Another Drug Raid Nightmare

[SouthernGuerila]

Why don't these LEOs do something like... show up during day light hours, snatch & grab someone as they're about to enter their home or leaving home? I wonder how many of these cops that got shot were not wearing body armor like they're supposed to...

 

[SomeGuy]

So in reality, a "professional witness" is actually just a "professional liar". Im sure the jury will see right through this Skeeter testimony. Who the hell would believe a guy named "Skeeter" anyway?

I think the jury will convict on manufacturing charges since Frederick did admit to growing

Skeeter was a buffoon and clearly shows the prosecutors are desperate.


This jury can't convict him for manufacturing because he was never charged.
The prosecution is simply using it as character assassination. They would have to charge him and I don't see that happening as it would clearly be viewed in the community as an attempt at revenge.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Skeeter was a buffoon and clearly shows the prosecutors are desperate.


This jury can't convict him for manufacturing because he was never charged.
The prosecution is simply using it as character assassination. They would have to charge him and I don't see that happening as it would clearly be viewed in the community as an attempt at revenge.

You sure? I thought they charged him with manufacturing as well. Guess we'll see soon enough.

 

[SomeGuy]

You sure? I thought they charged him with manufacturing as well. Guess we'll see soon enough.

Simple possession for a few grams and a bong.

They never found any plants and their burglar/snitch never turned in any plants.

They admitted into testimony they found grow gear in the attic of his garage in an attempt to discredit him, but no charges filed in connection with it.

 

[ROJO145]

Fuckin Sad!!I hope he gets over,enter my home like they did and the same thing would happen!!Damn cops nationwide are really startin to scare me.I Definately dont think they should be armed,buncha non shootin,no gun control,power freaks......Really,I dont trust one of em,and I hope this guy gets off,and I wish he woulda emptied his clip on the pricks!!!
Do Ya's remember when it used to say protect and serve on the side of cop car's????You dont see that anymore,wered it go??

 

[SomeGuy]

This just seems sick, twisted and completely unnecessary to me. Disturbing enough that the prosecutor tried to make an issue of weight gain of someone held in a 9x5 cell 23 hours a day for a year. But then this bitch on wheels comes along and MAKES JOKES ABOUT IT in an oped.

Email comments to the Public Editor

Sure, let’s treat prisoners decently, but honey buns?

The Virginian-Pilot
© February 1, 2009

What’s cooking at the Chesapeake city jail?

Spectators couldn’t help but wonder about that last week as they gawked at Ryan Frederick during his capital murder trial.

I mean, how often does an inmate pack on about 60 pounds behind bars?

Comparing photos of the skinny soft-drink delivery guy who was arrested a year ago to the chipmunk-cheeked defendant in the too-small suit was a lot like looking at before-and-after photos from a Jenny Craig ad.

“I have a bad habit of doughnuts and honey buns,” Frederick confessed during his teary testimony Thursday.

That wasn’t his only bad habit.

Seems that prior to his arrest for the shooting death of Detective Jarrod Shivers on Jan. 17, 2008, Frederick was a stoner who took a couple of bong hits as soon as he got home from work, then chased the pot with an anti-anxiety drug to relax. Questioned about grow lights and other paraphernalia found at his house, Frederick demonstrated an encyclopedic knowledge of cannabis cultivation and admitted that he had tended a small marijuana crop in his garage.

Yet, if Frederick was afflicted with the munchies during his pothead days, it didn’t show. The 5-foot-7-inch Chesapeake native was just 120 pounds on the night of the arrest. In the weeks that followed, his weight dropped to about 100 pounds. Frederick now admits to being about 185.

To explain his girth to the jury, Frederick said he spends 23 hours a day in a

9-by-5-foot cell where “one of the best ways to pass the time is to snack.”

Hold on a minute. They serve snacks in jail?

I phoned the sheriff to find out.

Jail spokesman Sgt. David Rosado said inmates aren’t given complimentary pastries, but they are allowed to buy them from the canteen. Each inmate may spend up to $60 a week.

That’s a lot of jelly doughnuts.

