture we ask for
a package of information to be used to study and prepare for the site
visit. We also work with the jurisdictions, developing a list of people
who will be interviewed and to schedule the interviews and meetings for
our site visit.
Stage Two - Site visit and field work. USFA's fire investigation and arson
control experts will spend approximately three days in your area. We will
conduct interviews and meetings, review additional data, and analyze
information from all relevant sources. We will hold a kick-off meeting to
explain the project to all principals; later, we will meet with selected
officials to review the main issues and close out the field work.
Stage Three - Preparation of draft and final report. After the site visit,
we will complete a draft report containing a description of your
jurisdiction and of your arson control measures. The report also will
highlight the positive features found and discuss the problem areas.
Recommendations for improvements and changes will be itemized. You will
have three weeks to review and provide comments on the draft report. We
then will prepare the final report. You are asked to implement as many of
the recommendations as feasible.
For information on how to apply for this program contact:
USFA-Arson Investigation Technical Assistance Project
Joseph Ockershausen, Project Manager
TriData Corporation
1000 Wilson Boulevard, 30th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: (703) 351-8300; Fax: (703) 351-8383
E-mail: jockershausen@tridatacorp.com
Applications are due no later than December 31, 2002 and may be downloaded
from the USFA web site at
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/media/02-arson-tech-asst.cfm
Diverdan
Mom of Sunburned Kids Defends Herself
Thu Aug 22, 1:15 PM ET
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) - A day after being abruptly released from jail, a woman who allegedly allowed her children to become severely sunburned said Thursday she didn't do anything wrong.
Eve Hibbits, who had been jailed eight days, appeared on NBC's "Today" show one day after prosecutors dropped three felony counts, replacing them with a misdemeanor charge of child endangerment. Authorities said her three children were not as severely injured as officials had believed.
Hibbits was arrested Aug. 14, the day after a sheriff's deputy noticed her 2-year-old daughter, Rose, and 10-month-old twin boys, Thomas and Timmy, had sunburned faces at the Jefferson County Fair. Temperatures were in the 90s at the time.
Sheriff Fred Abdalla said the children did not have any sunscreen or shirts on when a deputy spotted them and took them to a first aid station. They were later treated at a hospital and released. He said their faces looked like they had been "dipped in red paint."
Hibbits, 31, told NBC she didn't think she had committed any crime, and being behind bars was awful.
"It felt like the walls of the jail were falling in on me. I ain't never been in jail," she said.
Her attorney, Shawn Blake, said the deputy had overreacted. "The paramedics said it wasn't necessary, the kids were fine but they could take them to the hospital anyway," he told NBC.
Hibbits was released on her own recognizance and pleaded innocent to the misdemeanor. She had been held on $15,000 bond.
Hospital officials initially said the children suffered from second-degree burns but later reduced that to first-degree burns, Jefferson County Prosecutor Brian Felmet said.
"I don't feel they (the charges) were too severe based on that information," he said. "With the benefit of hindsight with the information we have now, we feel they weren't warranted."
The maximum penalty for the misdemeanor is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, but Felmet said probation was likely.
While Hibbits could have faced five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the felonies, the sheriff said Wednesday he had not intended to imprison her.
"My intent was for the safety of the children, which was accomplished, and to give her a wake-up call," Abdalla said.
Felmet said authorities also were concerned because they thought that one of the twins had a collapsed lung. But medical records showed the boy's underdeveloped lung was the result of being born prematurely.
Hibbits' husband, Richard, was working at the fair and the family had been camping there. The family lives in Brilliant, a small town south of Steubenville.
A first-degree sunburn will cause skin to turn red and tender, said Dr. Allison Vidimos, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. These burns can be uncomfortable for children but generally aren't dangerous, she said.
Second-degree burns penetrate the outermost layer of the skin and involve swelling and blistering, and sometimes also cause chills, fever and nausea, Vidimos said.
Parents should apply sunscreen to their children every two hours, she said, and babies younger than 6 months should be kept out of the sun.
Diverdan
Police officer shoots, kills family's dog
Thu Aug 22, 7:37 AM ET
MICHAEL HENRY, Staff Writer
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer responding to a residential burglar alarm Wednesday shot and killed a family dog that was approaching him in a neighbor's yard.
