SC- Inmate dead after fight

UPDATED: See below:

4-30-2009 South Carolina:

An Aiken County detention center inmate is dead and another has been charged with his murder on allegations the suspect, late Tuesday, punched the victim in the face causing him to fall backward and hit his head on a concrete floor.

Andrew Nathan York, 37, of the 300 block of Outing Club Road in Aiken, is charged with murder. He was jailed on March 10 for breach of trust on allegations he took a car and didn't return the vehicle. He has criminal history that involved a number of misdemeanors dating back to 1995.

The victim, 55-year-old Dale Sengelman, of Charlotte Circle in Orangeburg, was being held on two counts of lewd act on a child under 16.

The Orangeburg man, who children called Santa Claus, was arrested on July 27, 2008, on allegations he fondled two children while he was working in Salley. According to police documents, the suspect touched the juveniles in a sexual manner and talked about sex with the children.

Detention center Capt. Charles Barranco said he did not know what precipitated the Tuesday evening argument, but said that question, as well as many others, are being posed by state agents.

Both men were housed in a dormitory-style housing unit, in a medium security area with direct supervision, when the fight broke out.

Barranco said he was not aware of any ongoing problems between the two or if the men knew one another, aside from being detained together.

When asked whether Sengelman's status as an accuses sex offender had anything to do with the fight, Barranco said he did not know, adding that state agents were still conducting their investigation.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agents were notified of the assault that Barranco said occurred just after the evening meal on Tuesday. SClBThe police captain said the supervisor responded to the assault within a matter of seconds.

York reportedly punched Sengelman in the face during the argument, causing the victim to fall backwards onto a concrete floor, officials have said. State agents said he had a severe fracture of his skull.

The Coroner's Office did not release the victim's name, pending notification of next of kin.

Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton did say the inmate was initially transported to Aiken Regional Medical Centers around 4:45 p.m. He was then transferred to Medical College of Georgia around 10 p.m., and later to the Neurology ICU where he was operated on for a subdural hematoma and skull fracture. Carlton said the man's condition continued to worsen, and he was pronounced dead at 3:53 p.m. Wednesday.

The inmate is scheduled for autopsy in Newberry today.

Sengelman's death is the first alleged homicide at the jail since Barranco said he took over as administrator two yeas ago. He said there has been one natural death reported. ..News Source.. by Karen Daily

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Inmate Killed After Grabbing Another's Butt

There is no mention of this "butt grabbing" in the original article above.

7-16-2009 South Carolina:

AIKEN, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina inmate charged in the death of a fellow prisoner has been sentenced to 10 months in prison because investigators don't think he meant to kill the man.

The Aiken Standard reports that 37-year-old Andrew York pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Wednesday. The more than four months he has spent in the Aiken County jail is included in his sentence.

Authorities say York punched 55-year-old Dale Sengelman in April after Sengelman grabbed his butt. Sengelman hit his head on the concrete floor and died a day later.

Sengelman had been charged with a lewd act on a child, while York was charged with breach of trust.

York told investigators Sengelman also watched him in the shower.

York apologized to Sengelman's family. ..Source.. by WLTX.com

NY- Parole officer shoots, kills man who brandished knife in Queens parole office; victim likely parolee

A difficult case but still a death of a sex offender, during the commission of a new crime in the parole office. This man had a history of mental troubles and this seems to fit suicide by cop, especially since it took place inside a parole office.

4-1-2009 New York:

A paroled rapist who was once accused of shooting a cop was gunned down Tuesday after a violent confrontation inside a crowded Queens parole office, officials said.

Eric Reid, 50, refused to hand over the knife he brought into the Jamaica office and briefly took a female officer hostage before he was felled by several shots from parole officers, officials said.

"He grabbed her by the shirt," said a parolee who witnessed the tense standoff and gave his name as Anthony.

"He was holding her by the arm," Anthony said. "Everyone was running, trying to take cover."

Reid - a registered sex offender released from prison in December after serving 19 years for rape and burglary - arrived at the Merrick Blvd. office at 9:30a.m. and balked when an officer asked to search his backpack, officials said.

Witnesses told police Reid removed a steak knife from the bag and tried to hide it from the female officer. When the officer tried to take it from him, the ex-con grabbed the woman and threatened her with the blade, police sources said.

A pair of NYPD cops and several parole officers inside the lobby of the two-story office yelled at Reid to drop the knife, but the ex-con refused, sources said.

"They yelled, 'Let her go! Let her go!'" Anthony said.

