Jack wrote this in March, 2006:
Two different sides of a similar story here.
Part 1 – To Protect and Defend – “Freeze scumball!”
The first is about a Park Ranger who had an argument with a 58 year old unarmed man wearing sandals, shorts and no shirt. The crime was an unpaid $14 park fee. The criminal tried to run away from him, though his vehicle remained parked right where the Ranger was standing.
No problemo? Put a citation on the car and go on to other things?
Nope.
The only solution’s to shoot the running man. He’d smarted off and sassed a badge. Plugged him twice in the back. Kilt him spang daid with the first shot. Second one was to make sure.
Here’s how the Criminal Justice system’s dealing with this protector and defender:
- Begins as Second Degree Homicide.
- Reduced to Voluntary Man-Slaughter.
- Reduced to Involuntary Man-Slaughter.
Hang on a bit and they’ll give him a pay raise and a Police Association Man of the Year Award.
Family: Ranger shot man in the back at Elephant Butte
ELEPHANT BUTTE STATE PARK, N.M. (AP) – The family of a man who was fatally shot by a State Parks officer at Elephant Butte State Park allege the shots were fired into the man’s back.
That according to a copyright story in today’s Albuquerque Journal. (March, 2006)
Fifty-eight-year-old Bruce Teschner was killed August 23rd during a confrontation with State Parks Officer Clyde Woods. Authorities say Woods shot Teschner after he refused to pay a 14-dollar-a-night camping fee and refused to leave the park. Authorities say Woods apparently was unarmed.
An affidavit says Woods told the belligerent Teschner that he would be arrested and got Teschner prone on the ground. But Teschner did not comply, got up and moved away with his hands apparently in his pockets.
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) – A State Parks officer who fatally shot a man following a dispute over a camping fee at Elephant Butte State Park is facing a second-degree murder charge.
State police say Clyde Woods turned himself in Monday after an arrest warrant was issued. He’s being held at the Sierra County jail on a $100,000 bond.
Woods shot 58-year-old Bruce Teschner on August 23rd during a confrontation in which Teschner had refused to pay a $14-a-night camping fee and refused to leave the park.
State Parks director Dave Simon says criminal charges constitute an extremely serious situation and the division is following the matter closely.
Simon says Woods’ law enforcement powers have been suspended and he remains on paid leave until the division can review the findings of a state police investigation and conduct its own review.
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) – The case of a state parks ranger who fatally shot a man in a dispute over a camping fee at Elephant Butte State Park will be heard in state district court.
A Sierra County magistrate bound the case over to district court during a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
The judge also reduced the charge against Clyde Woods to involuntary manslaughter. Woods was initially charged with second-degree murder.
Woods shot Bruce Teschner on August 23rd during a confrontation in which Teschner refused to pay a $14-a-night camping fee and refused to leave the park.
According to an affidavit, Woods told the belligerent Teschner that he would be arrested and got Teschner prone on the ground. But the man did not comply, got up and moved away with his hands apparently in his pockets.
Woods was placed on paid leave following the shooting.
Summary:
- If you’re going to deliberately kill someone you need to be wearing a badge.
- If someone with a badge points a gun at you you’d best let him shoot you or you’ll go to jail.
- You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs.
(Part Two in tomorrow’s post).
So Far From Heaven 