The department's Internal Affairs unit is investigating the shooting at the northern Charlotte home, as it does whenever an officer fires a gun.
An activated home security system about 10:45 a.m. summoned two officers to the 2300 block of Vanderbilt Road near Statesville Avenue. As they approached the house through an adjacent yard, they were confronted by a 35-pound chow-German shepherd mix.
Officer A.J. Davis drew his Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun and shot the dog three times, police reported.
Full story at The Charlotte Observer
Diverdan
Ordeal claims two lives
Former Dallas jailer suspected of killing his estranged wife, then driving away with her body
By Jason Spencer and David Hafetz
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
TEMPLE -- A standoff between police and a Dallas man suspected of killing his estranged wife and driving away with her body ended in a deadly shootout Monday after officers fired tear gas into the suspect's car on Interstate 35.
Juan A. Medellin, 31, died after exchanging gunfire with officers when a police SWAT team prepared to storm the car in the hopes that the woman was still alive, authorities said. The man shot himself, and it was unclear whether he was also shot by law officers firing into his black Toyota Camry, Temple police Lt. Edward Best said.
Police did not identify the female victim. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation.
The incident brought I-35 traffic to a standstill in both directions for about 1 1/2 hours when police closed the interstate shortly before 11 a.m. to negotiate with Medellin, who had recently resigned his job as a jailer with the Dallas County sheriff's office amid criminal harassment charges filed by his wife, authorities said.
"It's been building up to this," said Sgt. Dom Peritz, a Dallas County sheriff's spokesman. "There was a constant barrage of phone calls, things of that nature."
Duncanville police arrested Medellin on Aug. 8 and again on Aug. 15 on Class B misdemeanor harassment charges, Peritz said. He was later freed on bond. He resigned his job after the sheriff's office initiated an internal affairs investigation.
Monday's ordeal began around 7 a.m. in Dallas, where witnesses said Medellin shot his wife and forced her into his car as she dropped off their three children with his mother, officials said. He shot her again inside the vehicle, authorities said.
Witnesses told police they heard the couple arguing and saw a man put a woman in a vehicle, said Senior Cpl. Chris Gilliam of the Dallas Police Department.
"I woke up because I could hear someone screaming at the top of their lungs," said neighbor Rosalee Ramos. "I've never heard a scream like that before in my life.
"I heard the kids yelling, 'You're killing my mom! You're killing my mom!' Then I heard him saying, 'I love you. I love you. I love you,' to her and then I didn't hear anything."
A Dallas police detective managed to reach Medellin on his mobile phone and learned he was south of Waco in the Hewitt area, said.
The car was spotted about two hours after the shooting by Bell County sheriff's officers and police in Troy, five miles north of Temple, Best said.
Temple police tried to stop the car with road spikes, but the car dodged them and continued south. That's when Temple police vehicles boxed in the car and gradually slowed it to a stop beside the concrete highway divider.
A cell phone company operator patched a SWAT team negotiator to his mobile phone, Best said.
"He was real irrational," Best said. "At one point, he said he was going to get out and make the police shoot him."
Unable to see the female passenger, police asked a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter pilot to hover a few feet from the car and peer inside.
"They could see that there was a female in the seat next to him who was not moving," Best said.
Unable to tell if the woman was still alive, police decided to force the issue, he said. Shortly thereafter, gunfire broke out and Medellin was killed, Best said. Police were unsure who fired first as of Monday night.
The woman was already dead, officials said.
This article contains material from wire services.
Diverdan
If that cop was an "Idiot"
Then why didn't you file a complaint? What did you not go through the complaint process? Is it because there are two sides to every story? Accountability is the answer, cop and non-cop alike.
Diverdan
Police: Mother Stabs Child-Sex Crime Suspect
Mon Aug 19,11:55 AM ET
A 31-year-old man was stabbed on Sunday by the mother of a 2-year-old girl he is accused of sexually assaulting, police said.
"The mother of the child ... apparently stabbed the suspect a couple of times," said John Carey of the San Antonio Police Department.
Carey said the man, who underwent surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Shortly after he was stabbed, the man fled in his car and collided with a truck and rammed into a building at the intersection of Callaghan and Culebra Roads, police said.
A neighbor told KSAT 12 News that the man climbed out a window barely dressed in a home on Pettus Street on the city's West Side.