Two parole officers opened fire, striking Reid in the head and chest, killing him, police sources said. His hostage was uninjured.

The parole officers who opened fire were identified as Delree Williams, a 10-year veteran of the Division of Parole, and Barry Davis, an 18-year veteran.

In addition to the decades he spent behind bars for a 1988 rape in upstate Schenectady, Reid was jailed two other times on burglary convictions, records show.

Reid also was arrested for shooting a cop in the gut in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in 1978. He was deemed unfit to stand trial and later escaped from a mental institution. ..News Source.. by Joe Kemp, Alison Gendar and Jonathan Lemire, DAILY NEWS WRITERS

MD- Inmate fatally stabbed at city detention center

4-2-2009 Maryland:

A 26-year-old man awaiting trial on a rape charge was fatally stabbed Thursday morning inside the Baltimore City Detention Center, according to a statement from state prison officials.

The victim was identified as Nathaniel George, who had been held without bail since August pending trial. The statement from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services says authorities have identified a suspect but charges have not yet been filed.

Officials said the stabbing occurred about 10:45 a.m. in the recreation yard at the East Eager Street complex. The institution is not on lockdown and officials are not yet commenting on what kind of weapon was used or the motive. Details of the charges against George were not immediately available.

Corrections officials said that violence has dropped at the jail,that "no serious weapon assaults by detainees on staff" have been reported over the past three years and that other assaults on staff have dropped 71 percent over the past two years. Physical assaults by detainees on other detainees have dropped 18 percent over the same period,and assault with weapons has dropped 52 percent. ..News Source.. by Baltimore Sun reporter

Man denies Mountjoy Prison murder

4-28-2009 Ireland:

A 25-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to the murder of fellow prisoner Gary Douche in Mountjoy Prison.

Stephen Egan of Belcamp Crescent, Coolock, Dublin, denied the murder of Mr Douche in a holding cell on 1 August 2006.

The jury will have to decide whether he is guilty of murder, or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Mr Egan told gardaí he attacked Mr Douche in a ten-minute frenzy.

He punched him three times in the jaw, kicked him three times in the head area and stamped on him.

Mr Douche and five other men were held overnight in the cell with Mr Egan.

The next morning, prison officers discovered Mr Douche's badly beaten body. His face had been smeared with excrement.

He was taken to the Mater Hospital but died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

At the Central Criminal Court today, Prosecution counsel Anthony Sammon told the jury that Mr Egan had a long history of psychiatric problems.

He said the jury would have little to decide in this case and their main focus would be the state of mind of the accused at the time of the attack.

Seven admissions were read to the court by defence counsel John Aylmar. In these, Mr Egan admitted the unlawful killing.

In statements to gardaí, the accused said he had 'heard things in his head' and attacked Gary Douche because in his mind he was a rapist and had done things to his mother and sister.

Defence counsel John Aylmar said the accused admitted that his claims that the deceased man was a sexual offender were illusionary and borne out of psychotic illness.

It is the State's case that Mr Egan was suffering from a mental disorder that diminished his responsibility for the attack on Mr Douche.

Evidence about his mental state will be given by a forensic psychiatrist tomorrow. ..News Source.. by RTE News

Alleged rapist dies after mob beating

4-28-2009 South Africa:

A man who lured an eight-year-old girl from a party and then raped her was beaten to death by an angry mob in Wyebank, near Kloof.

The man, whose identity is not known, had to be rescued from the mob who beat him to a pulp on Saturday evening.

He died soon after being taken to RK Khan Hospital.

It is believed the man, who is not from the area, isolated the victim from the crowd.

A suspicious witness, who had noticed the two slip away, allegedly caught the suspect raping the girl on a nearby sports field.

It is believed the man alerted residents, who then ganged up on and assaulted the suspect.

Pinetown police spokesperson Solomon Mbhele said police were made aware of the incident by an anonymous caller, who is suspected to have been with the mob.

"When we arrived at the scene, the suspect had been badly beaten by the residents and he was transported to hospital, where he died."

Mbhele said the dead man had not been identified and police were investigating the circumstances of his death.

"No arrests have been made at his point," Mbhele said.

Mbhele confirmed that the eight-year-old rape victim, who was from the area, was receiving medical support and ongoing psychological counselling.

Police are trying to trace the witness who spotted the two leaving the party and the caller who alerted the police.

Mbhele stressed that investigating a crime involving a mob was complex because people who were responsible for the murder first had to be identified.

"There has to be identification before any arrests can be made, which makes it very difficult because it hampers the investigations," he said.

