Austin Haley Update
Officer Paul Bradley Rogers, Sgt. Robert Shawn Richardson and officer Michelle Key, all involved in the negligent shooting death of five year old Austin Haley have been fired, Noble City Manager Bob Wade said today. 
The three police officers responded to a call from Anita Williams regarding a non-poisonous, non-threatening snake stuck in a birdhouse. The police officers decided to shoot at the hissing reptile instead of leaving it alone.
Little Austin Haley was killed in front of his two year old brother Dalton, and his grandfather, Jack Tracy, as a result of the police officer's imprudence. Mr. Rogers and Mr. Richardson have been charged in Cleveland County District Court with one felony count each of second degree manslaughter. Noble Police Chief Ben Daves was handed his pink slip on October 7, 2007.
Renee and Jack Haley continue to grieve for the loss of their precious son. Dalton still has trouble sleeping at night and jumps at the slightest noise. Nothing can remove the pain and anguish these officers caused, but as intelligent citizens, we can seek to make certain they will not threaten public safety again.
The three police officers responded to a call from Anita Williams regarding a non-poisonous, non-threatening snake stuck in a birdhouse. The police officers decided to shoot at the hissing reptile instead of leaving it alone. Little Austin Haley was killed in front of his two year old brother Dalton, and his grandfather, Jack Tracy, as a result of the police officer's imprudence. Mr. Rogers and Mr. Richardson have been charged in Cleveland County District Court with one felony count each of second degree manslaughter. Noble Police Chief Ben Daves was handed his pink slip on October 7, 2007.
Renee and Jack Haley continue to grieve for the loss of their precious son. Dalton still has trouble sleeping at night and jumps at the slightest noise. Nothing can remove the pain and anguish these officers caused, but as intelligent citizens, we can seek to make certain they will not threaten public safety again.
Labels: Austin Haley
posted by Xavier at 3:07 PM
6 Comments:
It's about time!
In all fairness, only the shooter should have been fired.
Wrong anon. The other officers failed to prevent the act. Their job is to protect the public, not write reports. They failed to do their job.
People need to know that the third officer, Michelle Key, has a dad that works for the public defenders office, Roger Montgomery, and a family friend in the Cleveland County DA's office, Jennifer Austin. Ask yourself now why she was never charged and is actually on the witness list to testify against the other two. All this after an internal investigation revealed that her involvement in the shooting necessitated her being fired also...
The wheels of justice do indeed turn slowly. The latest news on this shooting, according to the "Norman Transcript", is that the two officers indicted for Second Degree Manslaughter will have their Preliminary Hearing on March 10, 2008. It seems that the powers that be are trying to place a great length of time between the actual event and the start of any form of legal justice concerning this incident.
Both former Officers, who are still very much alive, waived their Preliminary Hearings today. Although they haven't waived their right to a jury trial, it appears that they're looking to make a plea bargain with the county DA. The most they were looking at was 4 years, so I imagine the DA will offer a deal somewhere in the area of about half the maximum, or 2 years. Time will tell.
Post a Comment
<< Home