Ewing police officer commits suicide in parking lot of police headquarters

EWING — A Ewing police officer shot himself to death this morning in the parking lot behind police headquarters, authorities said.

Officer Matthew Wallace, 39, a 14-year law enforcement veteran, committed suicide around 2:30 a.m. at the township's complex on Jake Garzio Drive, Mercer County First Assistant Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said.

Wallace was off-duty when he died from a single gunshot to the head, authorities said. His body was discovered by a fellow police officer, the prosecutor's office said in a news release.

Wallace's death was investigated at the scene by the prosecutor’s office, New Jersey State Police and the Ewing police, and the county medical examiner ruled the death a suicide, the release said.

Wallace lived in Westampton Township, was married and had children, Onofri said.

"I knew Matthew for a very long time. I coached him in soccer since he was 7 years old,"
Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann said this morning. "It's a tragedy and it's a tremendous loss not only for the department but also for the community. his is the saddest day I’ve had as mayor."

Steinmann described Wallace as an outstanding officer. Wallace was not on duty at the time of the incident and a sergeant found him in the parking lot, Steinmann said.

Wallace received numerous awards and commendations including several Chief Commendations Awards along with an Exceptional Duty Medal.

In 2008, Wallace was one of five Ewing officers who helped rescue a 79-year-old woman from a burning home by carrying her in a wheelchair from the flames.

Officer Fred Dow, the Ewing PBA president, was one of the police trainers who brought Wallace onto the job.

"He was just a happy, outgoing guy. And he just had a smile on his face,” Dow said. “Everybody’s taking it really hard. We’re trying to do the best we can for his family.”

Onofri said the suicide occurred near the animal shelter behind the municipal building, where police headquarters are located. Wallace’s family was notified this morning, he said.

Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini Jr. said this afternoon that Wallace was a “well-respected and well-liked member of the Ewing Police Department.”

“Matt was a caring and dedicated police officer who served the Ewing Police Department with distinction,” Bocchini said in a press release. “He was known as being the first person to volunteer for assignments and no job was ever too tough for him to handle. He will be greatly missed.”

Wallace was born and raised in Ewing and is a graduate of the public schools there, the release said. He attended Mercer County Community College, majoring in criminal justice.

Wallace was hired by the Ewing police in 1999 and assigned to the Patrol Division, where he worked the bike patrol. He was also a certified telecommunications operator and a certified Alcotest operator.

“Matt was a good cop and a very likeable guy. He will be missed by our entire police department. This event can only be summed up by one word: tragic. Our thoughts and prayers will be with Matt and his family,” Lt. Ronald P. Lunetta, the department's Officer in Charge, said in a release.

Ohio Cop Put on Paid Leave After Crazy Arrest Video Goes Viral

A police officer in Toledo, Ohio has been placed on paid leave after a video depicting him forcing people on the ground and brandishing a taser at them went viral this month. Officer Eric Hart is merely being placed on administrative leave while the Washington Township police conduct an investigation.

Hart reportedly stopped a vehicle for having an “altered” license registration sticker, at which point another local resident got out of his car and told Hart, “I’m fucking sick of you cops.” That’s when it got ugly.

Officer Hart wrote in the report that he ordered Mr. [Aaron] Tatkowski to get back; when he allegedly refused, the officer said he pointed his stun gun at Mr. Tatkowski, who yelled for spectators to videotape the encounter. The passenger from the first vehicle, Cassandra Meyers, got out of the vehicle and approached the officer, who had Mr. Tatkowski handcuffed on the ground.

The officer wrote he had his gun out and pointed through open vehicle doors.

The viral video shows Hart handcuffing the man on the ground.

 In the video, a nearby witness places a call to Toledo police, but Hart angrily confronts him and tosses his phone aside, saying it won’t be necessary.

One other person piped up, “What you’re saying is you don’t need witnesses?” Hart responded, “It’s all on camera anyway.”

Good idea to prevent crazy from getting out of hand

Phoenix officer who shot man, dog during domestic call convicted of aggravated assault

PHOENIX — A Phoenix police officer charged with fatally shooting an unarmed man during a violent confrontation at a Phoenix mobile home three years ago was found guilty of an assault charge Tuesday that could send him to prison for several years, but avoided conviction on a second-degree murder count.

Jurors hearing the case against Richard Chrisman deliberated for about four days before announcing their verdict Tuesday.

They were unable to reach a verdict on the murder charge, but convicted him of aggravated assault for putting a gun to victim Danny Rodriguez’s head when he questioned the officer about entering his house without a warrant.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said no decision has been made on whether to retry Chrisman on the second-degree murder and an animal cruelty charge for shooting the man’s dog. The jury also was deadlocked on that charge.

Chrisman was charged after his partner said he fatally shot Rodriguez and his dog without justification during the October 2010 encounter. Chrisman, a nine-year veteran of the force, was later fired.

He faced the aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge for allegedly putting a gun to Rodriguez’s head. That charge carries a five- to 15-year sentence, with a presumptive term of 7½ years in state prison.