After the mob attack, police issued a stern warning to communities who take the law into their own hands.

Provincial police spokesperson Vincent Mdunge said police would not tolerate acts of vigilantism which sometimes resulted in the death of the suspected criminal.

"Communities should understand the dynamics of what they engage in because you cannot resolve criminal issues by assaulting the suspect. In the eyes of the law, they too become criminally responsible," he stressed.

He also urged communities to let the law take its course and said he did not condone what happened to the suspect.

"This type of crime has to come to an end and communities should work hand in hand with the police. Apprehend the suspect and then alert the police," Mdunge said. ..News Source.. by Slindile Maluleke

TN- Police identify victim in Saturday shooting

4-13-2009 Tennessee:

Police have identified Lawrence Mason, 32, of Nashville as the man shot to death early Saturday morning in the parking lot of 2442 25th Avenue North.

Mason was a passenger inside a car driven by Ricardo Murray, police said. The two had dropped off a third passenger at his apartment at about 3 a.m.

Murray told police Mason had talked to a woman in the parking lot.

Moments later, a suspect, described as an African American in his early 20s, confronted Murray and Mason, demanding to know who spoke to the woman.

At the same time, a second suspect, described as an African American in his early 30s, and a woman, described as an African American in her 20s, approached the car.

The suspects robbed Mason and Murray at gunpoint, and then opened fire on Mason. He died at the scene.

Mason, a registered sex offender, had a lengthy arrest history with convictions for statutory rape, prostitution, assault, drug possession and disorderly conduct.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. ..Source.. by Nicole Young • The Tennessean

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Police ID suspect in 25th Avenue shooting

4-14-2009 Tennessee:

Metro Police detectives are seeking a convicted robber in connection with Saturday morning’s shooting death of Lawrence Mason on 25th Avenue North.

Cordarrel Lee Buford, 20, who received a five-year sentence for robbery in 2007 and who is free on bond on drug and gun charges, is now named in a criminal homicide warrant for Mason’s murder, according to police.

Police say tip to Crime Stoppers led to the development of Buford as a suspect. He was later identified from a photo lineup as one of the persons who fired on Mason.

Buford was arrested in January after officers allegedly found him at an apartment in the Cumberland View public housing development with two pistols and marijuana, according to police.

Anyone with information about Buford or his whereabouts is urged to contact North Precinct Investigations at 862-7890 or Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME. ..Source.. by City News

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From: Robbery victim opens fire on suspects 7-2009

In a related arrest, North Precinct Patrol Officer Wes Terry spotted a suspicious car parked near Bud’s Market after the robbery attempt. Officer Terry approached the vehicle and during his investigation learned the front seat passenger was murder suspect Cordarrel Lee Buford, who is now charged in the April 12 shooting death of a man on 25th Avenue North, police said.

Officers had been seeking Buford, 21, since swearing out a warrant against him April 13 as the suspect in the homicide of Lawrence Mason. Buford, a convicted robber, was also in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol at the time of this morning’s arrest.

Photos of Dotson and Parish are being withheld pending lineups in similar cases.

AZ- Tucson police officers in fatal child molestation shooting identified

To Commentors: This site reports what the news reports, and using facts from those articles we TAG stories (See LABELS at end of story). We express NO personal beliefs. Please notice we did post the news story of interview w/family member once we knew about that interview. Further, as facts are revealed we can only hope that an investigation will take place and the truth be the result.

Visitor Comment: "I find it interesting that all the news sources I've read have failed to mention Stanley was born with Cerebral Palsey and required crutches to walk. He used the kind that cupped around the forearm. I find it difficult to paint an image of someone walking towards the police wildly brandishing a handgun with crutches."

From KGUN9 news report:

Woman defends brother killed in officer involved shooting

A family is mourning after a man was shot and killed by 2 Tucson Police officers, early Monday morning. Police tells us it was justified, but the family isn't sure.

It began around midnight. Police showed up at the home near Wilmot and 22nd Street to search the home, after allegations that the man inside, Stanley Barr, 48, had molested a child.

Sharon Niehaus is Barr's sister. She says, her brother suffered from Cerebral Palsy and wore braces, and doesn't believe he was a threat to anyone.

Holding his braces, Sharon demonstrates, "He was probably trying to get his arm out of here, and would've had to bring his hand up to get it out of here."

Tucson Police, tell us a very different story: officers approached the door, which was open, and saw Barr coming toward them.

