NC officer kills man who came at him with bat

11-15-2010 North Carolina:

SALISBURY, N.C. — A Salisbury police officer has shot and killed a man who investigators say beat his father with a bat before threatening the officer.

The Salisbury Post reported that 46-year-old James Richard Brown was killed Saturday after police say he ignored Officer J.R. Cable's command to drop his bat and instead went after the officer.

Cable is on administrative duty while the shooting is investigated by state police.

Brown's father was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

Brown has a long criminal history dating back to at least 1982 and including convictions in North Carolina for assault, drunken driving and drug possession. He also has a couple of assault convictions that have him on sex offender registries in North Carolina and Florida. ..Source.. by WRAL.com

Man killed by deputy was wanted in 11 felony cases, including rape

11-13-2010 California:

The parolee who was shot and killed by a deputy sheriff Tuesday was wanted in at least 11 felony cases, according to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office, including an August kidnapping and rape.

Charges would have been filed Friday against transient Shane Hutchins, 32, who eluded authorities in several vehicle and foot chases since May, according to Mendocino County Deputy District Attorney Matt Hubley.

"This is all alleged, because we're never going to get a chance to go to court and prove it," Hubley said.

Hutchins was fatally shot during a confrontation with a deputy who hasn't been identified after he allegedly ran out of a Fort Bragg home Wednesday night, where Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force agents and MCSO deputies following a tip tried to arrest him.

The kidnapping and rape is one charge, Hubley said, and would have itself meant a sentence of 25 years to life, if Hutchins had gone to trial and been convicted.

He said Hutchins was convicted of a Mendocino County residential burglary in 1997 and sentenced to four years in prison at age 19, then received a sentence of seven years in prison for battering a police officer and selling methamphetamine in 2003.

He was out on parole, and state parole officers were looking for him because he allegedly was in violation of his parole terms, Hubley said.

At about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 27, a law enforcement officer spotted Hutchins driving through Ukiah and turned on his lights and siren to stop the vehicle, according to Hubley. He said Hutchins led the officer, who was quickly joined by other local law enforcement agencies, on a high-speed chase that ended up in the unmarked, dirt roads in the hills of Potter Valley.

Hutchins had a minor in the car when the chase began, according to Hubley, and was reportedly giving the girl a ride to a friend's house in Potter Valley. The girl told Hutchins to let her out, but Hutchins allegedly lifted his shirt and showed the girl a pistol and knives he had on his person. He also allegedly told her he was "not going back to prison."

Hutchins stopped the car in Potter Valley and allegedly dragged the girl out of the car by her hair.

The two ran into the hills to a "lookout point," according to Hubley. The victim reported that a couple of hours later, when the activity died down, Hutchins allegedly "throws her on the ground, rips her pants off and rapes her," according to Hubley.

Hutchins also allegedly threatened to kill the girl if she told anyone, he said.

Because the alleged rape happened in the course of a kidnapping, the charge was considered a "one-strike" charge, Hubley said, and would have doubled the penalty for any subsequent felony conviction.

"That (charge) was going to get our full attention," Hubley said.

Other alleged crimes for which Hutchins was wanted in Mendocino and Kern counties included absconding from state parole, domestic violence and evading authorities.

Hutchins allegedly led authorities on three vehicle chases over the summer, where at least one deputy injured himself in a crash while in pursuit. Officers also chased him on foot twice in that time.

Hutchins was also wanted in a burglary, kidnapping and chase that happened in Ukiah last weekend, according to Hubley. ..Source.. by Tiffany Revelle

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Deputy cleared in 2010 fatal coast shooting

3-15-2011 California:

Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster has determined the tense nighttime shooting of wanted fugitive Shane Hutchins by a Mendocino County sheriff's deputy on November 10, 2010, was justified.

Deputy Jason Cox and his canine Ben were part of a multiagency task force attempting to take Hutchins into custody at a Fort Bragg home. Cox and his canine were staked out in the back yard of the Lahmon Lane residence at around 9 p.m. as another group of officers entered the residence where they believed Hutchins was hiding out. Eyster described the scene as "tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving."

"Deputy Cox identified himself and ordered the parolee to stop," said Eyster in a press release. "When the parolee continued to flee, Deputy Cox released his canine partner. The canine was blocked from interacting with the parolee by a wire fence.