"There were some pants around the window," said Gloria Juarez, a neighbor. "And the evidence unit came by and took pictures of the pants. And they took a knife, I think, and they put it in the envelope."
Once the suspect recovers, he will be charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, evading arrest, and failure to stop and render aid, police said.
A warrant had been issued for the suspect for a probation violation in another county, police said.
The 2-year-old girl was examined by doctors and their reports will be submitted to police.
Diverdan
Bad apple story for Bull,
Last week I got another screaming Momma telephone call. I am a shift supervisor so most complaints come directly to me first. Momma calls and claims a police officer broke into her daughter apartment (Daughter is a college student here in the city I work), the officer stole her daughters keys and kicked everyone out of her daughter's apartment. Momma wants to file a complaint on the officer for "stealing" her daughter keys, "breaking and entering" and for civil rights violations.
Officer's story - He responds to a loud party noise disturbance call and after knocking about three minutes, someone finally answers the apartment door. He can immediately smell burnt marihuana and NONE of the 50 or so people in the small apartment claim to live there. NOBODY claims to know to lives there, and NOBODY claims responsibility for the party. The officer tells everyone to leave since nobody lives there or is taking responsibility for the apartment. He notices a set of keys left on the table and discovers they fit the front door lock. After everyone leaves, he secures the door and takes the keys with him leaving a note on the table with the police contact number. No citations issued, no arrest made on the marihuana residue left on the table near the note.
I explain this to Momma how the officer probably saved her daughter from a theft or a burglary since nobody claimed responsibility and nobody lived there. On average we take about 15-20 theft and burglary reports a day in our city of 60K permanent residents + an additional 24K students.
Momma falls silent and is now very apologetic for her initial hysteria. She promises that he daughter is going to "get an earful" and this will never happen again. Momma also apologizes for her daughter's behaviour. About 15 minutes later the daughter calls the PD, apologizes, and wants to know who she can get her keys back. She picked he keys up at the front counter of the police station that afternoon.
Was this officer a bad apple too? Maybe it was a daughter that didn't tell mom the entire truth and failed to take responsibility for her actions??
Diverdan
Bull, Have I ever said there are no bad apples?
Looks like you have already tried and convicted him.
Diverdan
Firefighters killed
This is a message from the Federal Emergency Management Agency/U.S. Fire Administration.
The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice of the following
firefighter fatalities:
Name: Roger “Mikey” Dunn
Rank: Captain
Age: 48
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 23
Date of Incident: 08/12/2002
Time of Incident: 1530hrs
Date of Death: 08/12/2002
Fire Department: Clute Volunteer Fire Department
Fire Department Address: 100 Hargett St., Clute, Tx 77531
Fire Department Phone: (979) 265-4742
Fire Department Website: http://www.geocities.com/clutevfd800/
Fire Department Chief: Gerald Koenning
Cause of Death: Captain Dunn collapsed and died from a cause still to be
determined while working on the fireground of a residential structure
fire.
Funeral: 08/16/2002 @ 1000hrs, First Baptist Church in Clute, TX.
Visitation will be from 1800-2000hrs 08/15/2002 at Lakewood Funeral Chapel
in Clute.
Memorial Fund: Captain Roger “Mikey” Dunn Memorial Fund, First State Bank
of Clute, 200 N. Brazosport Blvd., Clute, TX 77531, (979) 265-2511
Name: Travis Lyn Wiems
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 28
Status: Volunteer
Date of Incident: 08/12/2002
Time of Incident: 1630
Date of Death: 08/12/2002
Fire Department: Wichita West Volunteer Fire Department
Fire Department Address: 7622 Seymour Highway, Wichita Falls, TX 76308
Fire Department Phone: (940) 692-1981
Fire Department Chief: Buddy Alexander
Cause of Death: Firefighter Weims was operating at a brush fire, riding in
a cage on the front bumper of a brush truck with a hose to fight the
flames. Another vehicle traveling in low visibility conditions due to
smoke from the fire struck the brush truck causing Weims to fall out of
the cage and under the wheels of the apparatus, killing him instantly.