"The suspect is coming toward the front door and they see that he has a handgun. He's armed with a gun", said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco. Police officers at the scene report, Barr cocked his gun and waived it around, and made comments about not wanting to cooperate with Police.

"Shortly after, the suspect leveled the gun at both officers, forcing them to shoot him", said Pacheco.

Barr later died at the hospital. His sister wishes she had the chance to say goodbye and to ask her brother, what exactly happened?

"I don't know, I wasn't there when it happened. I'm going to be honest. But there's no way , unless they've got it on film, to show me that he did that. He's not capable of doing that", said Sharon.

Tucson Police officers, Steven Boggie and Loren Layton, who fired their weopans, are on administrative leave which is routine in a case like this.

Tucson Police say, a shooting review board consisting of people inside and outside the police department will investigate.

As for the child molestation accusations, Barr cannot be prosecuted, but police say that part of the case will play a role in the overall investigation into what happened. ..Source.. by KGUN9.com

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4-6-2009 Arizona:

A man under investigation for child molestation was shot to death by Tucson police after he pointed a gun at two officers late Sunday.

The officers — Steven Boggie and Loren Layton — have been placed on paid leave, which is normal in officer-involved shootings.

The shooting occurred while police prepared to serve a search warrant at the suspect’s residence in the 6300 block of East Calle Castor, near East 22nd Street and South Wilmot Road, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.

The investigation involving Stanley Laverne Barr, 48, began Sunday afternoon around 2:45 p.m. when police received a report of child molestation of a teenager.

Detectives from the child sexual assault unit were able to gather information allowing them to obtain a search warrant for the home at 7:50 p.m., Pacheco said.

Police watched the home for any activity before two patrol officers went up to the door to make contact with Barr just before midnight.

When the officers went up to the door, they could see Barr approaching through a screen door, Pacheco said.

Barr had a handgun in his pocket, which he pulled out as he made his way to the front of the home.

The officers — who have been with the agency for four years — gave Barr repeated commands to drop the gun but he did not comply, instead chambering a round and pointing it at the officers, “forcing the officers to shoot,” Pacheco said.

Barr was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 12:35 a.m.

Homicide detectives along with the Department’s Internal Affairs Office, The Pima County Attorney’s Office and a civilian police auditor are investigating, Pacheco said.

No one else was home at the time of the shooting and police were unable to release any details on the molestation case or the victim due to the sensitive nature, Pacheco said.

Officers decided to serve the search warrant at night because they were concerned that there was critical evidence in the home that could have been discarded or destroyed, Pacheco said. ..Source.. by Alexis Huicochea, Arizona Daily Star

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Armed molestation suspect killed by cops not on sex offender list

4-6-2009 Arizona:

Man pointed pistol at officer, refused to drop it, was shot dead, police say

A child molestation suspect who died at 12:35 a.m. Monday from police gunfire never served time in an Arizona prison, the state Department of Corrections Web site shows.

Nor does an Arizona sex offender Web site list Stanley L. Barr II, 48, as someone who would be required to register here even if he had been convicted of a sex crime in another state.

Police have identified the two officers who shot the armed man as Steven Boggie and Loren Layton, each of whom has been with the Tucson Police Department for four years, police spokesman Sgt. Fabian Pacheco said.

Barr died at University Medical Center shortly after he pulled a gun on Boggie and Layton and they shot him late Sunday night, Tucson police said.

Events leading to the shooting began about 2:45 p.m. Sunday, Pacheco said. He provided this account:

A mother reported the molestation of her teen, and Barr became a suspect in the case. The youth's identity and gender were not disclosed.

Officers and detectives began an investigation that led them to get a warrant shortly before 8 p.m. to search Barr's home in the 6300 block of East Calle Castor, near East 22nd Street and South Wilmot Road.

Detectives staked out the home until uniformed officers could help serve the search warrant.

At the front door of the home, Boggie and Layton saw Barr pull a pistol from his pocket as he approached them.

The two officers repeatedly told him to drop it.

Instead, Barr chambered a cartridge in the semi-automatic pistol and pointed it at the officers, both of whom fired at him.

Boggie and Layton have been put on paid leave, as is standard procedure in police-involved shootings, Pacheco said.

Homicide detectives and internal affairs investigators are investigating the shooting. ..Source.. by David L. Teibel

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Man killed by police left suicide note

5-7-2009 Arizona:

Police found suicide notes in Stanley Barr's East Side home after he was fatally shot by two Tucson police officers April 6, according to police reports obtained by the Tucson Citizen.

Barr, 48, was under investigation by police in a sexual molestation case.

