PGPD Chief and Officer arrested...

[Stephanie Gibson]

So is this the right thing or not..? I dont know. One would think i would have a stronger opinion here, i dont, i am mostly just saddened by the entire mess...

http://www.winknews.com/2017/02/22/r...demy-shooting/

[Unregistered]

So is this the right thing or not..? I dont know. One would think i would have a stronger opinion here, i dont, i am mostly just saddened by the entire mess...

http://www.winknews.com/2017/02/22/r...demy-shooting/

You asked fore accountability like it or not

[Unregistered]

I would like to know how the chief still has a job. This is worse than anything here at nppd and I cannot imagine email how it was tolersted. Maybe Vespia can go to punta gorda now, since he tried to mirror our agency artery theirs with his best buddy Butcher, another moron.

[Stephanie Gibson]

Lewis defense requesting the judge quash all reference to the shooting of the Librarian and policy changes made in the aftermath as it would be prejudicial.. "The law concerning culpable negligence centers on exposure of injury, not infliction of injury or death, according to Romine" First article i have seen that identified the Lt and Captain that resigned as a direct result. I know the LT provided the live ammo. I dont know how the Captain was involved.. maybe the coverup that has been alluded to.

http://charlottesun.fl.newsmemory.co...reid=19f0d78d0

If anyone has the investigation reports and are willing to share, please send to CityWatchNorthPortFL@outlook.com.. Thanks.

[Unregistered]

Lewis defense requesting the judge quash all reference to the shooting of the Librarian and policy changes made in the aftermath as it would be prejudicial.. "The law concerning culpable negligence centers on exposure of injury, not infliction of injury or death, according to Romine" First article i have seen that identified the Lt and Captain that resigned as a direct result. I know the LT provided the live ammo. I dont know how the Captain was involved.. maybe the coverup that has been alluded to.

http://charlottesun.fl.newsmemory.co...reid=19f0d78d0

If anyone has the investigation reports and are willing to share, please send to CityWatchNorthPortFL@outlook.com.. Thanks.

Well being shot and killed is certainly exposure to injury.

[Stephanie Gibson]

Defense says PGPD ‘not forthcoming’ in former officer’s case

By ANNE EASKER

STAFF WRITER

A Lee County judge denied a request to dismiss the case of former Punta Gorda police officer Lee Coel, who shot and killed retired librarian Mary Knowlton during an August 2016 roleplaying scenario. Coel, 29, played the “bad guy” in a shoot/don’t shoot exercise performed for members of the Chamber of Commerce, but rather than shooting blanks, real wadcutter bullets came from his gun, fatally wounding 73-year-old Knowlton.

Defense attorneys expressed frustration with the Punta Gorda Police Department in court Friday, accusing its members of not being entirely candid in statements during both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the trial of former police Chief Tom Lewis, who was tried last summer for culpable negligence.

“My problem is with the Punta Gorda Police Department,” said defense attorney Alvin Entin. “I don’t think they’ve been forthcoming.”

Both the state and defense agreed to submit an email to Judge Margaret Steinbeck sent by former Punta Gorda police chief Tom Lewis, which he allegedly sent to both FDLE Agent Gary Negrinelli, who handled the initial shooting investigation, and current Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Davis.

In the email, Lewis alleged that Capt. Jason Ciaschini, who served as interim chief while Lewis was on administrative leave, lied during the FDLE investigation and during Lewis’s trial. According to defense attorney Thomas Schlafani, Lewis listed 12 statements of Ciaschini’s which were either inaccurate or misleading, and asked Chief Davis to charge Ciaschini with perjury.

Punta Gorda Police Department


Public Information Officer Lt. Dylan Renz said he could not comment on the allegations. Captain Ciaschini has not been placed on administrative leave.

Assistant State Attorney Stephanie Russell argued that she didn’t know what Lewis’s email had to do with the motion to dismiss the case, and there were no uncontested facts that would justify a dismissal. Judge Steinbeck denied the motion but acknowledged defense’s frustration, particular in regard to a delay in discovery material.

The police department handed over one terabyte of documents, photographs, and video in October that it previously claimed not to have. According to defense attorney Alvin Entin, FDLE agents stated during depositions for Coel’s case that the information would have been useful during their investigation.

Entin argued a motion demanding additional documents, including evidence of past or present drug or alcoholic ingestion or dependency, any evidence of psychiatric treatment, and any evidence and results of any lie detector tests for any witnesses the state intends to call.

“I want to make sure my guy isn’t being negatively affected by the self-preservation of the Punta Gorda Police Department,” he said.

Judge Steinbeck said some of Entin’s requests seemed overreaching and directed the state to go back to the police department and ensure all relevant documents have been turned over as evidence.

Steinbeck reserved ruling on one defense motion to strike portions of the information, which lays out the charge against Coel.

The current information states Coel killed Knowlton “by act or culpable negligence” and that he “did carry, display, use, or attempt to use a weapon or firearm.” Defense requested the charge be more narrowed down so they are better able to form a defense.

Following the motions, Coel’s trial was scheduled for the first two weeks of October, beginning with jury selection on Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Charlotte County Justice Center.

Email: aeasker@sun-herald.com

[Stephanie Gibson]

While my last post about Chief Lewis's lawyer trying to quash the librarians death and the policy changes is being cleared by the Moderator...

here is another article on Coel firing being upheldand a link to the chief article

http://charlottesun.fl.newsmemory.co...reid=33bc0ef23

http://charlottesun.fl.newsmemory.co...reid=19f0d78d0

[Unregistered]

I guess I have a real problem here. The Punta Gorda tragedy was avoidable and should have never happened. So far a patrolman is gone and arrested., a Lieutenant and captain gone and the chief is going to trial. I guess this would be called accountability.
Here in NP we have not had any deaths or at least as has happened in PG, but we have had our share of serious physical injuries with no accountability what so ever. We need to not go any further than the K9 scandal and bites. Here we had vicious K9 unprovoked bites from one specific handler and one specific dog. The dog had titanium teeth approved by and paid for by the PD. This particular dog was allowed to maul and mame several persons. By self admission, admin has stated well it was justified, well ,it was within our regulations etc. The chief, who by his own admission wanted to be at one time a K9 handler has admitted giving the K9 unit the green light. No other department in the area had such discretion and lax oversight. My question is simple, why was no one held accountable. The officer involved was under a bogus violation, stripped of his K9 duties, temporarily, but remains the dept K9 instructor. His dog was prematurely retired. CYA How much money did this cost us, the taxpayer....
Does this rise to the level as in Punta Gorda, well luckily no one was killed, BUT, several persons were severely injured with permanent injuries. Several lawsuits were already settled. Bottom line is this, the chief directly supported the actions of this officer, he knew the bites were happening and did nothing to curtail them. Instead he supported the K9 unit by sending them to national conventions etc, a reward for there brutal actions and he got the fourth place trophies to display at the PD.. This specific PG K9 officer was a protégé of the NP officer, training with him several times a week, until the notorious NP k9 scandal hit and then PG pulled him out, a little to late as we see.We cannot ignore the past if we want to move into the future. We have the brutal attack on a senior caught on dash cam, but yet both officers ( one a K9 officer) skated, again another lawsuit. History repeats itself over and over here. It is time we move forward and change history. We have a tale of two separate cities, one which holds its administration accountable and one that does not. We no longer can accept brutality and mismanagement. We need to hold those responsible both in the field and in the administration accountable for there actions. Vespia and his administration and his golden boys need to go, they are entrenched and it will not be easy, but we have no choice, what's next, its only a matter of time before something else erupts

[Unregistered]

I wonder if SU is still on KB's Christmas card list?