Frederick certainly didn’t bulk up on the jail meals. Chesapeake’s 1,800-calorie-a-day fare is an adventure in unimaginative cuisine and precision measurements.

For instance, Friday’s dining highlights included a hearty breakfast of 1 cup of oatmeal, two pancakes, one slice of bologna, a cup of milk, ¼ cup of syrup, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of margarine.

Lunch was two slices of salami, one of cheese, cake, and two pieces of bread with a single mustard pack and a

¾-ounce bag of chips.

Dinner consisted of a 3-ounce chicken patty nestled alongside ¼ cup of grilled onions, 1 cup of mashed potatoes, ¹/³ cup of gravy, ½ cup of seasoned greens, two slices of bread and a brownie.

Edible. But not enough to send most inmates to the Big and Tall Jumpsuit Shop.

Frederick’s waistline isn’t just a curiosity, it’s an issue in the case.

On Thursday, prosecutors tried to focus attention on Frederick’s weight, hinting that the beefy 29-year-old might have kept thin in the past by abusing drugs that cause weight loss. The prosecution posed hypothetical questions to an expert witness about whether cessation of methamphetamines or cocaine might result in rapid weight gain.

Frederick insisted that the only illegal drug he used was marijuana. He said his overeating is stress-related, yet conceded that stress on the night of the shooting caused him to vomit several times.

“You’re not exactly wasting away from regret and remorse now, are you?” snapped prosecutor James Willett, who then flashed an image of skinny Frederick in an orange jumpsuit on a screen. With the thin Frederick towering over the chubby one, Willett told Frederick to rise, open his jacket and turn sideways .

The jurors in this case have plenty to ponder. The senseless death of a police officer in the line of duty. The deadly actions of a defendant who says he feared for his life. The testimony of sketchy witnesses.

And now this: Frederick’s jailhouse weight gain.



Kerry Dougherty, (757) 446-2306, kerry.dougherty@cox.net

 

[ROJO145]

Anyone,anyone,breaking into another mans home deserves to be shot!!Cops who dont identify themselves,deserve to be shot.As far as his weight,Anyone who has ever sat in jail will tell you thay you WILL gain weight,fuck the commasary shit.The diet is pure starch,designed to fatten,everything down to the climate is by design.They want you fat,and lazy.Everyone who sits in county jail gains weight,period.Now prison,,,,,,thats another story.

 

[~fvk~]

Damn... That's just plain sad... I mean for one, there's people who eat out of depression all the fucking time... And then there's gluttonous fat asses like the 90% of the people that probably fill the seats in the court room, with food being their drug of choice. Everyone has a crutch and when you take them away, they're gonna find a new one, whatever it is. Given the situation, some people are gonna read books, some people are gonna do sit ups, and apparently some are gonna eat... These fools are straight up grasping for straws...

I don't know how these people sleep at night? Do they seriously have no conscience or what? It bothers me just to read about this shit. He probably shouldn't have shot through his door but that's besides the point... The cops are in the wrong and have been this entire time. They're lying through their teeth and making shit up as they go along. They refuse to take responsibility for their own actions so they're doing whatever it takes to make the shit stick. I seriously HOPE they and their families meet some kind of horrible and painful demise, along with the prosecutors working the case. I know that's bad karma but people like that don't need to reproduce. They need to know what it feels like to lose everything and then some. I don't give a shit if it's their job or not, get a new one, like a real one?

Either way, I feel for this guy...

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Simple possession for a few grams and a bong.

They never found any plants and their burglar/snitch never turned in any plants.

They admitted into testimony they found grow gear in the attic of his garage in an attempt to discredit him, but no charges filed in connection with it.

According to this article (by the Virginian Pilot), he was indicted (charged) with manufacturing:

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/grand-jury-indicts-ryan-frederick-capital-murder-charge

A Chesapeake grand jury indicted the 28-year-old Portlock man Tuesday on charges of capital murder, use of a firearm during the commission of murder and manufacturing marijuana.

The grand jury indicted him on a charge of felony manufacturing or possession of marijuana with the intent to manufacture the drug.

I knew I wasn't imagining it!