His wife called 911 earlier that day to report the alleged sexual abuse of a family member, according to police reports.

She and Barr got into a "confrontation" and she left their home after he went into a bedroom and "got into the bag where he kept his gun," she told police.

Plainclothes detectives had begun surveillance of the house by midafternoon and they approached the front door shortly before midnight.

Officers wore vests identifying them as police.

They had a search warrant to allow them to enter the house after 10:30 p.m.

Investigators from the Child Sex Assault Unit wanted to obtain evidence from the home and DNA evidence from Barr. They also wanted to interview Barr about his wife's allegations.

"Barr came to the door armed," the police reports state.

He had a handgun in his pocket and refused detectives' efforts to get him to "relinquish the weapon."

"As officers spoke with (Barr), he chambered a round in the pistol and put the gun to his head."

Barr said "something to the effect of 'you gotta do what you gotta do,'" according to the police reports.

When Barr pointed his weapon directly at police, patrol officers Loren Layton and Steven Boogie fired, killing Barr.

"It's a very unfortunate incident," said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a spokesman for the police department.

He said Barr "taunted" the officers, bringing his handgun up to his head and then pointing the weapon at officers.

"Officers have to use lethal force against lethal force," Pacheco said Thursday.

"We don't use Taser or pepper spray against someone armed with a handgun."

Barr had cerebral palsy and used crutches but he managed to wield a gun as he faced off with officers, according to the reports.

"He (Barr) did pose a threat to the officers in spite of his medical condition," Pacheco said.

"Mr. Barr chose to make that decision to not obey those commands from the officers and to level the gun at the officers, and it ended up with tragic results."

The reports indicate no officers "rendered aid" to Barr before Tucson Fire Department paramedics arrived.

Barr was pronounced dead in the emergency room at University Medical Center at 12:35 a.m.

Among the items removed from the house by investigators were pink shorts with candy canes and "paws" on them, a comforter with squares and circles on it and salmon colored bedsheets.

Layton and Boggie are back on patrol.

The police department is conducting an investigation into the shooting, which is routine in police shootings. ..Source.. by SHERYL KORNMAN, Tucson Citizen

UK- Vigilante neighbour jailed for 10 years for killing police officer who faced child porn charges

3-3-2009 United Kingdom:

A vigilante who stabbed to death a former policeman awaiting trial on child porn charges has been jailed for ten years.

Daniel Williams, 30, was found guilty of manslaughter for stabbing Geoffrey Harries 20 times in a late-night confrontation in June.

Williams admitted going clad in a black balaclava and dark military-style clothing to slash the tyres of 49-year-old Mr Harries's car on the night in question.

The defence team had argued that he stabbed the former Dyfed Powys policeman in self-defence when he was attacked by Mr Harries, having forgotten he was holding the 7in
blade combat knife.
The jury at Swansea Crown Court cleared Williams of murder on Friday.

The verdict of guilty of manslaughter came yesterday after a total of more than 25 hours of deliberation.

As it was read out, the victim's widow Elizabeth broke down in court and was comforted by relatives.

Jailing Williams today, High Court judge Justice Flaux told him: 'If you carry a knife on the streets you must expect severe punishment if that knife is used to cause the death of someone.'

Mr Harries had moved to the Dythel Park Estate in Trimsaran, West Wales, to live in the home of his elderly mother.

Residents on the estate were aware that he was awaiting trial accused of possessing more than 2,000 pornographic images of children on his computer.

A petition had been circulated by residents opposed to him living on the estate where Williams also lived, the trial heard.

Hours before the stabbing, a drunken Williams shouted insults at the police as he left a local pub to which they had been called on a separate matter.

The jury heard that he had referred to Mr Harries as a 'paedo' and warned one officer: 'He's one of your lot. If you are not going to do something about it, I will.'

The officer in question was called away to a road accident but returned to the area later and saw Williams calmly walking home.

When approached about the earlier outburst, Williams claimed he had just been 'stupid' in front of friends.

But within hours he was involved in a confrontation with Mr Harries in the street after the former police officer's wife spotted Williams outside, close to their car.

Williams insisted throughout the trial that he had been pursued by Mr Harries and attacked by him as he tried to flee the scene.

Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting, described Williams during his summing-up as a 'self-appointed vigilante'.

He told the jury it was 'nonsense' for Williams to suggest he could inflict 20 stab wounds without realising he was holding a knife.

He also pointed out that the fatal wound had been through Mr Harries' back and into one of his lungs. ..Source.. by Daily Mail Reporter