The jury reconvened Tuesday afternoon and found that the assault caused severe emotional harm to Rodriguez’s family. That finding will allow Judge Warren Granville to impose the maximum sentence. He set a status conference for Oct. 18.

In court Tuesday, Chrisman wore a dark suit and showed no reaction as the verdict was read. At one point before jurors entered the courtroom, he reached back and squeezed the hand of his wife, who was seated behind him. Other Chrisman supporters at the hearing included more than a dozen off-duty police officers. Family members of Rodriguez sat in the front row on the other side.

After the verdict was read, Chrisman, 39, was taken into custody, and his wife broke down in sobs. Rodriguez’s mother, Elvira Fernandez, was hugged by a woman sitting with her and left the court without comment.

Prosecutor Juan Martinez and defense lawyer Craig Mehrens left without comment. Joe Clure, president of the police union, said he respected the jury’s work but disagreed with the verdict.

“I believe this decision exemplifies how difficult it is to be a cop today in this country,” Clure said.

He noted the trial lasted more than a month, and jurors deliberated for four days. “Rich had a split second to make his decision,” Clure said.

The case, to a large degree, boiled down to conflicting accounts from Chrisman and his partner, officer Sergio Virgillo — the only two people, besides Rodriguez, inside the trailer to witness the escalating confrontation.

Rodriguez’s mother had called police to the home on Oct. 5, 2010, saying her son was violent.

Chrisman and Virgillo confronted Rodriguez at the door of his mother’s trailer, and Chrisman forced his way inside.

Rodriguez asked to see a warrant, and prosecutors said Chrisman then put his pistol against Rodriguez’s head and told him he didn’t need one. Mehrens told jurors that didn’t happen, but Martinez said DNA on the officer’s pistol and a bruise on the dead man’s temple show it happened the way Virgillo testified.

The two officers had difficulty controlling Rodriguez, and both fired their stun guns with little effect. Chrisman used pepper spray on Rodriguez, then shot his dog. Prosecutors say the animal was not threatening the officers.

Virgillo said Rodriguez then got his bicycle and tried to leave the tiny trailer home, but Chrisman wouldn’t allow it, and a tussle began. Virgillo testified that Rodriguez was backing away and no longer a threat when Chrisman fired. 

LRPD Officer Charged with Manslaughter Denied Recusal

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- A judge has denied a recusal request submitted by a former Little Rock Police officer charged with manslaughter.

Josh Hastings, scheduled for retrial Sept. 16, filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss the court based on what appeared to be a clerical error.

According to an order filed on Wednesday, the law clerk sent an email to the State and Judge Wendell Griffen to "confirm that both the Prosecution and Defense had complied with the Court Order entered August 27 regarding disclosure of expert witnesses," but not to the defense.

Hastings defense says the clerk's inquiry "creates the appearance of partiality" and violates a rule of the Arkansas Code of Judicial Conduct (ACJC).

Griffen's order rejects the claims, citing the same rule of ACJC, which states that a judge is permitted to communicate with only one of the parties if the matter being discussed involves scheduling, provided he or she believes neither party will gain an advantage as a result of the communications.

The order goes on to say the law clerk harmlessly omitted the defense in the email, and that the same email was later forwarded to Hastings' lead defense counsel from the lead prosecutor.

Jupiter Police Officer Charged with Beating a Suspect

Officer Kevin Jacko goes to court on Thursday to face charges in alleged beating of Cody Blankenship. A Jupiter police officer surrendered to authorities on Wednesday, following an independent probe into allegations that he beat a suspect in custody.

43-year old Kevin Jacko is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after the June incident. The alleged victim, 24-year old Cody Ross Blankenship, had been arrested for resisting arrest with violence, battery on an officer and trespassing. 

According to the Jupiter Police Department, Blankenship has a history of run-ins with authorities dating back to August of last year.

The Public Corruption Unit of the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office opened an investigation into the alleged beating after Blankenship's mother accused the department of using excessive force.

Pelham officer fired for misconduct

PELHAM - A town police officer accused of numerous violations of department policy has been fired, the town announced on Wednesday.

Officer Eugene Stahl was terminated as of Tuesday.

Stahl, a Pelham officer for 12 years, was the focus of a public disciplinary hearing before selectmen last month, where he was accused of: Loudly berating a female drunken-driving suspect in a profanity-laced interrogation.

Drawing his gun on two apparently unarmed teens during a traffic stop.

Being heard by a Pelham police dispatcher on the radio speaking in a profane manner toward his superior officer, Lt. Brian McCarthy, and broadcasting his desire to punch one female civilian he encountered on duty "right in the face."

Crashing his cruiser while driving with unnecessary and "life-threatening" speed - at 50 mph above the listed 30 mph limit, according to the state police accident reconstruction team's report - en route to become the third officer to respond to a Pelham homeowner's complaint.

The town said in a statement issued by Pelham police that there will be no further comment on the dismissal.

Attorney David Slawsky, representing Stahl before selectmen,said during the meeting that Police Chief Joseph Roark was attempting "to hang his case on four or five minutes of video in the 12-year career of this very fine police officer."