Why did it taking so long for Nausau to release the names and tell us what they THINK happened.
FROM THE FLORIDA TIMES UNION:
Nassau sheriff to break silence in fatal shooting of motorcyclist by deputy
Deputy Ernie Cole shot motorcyclist Franklin Bodden during a traffic stop in Callahan Saturday night
Posted: September 14, 2010 - 10:29am
By Jim Schoettler
A state investigator has told the family of an apparently unarmed Callahan man slain by a deputy Saturday night that he intends to review the patrol car's video for evidence of the incident, but no details about what's on the video or related matters have been released.
Sheriff Tommy Seagraves plans to break his agency's silence about the shooting during a 3 p.m. press conference today. Seagraves has refused to comment after turning the case over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, whose officials have also declined to release details.
The siblings of Franklin "Ray" Bodden, 39, said an FDLE investigator told them that Deputy Ernie Cole's vehicle was equipped with a video camera and that evidence would become part of the investigation.
Chuck DeYoung, Bodden's brother, and Melissa Bodden, their sister, told The Times-Union this morning the investigators said he would contact them with more information, but hasn't so far. Bodden's family has complained about the lack of information released in the case.
"They haven't had the decency to come down here to tell the family what happened," DeYoung said of the Sheriff's Office. "I want the truth."
FDLE spokeswoman Kristen Chernosky said Cole was placed on administrative leave following the shooting, which occurred after Cole stopped Bodden’s motorcycle in a commercial area of U.S. 1 in Callahan.
Also in Cole's car was David Bright, who had just been hired by the Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer, Chernosky said. She said she wasn't sure why Bright was riding with Cole.
Authorities have yet to give a motive for the shooting or why Bodden's motorcycle was stopped. The Sheriff’s Office has yet to release any details about Cole or Bright's employment with the agency.
Chernosky said she didn’t expect the investigation to be completed for at least several weeks. She declined to comment on any evidence in the case or other details.
Bodden's family said they were told by his passenger, Tony Weeks, that Bodden was shot after Bright yelled out to Cole that Bodden was reaching for something on the motorcycle. Weeks said that he witnessed the shooting from the hood of Cole's car, where he was being handcuffed after Cole found some type of pill in his possession. Weeks said Bodden had been told by the deputy he was free to go when the shooting occurred.
DeYoung said he talked to Weeks by phone Monday from the Nassau County jail, where Weeks is being held on charges of resisting arrest without violence and possessing drugs without a prescription. DeYoung said Weeks told him that Bodden had either raised his hands or was raising his hands when he was shot twice in the chest.
Bodden said her brother and Weeks, his best friend, were riding on Bodden’s motorcycle to his parent’s home to spend the night when the shooting occurred. She said Bodden and Cole apparently knew each other. She said a witness to the traffic stop said Bodden and Cole shook hands moments after the motorcycle was pulled over in front of a local pool hall.
Bodden said she believes her brother was only reaching for his cigarettes when Bright called out to Cole, “He’s going for something.” She said her brother was shot twice in the chest and fell face down.
Bodden's family said he did not own a gun and was unarmed at the time of the slaying.
DeYoung said funeral arrangements for his brother should be completed by this afternoon.
Read jacksonville.com and Wednesday's Times-Union for updates
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION FINDS ON THIS ONE.
details to follow.....
1 comment:
This man was the most gentle person that walked. He always had a smile for everyone whether he knew you or not...The fact that this cop knew him and had already searched him and his motorcycle should have eliminated this exact situation. I can already see that this will cause a problem for police officers in this county. They are entirely too trigger happy and now while this officer gets his "administrative leave" aka paid vacation, a family has lost theirs and a community has lost a friend. We are MAD as h*&(!!!!!!
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