Funeral: 08/17/2002 @ 1400hrs, Life Tabernacle Church, Wichita Falls, TX
Memorial Fund: In the name of Firefighter Travis Lyn Wiems, C/o Wichita
West Volunteer Fire Department, 7622 Seymour Highway, Wichita Falls, TX
76308
Tribute is being paid to Captain Dunn and Firefighter Wiems at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/inside-usfa/ffmem.cfm
Additional information on firefighter fatalities may be found on the USFA
web site at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/inside-usfa/nfdc-data5.cfm
To date, 71 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2002.
Diverdan
Massillon Police Officer Shot, Killed
Mon Aug 12, 9:22 AM ET
A Massillon police officer died Friday night after a suspect chase that started out as a routine traffic stop.
Preliminary autopsy results show that Eric Taylor (pictured, left), 31, died after he was shot in the back below his bulletproof vest.
NewsChannel5 reported that, according to officials, the bullet traveled up Taylor's body and into his heart.
Officiers said the situation started when Taylor reportedly pulled over Donald Matthews, 61, for speeding.
Investigators said Matthews refused to hand over his driver's license and drove off.
Police said that Matthews fired a Czechoslovakian semi-automatic handgun after a 12-mile chase. He stopped in a construction zone, got out of the car, and started firing, hitting Taylor.
Officers shot back, killing the Canton, Ohio, man.
"It's very sad, having to go through something like this," said Sgt. James Mizeras of the Massillon Police Department. "I hope it's the last time."
The four-year police veteran was married with two kids, ages 1 and 3.
Loved ones said that he was a "good guy."
"(He was) great, loving, open-hearted, calm -- just a good person," one friend said.
It's still not known why Matthews refused to give up his license or why he fled.
Diverdan
Firefighters Vote to Boycott Bush Sept. 11 Tribute
Wed Aug 14, 9:28 PM ET
By Steve Friess
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - The International Association of Fire Fighters voted unanimously on Wednesday to boycott a national tribute to firefighters who died on Sept. 11, in an angry response to U.S. President George Bush's rejection of a bill that included $340 million to fund fire departments.
Bush is expected to speak at the Oct. 6 ceremony in Washington D.C., where the National Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation is hosting its annual tribute to those who died in the line of duty during the prior year.
The ceremony will honor 343 firefighters who died responding to the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, as well as about 100 others who also died in the year.
The IAFF, the umbrella organization for the nation's professional firefighter unions, is enraged by the president's rejection of a $5.1 billion appropriations bill that included $150 million for equipment and training grants requested by some of the nation's 18,000 fire departments.
It also include $100 million to improve the communications systems for firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel as well as $90 million for long-term health monitoring of emergency workers at the Ground Zero site where New York's World Trade Center towers once stood.
Firefighters and survivors will be urged to skip the Oct. 6 event in protest, said R. Michael Mohler of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Local 774.
Mohler made the boycott motion before about 2,000 union leaders convening in Las Vegas for the IAFF's first national conference since Sept. 11.
"The president has merely been using firefighters and their families for one big photo opportunity," Mohler said. "We will work actively to not grant him another photo op with us."
BUSH ACCUSED OF "NEGLECTING HEROES"
Bush said Tuesday the bill was bloated by less important projects and a White House spokeswoman said Bush remained committed to firefighters and other emergency groups.
"The president is committed to our nation's first responders," White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan, traveling with Bush in Des Moines, Iowa, said.
The firefighters' boycott vote followed anti-Bush speeches by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and IAFF general president Harold Schaitberger in which accused the president of neglecting the heroes of Sept. 11.
Schaitberger ridiculed as insincere Bush's videotaped remarks shown Monday at the conference, in which Bush expressed sympathy and admiration for the firefighters who responded to the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Don't lionize our fallen brothers in one breath, and then stab us in the back by eliminating funding for our members to fight terrorism and stay safe," Schaitberger said. "President Bush ( news - web sites), you are either with us or against us. You can't have it both ways."
Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, told the firefighters: "I strongly urge the President to reconsider. If he refuses to do so, however, I am prepared to do everything I can as majority leader to see that you get the resources you need to do your jobs safely and effectively."
Diverdan
Fire Prompts Evacuation Of Meadow Glenn Mall
Tue Aug 13, 2:56 PM ET
What started as a small grease fire at a restaurant in the Meadow Glenn Mall quickly roared out of control during the lunch hour Tuesday, prompting the Medford Fire Department to evacuate the mall and sending two firefighters to the hospital overcome by heat.