"As Deputy Cox moved towards the parolee's location, the parolee attempted to escape by scaling a wooden fence. The parolee was then observed by Deputy Cox reaching towards his belt. Having been provided information in briefings that the parolee should be expected to be armed with a knife and/or handgun and had expressly stated that he would not be voluntarily taken into custody, Deputy Cox perceived the parolee's furtive hand movement towards his beltline as provocative and life-threatening. He fired his duty firearm at the parolee multiple times, killing Mr. Hutchins."

"It was not overlooked in the review of this matter that it was determined by investigators after-the-fact that there was no firearm or knife found on or around the deceased's body," said Eyster. "It is objectively and subjectively reasonable for the deputy to have perceived the suspect's furtive hand movement as an immediate threat to the safety of the deputy himself, his canine partner, and/or members of the apprehension team."

The investigation also noted that Cox, who was on assignment with the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force at the time of the shooting, was not "wearing distinctively-marked law enforcement raid gear as mandated by Task Force policy." Cox did have his badge clearly displayed on his belt.

All officers taking part in the raid had been apprised Hutchins was likely armed with knife and pistol and had vowed not to return to prison.

Hutchins had served two prior prison terms. In 1997 he was convicted of battery on a peace officer and in 2003 for assault with a deadly weapon. He was paroled to Mendocino County in 2009. For Hutchins any conviction for a new serious or violent felony would have resulted in a likely "third strike" sentence of 25 years to life.

Soon after being paroled, he was arrested for kidnapping but the charges were dropped by then-District Attorney Meredith Lintott. Shortly following his release on the kidnapping charges, state parole officers issued a warrant for his arrest for parole violations. Deputies attempted to pull him over in June 2009, but Hutchins sped away and eluded them. One of the deputies broke his leg when a patrol vehicle crashed. Several warrants were subsequently issued for his arrest.

In August he was again spotted by police. After leading officers on a high-speed chase, he abandoned his car dragging a juvenile girl through the brush with him. The victim told police Hutchins had raped her after police had given up the search.

By November 2010 Hutchins had eluded police numerous times and "was wanted for a November 2010 kidnapping, a sexual assault case, a domestic violence case, a car theft, and a residential burglary in Kern County," said Eyster.

Another factor considered by Eyster in reaching his ruling was "there is no question that the suspect was attempting to evade arrest," and that it was reasonable for the deputy to fear Hutchins posed "an imminent threat to people living in the immediate neighborhood and beyond should the defendant succeed in escaping."

Hutchins was the third man shot and killed by Mendocino County Sheriff's Department in 2010. The identities of the officers involved in the two other shootings were never revealed. ..Source.. by Linda Williams/TWN Staff Writer

Sex, lies, and dead inmate cover up at Warren Correctional Institution?

11-12-2010 Ohio:

They say if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. But a metaphorical expression is certainly the last phrase that the grieving family of Steven Roger Smith, Jr. wants to hear. They held his funeral service on Wednesday November 10th, 2010.

Smith had been incarcerated since 2007. He was serving an 18-year sentence for manslaughter and tampering with evidence which also included a gun specification. Rumors resurfaced at Smith's funeral that he was wrongly convicted of the murder.

Smith was found dead on Halloween Day. The preliminary ruling of his death is suicide according to Warren Correctional Institution's public information officer, Julia Walburn.

Walburn stated that the incident is still under investigation by the institution and Ohio Safety Highway patrol.

Bradley Shaw from OSHP Public Affairs Unit provided an Initial Incident Report that states "The victim inmate was found hanging from a bed sheet that was tied to his cell window railing."

Found hanging - took his own life - is what family and friends of Smith were told by prison officials. Later they would learn the horrifying news from inmates who were incarcerated with Smith, and staffers who did not want to be identified, that Smith was murdered.

Allegedly, Smith (African American), was in the institution's kitchen engaged in a sex act with a correctional officer (Caucasian), to whom he'd been involved in a relationship. Another source claims that he was not involved with the staffer, and that he was masturbating in front of her. Source claims that Smith had several disciplinary write-ups for masturbating in front of female staffers.

As punishment, Smith was placed in the hole and allegedly his meal was sprayed with pepper spray.

Sources state that the correctional officer's boyfriend (also correctional officer), became angry after learning about the incident in the kitchen. They say the correctional officer with the assistance of others attacked Smith, hanged him, then planted a bible with pictures of Smith’s loved ones to make it look like a suicide.

If you live by the sword...

Members of Miami Baptist church were Smith was a member didn't know the Steven that lived by the sword. Many of them spoke fondly of him. They remembered a polite young man that taught Sunday school, was a member of the choir, and praise danced. A former Choir Director at the church, sang a soul stirring song, that she originally performed at Smith's private high school graduation ceremony that took place at the church.

