Police Officer Who Killed Woman During Training Exercise Charged With Manslaughter
BY Herschel Smith
7 years, 10 months ago
PUNTA GORDA, Florida — The police chief of a Florida Gulf Coast town and one of his officers have been charged in connection with the accidental fatal shooting of a woman last year at a citizen’s police academy.In August, Punta Gorda police Officer Lee Coel fired the fatal shot during a drill involving civilians at the police academy facility. Mary Knowlton, a 73-year-old retired Minnesota mother of two, died at a hospital.
Coel was charged Wednesday with one count of felony manslaughter.
“I don’t see how the facts as we know it would amount to criminal negligence as opposed to simple negligence,” attorney Jerry Berry told CNN affiliate WINK. CNN reached out to Berry but didn’t get an immediate response.
Chief Tom Lewis will face one count of misdemeanor culpable negligence.
“Looking at the totality of the facts and evidence brought our office to this decision,” State Attorney Stephen Russell said.
Coel shot Knowlton during a “shoot/don’t shoot” role-play scenario in which officers make decisions on using simulated lethal force, Lewis said at the time.
The retired librarian was playing an officer in the scenario, which was held just outside the police complex, officials said. Coel was playing the role of a “bad guy” when he opened fire as nearly three dozen people looked on.
The gun the officer used should have had blanks but mistakenly had a live round in it, Lewis said.
“Lee Coel absolutely, positively did not know there was live ammunition in that gun,” Berry said Wednesday.
But remember, boys and girls. Only law enforcement officers are trained and trustworthy to own and operate firearms. You can’t be trusted.
On February 24, 2017 at 11:39 am, Archer said:
“Lee Coel absolutely, positively did not know there was live ammunition in that gun,” Berry said Wednesday.
Am I the only one (heh!) who has a problem with this statement?
If the man didn’t know the condition of his own weapon, who the hell did!? Who loaded it? Who handled it prior to the “activity”? Why was it not checked (and then double- and triple-checked) before the “activity” began? The “firearm safety” ball was dropped so many times, I don’t see how this is not criminal negligence.
To borrow a phrase from Trey Gowdy during the “Fast & Furious” hearings: this level of negligence is “felony stupid”.
If it were you or I, we’d be charged with MUCH more than “felony criminal negligence”. We could be facing 2nd-degree murder, or at least involuntary manslaughter — which I honestly think would be a more appropriate charge for this “officer”. However, I fully expect the negligence charge to be plead down or dropped altogether, but then again maybe I’m just getting cynical….
On February 24, 2017 at 12:45 pm, Fred said:
Why was he pointing a REAL gun at somebody? That’s a crime right there. If it was a random guy outside the nice lady’s house the list of charges would be as long as your arm.
On February 24, 2017 at 7:03 pm, Jack Crabb said:
Yup. The only thing I can come up with is, “How…In…The…Fuck???”
On February 24, 2017 at 1:04 pm, Ned Weatherby said:
But – I thought it wasn’t loaded. There’s no reason I should be culpable for pointing a real, loaded gun at someone and pressing the trigger. Haters.
On February 25, 2017 at 5:08 am, Daniel Barger said:
It’s actually amazing they charged him with anything. The DA must be coming up for reelection and is facing a viable challenger….otherwise NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. And you can bet the farm there will be no conviction. This is a show trial….staged to make it look as if the DA actually cares. He won’t try hard for a conviction and the police union will make damn sure a bootlicker or two is on the jury so that the worst that happens is a hung jury.