Medford fire officials said the fire at the Friendly's restaurant was reported about 12:50 p.m. and then spread through the roof of the building, causing more than $100,000 in damages.
Two firefighters who responded to the two-alarm blaze were overcome by heat working on the roof and were transported to Lawrence Memorial hospital where they were being treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration.
The mall was evacuated and remains closed.
Diverdan
NYC Fire Department Restructured
Thu Aug 8, 3:47 AM ET
NEW YORK (AP) - City officials announced a restructuring of the fire department's top brass, the first of many expected changes in the wake of the loss of 343 firefighters during the Sept. 11 rescue effort.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the number of staff chiefs would nearly double from 10 to 18 so chiefs can get more involved in the day-to-day operations of the 16,000-person department. Under the previous system, staff chiefs worked a 24-hour shift covering the entire city, followed by three full days off duty.
The expansion and reorganization of the command structure "is designed to greatly improve the way the department is run," Bloomberg said. He said the changes would also pave the way for other improvements.
A private consultant has conducted a review of the FDNY's response on Sept. 11. The report by McKinsey & Company, expected to be released in the coming weeks, will make a number of recommendations, including improvements to the Fire Department's communications systems.
Diverdan
Untended Stove Blamed for Mich. Fire
Wed Aug 14, 6:16 PM ET
HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP) - An untended kitchen stove started a fire that killed one person at a Michigan Tech University fraternity house, a fire department official said Wednesday.
The fire early Tuesday collapsed walls and floors in the three-story Phi Kappa Theta house, and it took nine hours to extinguish the flames.
The gas stove on the first floor had been left on, Fire Chief Jim Lightfoot said. "The grease caught on fire, went into a vent and traveled right up the wall from there."
Investigators said they believe the victim, Andrew Maas, a 20-year-old engineering student, was the last to use the stove. Lightfoot said the student likely died of smoke inhalation.
Four people escaped from the building.
Diverdan
Interesting fund raiser for the dive team.
http://www.corridor.net/smartdivers/PressReleases.htm
Diverdan
Tuesday August 13, 11:10 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Seaview Video Technology, Inc.
SeaView Brings High-Speed Power Line Carrier Technology to the Transportation Industry
TIERRA VERDE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 13, 2002--SeaView Video Technology, Inc. (OTCBB:SEVU - News) announces a new product line for the transportation industry. Leveraging existing patent-protected Power Line Carrier (PLC) technology, SeaView has built a new system that runs voice, video, audio and data communication over DC (Direct Current) power lines to add to their existing SecureView(TM) AC (Alternating Current) product lines.
Within the transportation industry, SeaView's new DC product line will initially be utilized on trucking and managed fleet vehicles to provide a "near-wireless" high-speed on-board video solution. "This solution will provide a tremendous economic value to the end-user, both directly by improved ease of installation and decreased maintenance cost, as well as indirectly by reducing insurance premiums and increasing operational safety for any class of trucking vehicle," says George S. Bernardich III, Chairman & CEO of SeaView.
The system consists of small environmentally-sealed transmitter and receiver modules, simply connecting to a truck's existing electrical wiring harness. Video signals from a side-mounted or rear-mounted camera are transmitted using PLC to a receiver and video monitor mounted inside the truck's cab. The receiver module powers itself and the video monitor via a standard cigarette lighter adapter, intercepting and converting the video signal. SeaView's PLC technology is compatible with existing video products accepting the RS-170/EIA standard composite video signal.
SeaView's new PLC technology has been successfully installed on both consumer and commercial trucks. Based on the success of these initial installations, SeaView has received an initial order from The Tyman Group, LLC for integration into their existing portfolio of mobile observation solutions. Tyman Group President, Art Tyson, commented, "SeaView's advanced DC Power-Line-Carrier capability for trucking transportation vehicles affords the most progressive `near-wireless' technology available on the market today."
SeaView is currently establishing channel partners for marketing and distribution of this advanced PLC technology into the transportation industry's trucking, commercial managed fleet, passenger/school bus and automotive vertical markets.
Diverdan
The SMART Divers longest open water scuba dive world record has been broken. The new
record is just over 71 hours (old record was 61 hours) I am already swamped with phone calls
asking if we will do it again. He is the reply.
