Nassau's Killer Cop Ernie Cole Get Promotion, We Get Video!!

Nassau deputy cleared in fatal September shooting has new title


Sheriff says it’s a lateral move; victim’s family thinks it’s a promotion.

Posted: November 16, 2010 - 2:14pm
By Kate Howard


The Nassau County deputy who was cleared of wrongdoing last week in the September shooting of an unarmed man has gotten a new assignment: narcotics detective.

Deputy Ernie Cole was assigned to patrol on Sept. 11, the night he fatally shot Franklin “Ray” Bodden, 39, during a traffic stop. The State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the shooting and determined last week that it was justifiable homicide and Cole was not criminally responsible for Bodden’s death.

The five-year veteran of the force was returned to duty as a narcotics detective, Sheriff Tommy Seagraves said, a job he sought before the shooting.

“This is a lateral move,” Seagraves said. “This is not a promotion.”

Detectives are considered the same rank as a deputy, and Cole did not receive a pay raise, Seagraves said.

Seagraves said Cole has expressed remorse for what happened and has been subject to a lot of harsh language and thinly veiled threats since the shooting. Nothing has risen to the level of criminal conduct that would require an investigation, Seagraves said.

But family members said they feel the deputy was rewarded. Chuck DeYoung, Bodden’s brother, was with a group protesting in front of the Sheriff’s Office for much of Tuesday.

“Kill my brother and you get a promotion,” DeYoung said.

The shooting occurred while Cole was patting down Bodden’s friend after pulling them over for speeding on Bodden’s motorcycle. A new hire at the correctional facility, David “Bo” Bright, was riding along as a civilian and had a flashlight trained on Bodden, who put his hand in his pocket. Bright yelled at him not to move and shouted that Bodden had something in his hand. Cole shot Bodden twice. The object in his hand turned out to be a tightly wrapped package of marijuana.

DeYoung doesn’t buy the idea that Cole’s reassignment doesn’t amount to a pat on the back, even if there isn’t a raise involved.

“I don’t believe anything they say anymore,” he said.

When told about the family’s reaction, Seagraves said he wasn’t going to comment on anyone’s feelings.

“I run the Sheriff’s Office, and I run it based on what’s in the best interest for this community,” Seagraves said.

DeYoung and Seagraves had a public discussion last week at a news conference, when DeYoung pressed him for answers on why his brother was killed. DeYoung said it was the first time his family had any contact with the department, and they hadn’t heard from anyone since.

kate.howard@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4697


BOY, HOW THIS WHOLE STORY HAS CHANGE SINCE SEPTEMBER!!!!

I BELIEVE THE FDLE AND NASSAU COUNTY ARE COVERING UP AND PLAIN AND SIMPLE MURDER!!!!!

WHY?

MONEY, MONEY AND MORE MONEY, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!!!!!