Smith may have been laid to rest, but the family and friends of Smith won't rest until they have answers. ..Source.. Franki Butler-Kidd

Police ID sex offender shot to death in Metro-East

11-9-2010 Illinois:

KMOV) -- The Major Case Squad is investigating an early morning shooting near Cahokia, Illinois.

Investigators say Kenneth Chaney, 44, was shot several times and killed while waiting for his girlfriend in her car.

It happened around 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday.

Authorities said that it appears that the killing was not random. Police are leaning toward the theory that the gunman targeted Chaney.

Police also believe the gunman fled on foot.

Authorities are still looking for any witnesses and Crimestoppers also offering $1,000 reward for information.

Kenneth Chaney is a registered sex offender. He was 38 when he was convicted of assaulting a 19-year-old. ..Source.. by KMOV.com

Child abductor, rapist killed in encounter

11-8-2010 India:

CHENNAI: Mohana Krishnan (23), a cab driver who kidnapped a 10-year-old girl and her seven-year-old brother before raping the girl and drowning both the children in a canal, was shot dead on Tuesday.

Mohana was gunned down in Coimbatore in what the police called an encounter. Four days ago, he had asked for mercy killing.

Police said they had to open fire as the accused snatched a revolver from a sub inspector and tried to attack the police party when the policemen fired in self defence, killing him on the spot.

"The accused was being taken to the scene of crime by a team of five personnel in an Eicher van when he snatched a revolver and threatened the policemen to drive him to Palakkad. He then opened fire, injuring two sub inspectors, Muthumalai and Jothi. Our men retaliated. The accused took three bullets, two in the head and one in the chest," Coimbatore city police commissioner C Sylendra Babu told ToI.

"The incident happened at 5.30am today," he confirmed.

The injured policemen have been admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. The commissioner said sub inspector Muthumalai suffered a bullet injury of the stomach, while Jothi was injured on the right hand. "Muthumalai's condition is a matter of concern," he added.

Mohana Krishnan, while being taken for the potency test – a mandatory procedure in rape cases – on November 4, had pleaded with the police that he be given mercy killing. The public rage at the accused was so much that he was pelted with eggs and footwear when he was brought to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for medical tests.

Mohana Krishnan had abducted the brother and his sister on October 29 for ransom. The children were waiting for their van to school when Mohana Krishnan came in another vehicle and told them that he was their substitute driver for the day since the regular driver P Renjith Kumar was not on duty. The children got in. An hour later, when Renjith Kumar called up the children's parents saying the children were not to be seen, they informed the police.

Their bodies were fished out of the Tirumurthy Dam, 77 km from Coimbatore. Renjith Kumar told police about Mohana Krishnan, who has served as substitute driver earlier. Police arrested him and his accomplice R Manoharan. Later it turned out that the girl was raped before being drowned.

Even as Tamil Nadu was in a state of shock over the case, a 14-year-old school boy from Chennai was abducted on November 1. The boy was returned after his parents paid a ransom of Rs 1 crore the next day. Last Wednesday, the Chennai police tracked down and arrested the abductors who turned out to be young MBA graduates who had worked abroad and returned to India to make a fast buck. ..Source.. by The Times of India

Fugitive sex offender shot dead

11-7-2010 California:

LUCERNE VALLEY — Sheriff’s detectives shot and killed a fugitive sex offender they say was reaching for a gun when they confronted him Thursday.

William Henry, a 41-year-old resident of Lucerne Valley, was a wanted felon who had removed the GPS tracking device he was required to wear as a term of his parole.

The Sheriff’s Department gave its version of events in a news release issued Friday:

Around 12:35 p.m. Thursday, detectives were watching a home in the 7600 block of Camp Rock Road, where they had learned Henry might be staying.

The detectives saw Henry enter a garage at the residence. When they tried to make contact with Henry, he pointed a handgun at them.

Detectives fired an undetermined number of rounds at Henry, who was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:38 p.m.

The sheriff’s homicide division is investigating the incident.

The Victorville Daily Press reports Henry removed his ankle monitor in September after a fight with his child’s mother.

He was arrested in 2003 for oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, court records show. He was charged with 10 sex crimes, including two counts of raping with a foreign object a person under the age of 16 and four counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child age 14 or 15, according to media reports.

He eventually pleaded guilty to rape and was sentenced to six years in prison. ..Source.. by Hi-Desert Star