"The original world record dive was a fund raiser for SMART, a non-profit
501(c)(3) organization of volunteers. (San Marcos Area Recovery Team) We failed to get
the amount of income we had hoped for during that event. We attempted to
raise $20,000 and netted about $5,000 from the dive. We are still
attempting to raise money for a replacement vehicle and necessary equipment.
Our current goal is $30,000 for a new vehicle, dry suits, and related search & recovery equipment.
If a sponsor or sponsors come forward with enough money for SMART to buy
equipment and a new vehicle, our team would definitely
go for the record again and there is no doubt in my mind we would break the
71 hour mark. We have a great team and could have
continued longer last time."
Dan Misiaszek
Tennessee man claims to set record for longest scuba dive
Eds: Updates throughout with dive ending, reax, details; No pickup
AP Photos VABRI102-103
SAN MARCOS NOTE
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - A Bluff City man emerged from South Holston Lake
early Friday claiming a world’s record for the longest open-water scuba
dive.
“I felt very heavy,” Jerry Hall, 37, said as he came out of the water at
6:39 a.m. EDT. “I wasn’t used to the gravity.”
Hall stayed below the surface for 71 hours, 39 minutes and 40 seconds,
said Dale Thomas, manager of Laurel Marina where the dive was staged.
“It is amazing,” Thomas said.
The previous mark was 60 hours and 24 minutes set in September by Daniel
Misiaszek, commander of the San Marcos (Texas) Area Recovery Team,
Thomas said. A formal tracking of such diving feats doesn’t seem to
exist.
“I feel real well,” Hall said. “The only thing was my hands and feet
shriveled up and that was annoying.”
A crowd of about 70 onlookers and supporters celebrated when Hall sent a
yellow soccer ball to the lake’s surface Thursday night signaling he had
surpassed Misiaszek’s mark.
“He did it!” Hall’s 9-year-old son Seth cheered as he hugged his mother.
“To quote Jerry: ’The hard part’s over; now for the gravy,”’ said Norman
Cooter, Hall’s friend and dive supervisor.
Below the surface Hall was “screaming, hollering, bending over like he
was praying, which I’m sure he was,” Cooter said.
Hall used 36 tanks of air during the dive, which began Tuesday morning,
and swam as deep as 34 feet. To avoid health problems, he took four
hours to come to the surface Friday.
While submerged, Hall was given bottled water and foods like fruit,
vegetables and small candies. He got a couple hours sleep each night
with the dive team watching over him.
He used petroleum jelly to try to help his shriveled hands and feet, and
warm water was pumped into the waters to prevent hypothermia as
temperatures dropped overnight.
Cooter described Hall as “very focused, very tough physically and
mentally, and he had the mindset. He handles himself real well. No doubt
faith kept him going.”
Hall, who works at Eastman Chemical Co. in Kingsport, has been a
certified diver for only a year and a half. But he trained hard and had
plenty of suport, Thomas said.
“Everyone has been unbelievably calm and yet positive,” Thomas said of
the feat. “It was a foregone conclusion that he would do it.”
---
On the Net:
http://www.laurelmarina.com
Diverdan
This is a message from the Federal Emergency Management Agency/U.S. Fire Administration.
The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice of the following
firefighter fatality:
Name: David Martin
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 48
Status: Volunteer
Date of Incident: 08/01/2002
Time of Incident: Unknown
Date of Death: 08/06/2002
Fire Department: Opal Volunteer Fire Department
Fire Department Address: P.O. Box 48, Opal, SD 57765
Fire Department Phone: (605) 748-2246
Fire Department Chief: Charles Vansickel
Cause of Death: While fighting a prairie fire, Firefighter Martin fell off
the back of a firefighting vehicle into the fire. Martin was severely
burned and died from his injuries several days later in the burn unit at
Regions Hospital in St. Paul.
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Martin at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/inside-usfa/ffmem.cfm
Additional information on firefighter fatalities may be found on the USFA
web site at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/inside-usfa/nfdc-data5.cfm
To date, 68 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2002.
Diverdan
Family At Funeral Finds Wrong Body In Casket
Relatives Learn Boy They Were Mourning Really Is Alive
POSTED: 8:46 a.m. EDT August 7, 2002
UPDATED: 8:54 a.m. EDT August 7, 2002
BRANDENBURG, Ky. -- Relatives mourning the death of a teenager in Brandenburg, Ky., were preparing to say their goodbyes at a funeral home when they realized it wasn't him in the casket.