 

[JJScorpio]

Hopefully the jury comes back today with a not guilty charge for the murder indictment. He should get time served for the manufacturing charge.

In a way the manufacturing charge could be a blessing. It gives the jury something to punish him for without having to find him guilty for the murder charge....

 

[SomeGuy]

According to this article (by the Virginian Pilot), he was indicted (charged) with manufacturing:

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/grand-jury-indicts-ryan-frederick-capital-murder-charge


I knew I wasn't imagining it!

Damn GrowTime, you are 100% correct.

My apologies for doubting you!!!!

 

[wantaknow]

makes me want to sign up for jury duty

 

[SouthernGuerila]

makes me want to sign up for jury duty

From my understanding, juries are selected from pools of registered voters... ??

 

[~fvk~]

From my understanding, juries are selected from pools of registered voters... ??

Yep. Like dude said, makes you want to register...

 

[SomeGuy]

Virginian Pilot

The Virginian-Pilot
© February 2, 2009

CHESAPEAKE

The prosecution in Ryan Frederick's murder trial made its closing argument this afternoon, calling Frederick a “Jekyll and Hyde” character who tried to lie his way out of responsibility for killing a police officer.

Special prosecutor Richard Conway spoke for about 90 minutes to the jury this afternoon, and spent much of that time pointing out what he called inconsistencies with Frederick’s story. Conway said Frederick lied to the police from the start of the investigation.

The defense will give its closing argument this afternoon, then the prosecution can give a short rebuttal argument.

The jury will begin deliberating tomorrow morning. When it does, it will have six options regarding charges in the death of Chesapeake police Detective Jarrod Shivers – acquittal or a conviction on capital murder, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter. That decision was made as the two sides hammered out what instructions will be given to the jury.

Frederick is charged with capital murder, using a firearm and manufacturing marijuana. He has admitted shooting at the police who were at his front door but has maintained he was firing in self-defense at what he thought were burglars.

 

[SomeGuy]

WTF!?!?! No coverage of the defense closing arguments from the Virginian Pilot? Maybe tomorrow as the claim jury deliberation began today.

Reason Magazine: Hit and Run

The Ryan Frederick Trial: Jurors Deliberate

Radley Balko | February 3, 2009, 9:12am

Yesterday, both sides in the Ryan Frederick trial made their closing arguments. This morning, the jury will begin their deliberations.

Ryan Frederick is the 28-year-old Chesapeake, Virginia man facing murder charges for killing a police officer during a drug raid (see this wiki for more on Frederick's case). Prior coverage of his trial here.

If you've been following the case, I'd encourage you read coverage from the Virginian-Pilot, and from the local Tidewater Liberty blog.

Some wrap-up odds and ends from the last few days of the trial:

• Last week, the defense called seven of Frederick's neighbors, one of whom was outside the night of the raid. All said they heard no police announcement, though neighbors did testify about hearing the battering ram.

• There's more significance to the neighbors' testimony than merely whether or not Frederick should have heard an announcement, though that's obviously important. The state made Frederick out to be a big-time drug dealer. Police informant Steven Wright said he bought marijuana from Frederick dozens of times over just a few months. That's dozens of drug deals from just one guy. Yet the police affidavit notes that surveillance on Frederick's home showed no unusual activity. And Frederick's neighbors—people who you'd think would want a hardened, drug-dealing, cop-killing neighbor out of their community—have not only defended him in the media, they've testified in his defense at his trial.

• The Virginian-Pilot's John Hopkins has done a splendid job covering this case. I've rarely seen a local reporter cover a botched raid so well. Hopkins refused to take police statements about the raid at face value. He did his own reporting, and uncovered some significant flaws in the case. At the start of the trial, Special Prosecutor Paul Ebert put Hopkins on his witness list, which effectively barred Hopkins from the courtroom, which meant he could no longer report on the case. But Ebert never called Hopkins to testify. Sneaky way to get a good reporter off your butt.