It was another boy who was involved in the same car crash. His grandmother recognized him.
Sixteen-year-old John Grubs was critically injured but alive in a Louisville hospital, where Jeremy Hylemon's family was keeping a vigil over him, thinking he was their son.
Authorities say they don't know how family members could've have gotten confused.
A sheriff said Grubs didn't have any disfiguring marks on his face from the crash, although Hylemon had suffered a severe head injury.
Diverdan
Teacher Who Showed Up High Must Be Rehired
Man Went Through Rehab After Positive Cocaine Test
POSTED: 11:19 a.m. EDT August 7, 2002
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- He's a teacher who showed up at school high on cocaine. But he can't lose his job.
A Florida judge has ruled that the Escambia County School Board has to rehire Robert Sites after he goes through a drug rehabilitation program.
Sites was fired last year after coming to work at Brentwood Middle School for preparations a week before school started. Tests showed he had 50 times the cocaine in his system that would be needed to test positive.
The judge has upheld an arbitrator's ruling that Sites should get a less severe penalty than firing.
The school board will be allowed to decide whether to assign Sites to a classroom job or another position.
Diverdan
SWAT Team Surrounds Condos In Search For Man
Sun Aug 4,12:39 PM ET (Cleveland/Akron)
Police from several cities didn't take any chances Saturday when they received a call from a woman who was afraid that her distraught husband might do something dangerous.
NewsChannel5 reported that around 4 p.m. Saturday, SWAT teams surrounded the Berkshire condos on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood.
Officials cordoned off a unit on the first floor and evacuated the building.
About four hours later, the police discovered that no one was inside the condo. They believe the man left before they arrived.
Authorities later tracked the man down at a nearby beach.
Diverdan
Police Describe One SWAT Arrest
Wed Jul 31,10:56 PM ET (New Mexico)
One of the seven people arrested during Tuesday night's SWAT situation was a temporary Federal Express employee who traded packages for crack cocaine, police said Wednesday.
A K9 unit, SWAT team and sheriff's department helicopter surrounded a home on the 200 block of Rencher Tuesday.
Authorities said seven people locked themselves in the home. Police had to use flash grenades to get inside.
Diverdan
Police: Ex-Cop Stabbed Wife, Shot Her In Head
Mon Aug 5,10:55 AM ET
Officials say Elizabeth Harton was stabbled several times, but a gunshot wound to the head is what killed her, NewsChannel5 reported.
Police said Hermando Harton killed his wife, robbed a convenience store and then took off in a stolen police sport utility vehicle holding police at bay on Interstate 71 for about four hours Friday.
Horton, a 39-year-old former Columbus policeman, remains in critical condition at MetroHealth Medical Center.
While Harton's behavior has police baffled, his behavior is also puzzling those who knew him best.
NewsChannel5's Leon Bibb reported that close friends in Harton's hometown of Youngstown are also shocked.
Just a few houses down from where Harton grew up, Eddie Lumpkin remembers the young boy with whom his daughters played and the grown man called "Herman" who still stopped by to visit and talk about his life in Columbus.
"Every time I see him, he and his wife and kids were playing hoops out there in the yard," Lumpkin said. "He'd get out there and cut his mom's grass."
Lumpkin said Harton liked his job on the Columbus police force and wanted to start a block patrol in his former Youngstown neighborhood.
That image of Harton is making what happened hard to believe.
"Something must've snapped in him or something went wrong, because he was too nice a person to do that," Lumpkin said.
High school friend Paul Novak is also stunned. Both men attended Ursuline High School together.
"There is nothing that I can recall that would make me believe that the gentleman that I was involved with in school was reflected in his actions of the gentleman I heard about," Novak said.
Harton graduated from Ursuline in 1981. He was a member of the Spanish and yearbook clubs, worked in the library and managed the basketball team.
Last month, Harton was fired from his job with the Columbus Police Department. His wife, Elizabeth, had just joined the force.
Harton's attorney said that the two had recently begun considering a divorce.
Diverdan
I wish we had time to set up the
sevu cameras to catch this on film. No doubt would have been sensationalized.
http://www.corridor.net/smartdivers/patch.htm
Diverdan