• The person who could shed the most light on the truth in this case never testified. That would be Renaldo Turnbull, the informant/burglar that Hopkins and I interviewed. That he didn't testify isn't surprising. He wouldn't have been helpful to either side. The state would have to deal with his revelations to Hopkins and I that the police were encouraging their informants to illegally break into homes to collect probable cause. Once the judge ruled before the trial that the search warrant for Frederick's home was valid, Frederick's attorneys no longer had much of a reason to bring up Turnbull's allegations. They would have had to deal with a guy who's still facing a host of his own criminal charges, and is at the mercy of the state. There's also obviously a huge risk to the defense in going after the integrity of the police, particularly the integrity of the cop your client admits to shooting.

If there's ever an outside investigation of the issues that have surfaced in this case (and there really should be), Turnbull ought to be the first person investigators speak to, and the first to whom they grant immunity.

• Frederick's biggest problem is that in the interviews he gave with police shortly after the raid, he misled them about growing marijuana. I could be mistaken, but from what I can tell, he didn't out and out lie—he said there were no marijuana plants in his home at the time of the raid, and there weren't. But he neglected to say he had plants before the break-in by the police informant three nights earlier.

It's not difficult to believe that Frederick both legitimately feared for his life the night of the raid (fearing, perhaps, that informant Steven Wright and friends had come to harm him), and realized that if he admitted in those interrogations to both killing a cop and growing marijuana, his days were numbered.

Of course, Frederick wasn't obligated to talk to the police at all that night. And he certainly wasn't obligated to implicate himself. But that he did talk but then wasn't forthcoming about growing marijuana will almost certainly hurt his credibility with the jury.

• Oddly, at the same time, the recordings of those police interrogations could also save Frederick. They clearly show a frightened, nervous, confused man, who weeps and vomits when he contemplates that he's just taken another life. They don't depict the enraged, calculating cop killer prosecutors tried to make Frederick out to be.

• Yesterday, the judge decided to allow the jury to consider lesser charges for Frederick, including first and second degree murder, and voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution consented to adding the lesser charges.

On the one hand, this would seem to show that the prosecution isn't all that confident in its case (which, if true, would be one of the few signs of intelligence they've shown in two weeks). On the other hand, allowing for lesser charges also gives the jury the option of holding Frederick culpable for (a) growing marijuana, and (b) killing a law enforcement officer who had come to his home because of that marijuana, while at the same time giving them the sense that they're punishing the police for poor procedure, and the prosecutors for their insulting performance in court.

If I had to make a prediction, I'd say the jury convicts on both the drug and gun charge, and convicts Frederick of some sort of manslaughter. The state didn't prove distribution (their only evidence that Frederick grew the marijuana for anything other than personal use was testimony from their lying informant), but I could see the jury wanting to punish Frederick for lying to the police. A murder charge in Virginia requires proof of malice, and the only evidence the state offered of malice, again, came from informants with criminal records who were shown at trial to be repeated liars. Frederick's taped interrogations, on the other hand, clearly show remorse.

Whatever the jury decides, this is an ugly tragedy all around. And entirely preventable. Amazing how paternalism can so quickly manifest itself as bloodshed. The last couple of weeks have embodied so many of the insidious elements of the drug war, from the home invasions to the informant tips and shoddy police investigations to the jailhouse snitch testimony and the chilling, horrifying feeling that with one life ended and another effectively ruined, we've been through all of this before. And it's just a matter of time before we go through it all again.

 

[JJScorpio]

I can't believe the jury in this case. I expected a quick aquital, instead they have now asked to see pieces of physical evidence again.

 

[JJScorpio]

The jury went home for the night and will continue tomorrow. They had asked to see the door and the ram the cops used. I have a bad feeling they are going to come back with one of the lesser manslaughter charges against him....

 

[Tranc3R]

I certainly hope not, this story makes me sick to my gut. If he does get manslaughter charge i will have lost faith in general society (not that i might already have).

 

[~fvk~]

They'll probably will charge him with manslaughter and not even involuntary at that. Why the hell do they need to see the damn door? I think they're taking themselves way too seriously. Really, this should be an easy decision to make... The policia's stories are the ones that are inconsistent... What do the police get charged with though? Like I said, hope bad things happen to them and theirs... And yeah rats, you'll get yours too...