Police Say Tacoma Suspect Told Others He Would Shoot Officers

[TPaine7]

Source: New York Times

SEATTLE — A man suspected of gunning down four uniformed officers in a suburb of Tacoma, Wash., early Sunday told people in advance of the shooting to “watch TV tomorrow, I’m going to shoot some cops,” according to the investigators.

“Unfortunately, nobody reported that,” said Hunter George, a spokesman for Pierce County, whose Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation. Mr. George said police have detained “a few people” who had been in contact with the suspect, Maurice Clemmons, 37, in the last two days, but it was not clear whether they would face charges.

The police said that Mr. Clemmons had recently been arrested in Pierce County and charged with assaulting a police officer and raping a child.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/01tacoma.html?_r=1&hp

---

If it is true that Mr. Clemmons assaulted a police officer, raped a child and killed four officers, Mike Huckabee is a political dead man walking. I hope they get this scumbag, dead or alive (assuming of course that he's actually guilty).

And I look forward to a Palin / Joe the Plumber ticked in 2012 (as funny as that is).

All my best to the child, the families of the officers, and the community.

[liberalmuse]

1. What is a child rapist doing out of prison, anyway?

Jesus.

[paulsby]

2. he got bailed for 150k

which as a repeat convicted felon with the pending charges of child rape and assault on a police officer, is a bit low, to put it mildly.

imnsho

[vadawg]

5. yup seemed kinda low to me too, sorry for the loss mate

i just heard about it a while ago in roll call, makes one say an extra prayer before heading out...

[The abyss]

10. Paulsby good to hear from you.

Sorry to hear about this event. I’ve been thinking about you as of late.

Yea, I know, we often don’t agree.

But – hang in there!

The abyss

[paulsby]

14. thx

it was quite a gutcheck when i found out sunday. saturday night was awesome, wife and i got 1st and 2nd place in a poker tournament (i got 1st!), had a good night, looking forward to going back to work monday. Sunday morning wake up, still oblivious, drive to my massage appointment and BOOM! the news drops. just been a bad month for law enforcement in western washington. just as a pure wild assed guess, since these types of assassinations are relatively rare, and we now have had this second one, with no apparent connection, it could well be a copycat. most criminals aren't very inventive.

[The abyss]

15. Take care my friend.

Actually I saw this proposal in the early 70s. I considered it hype then.

Do you remember the “upside-down” flag warnings from the intelligence units? Crock of shit!

I don’t know what to consider now.

You just stay cool.

[tavalon]

18. I knew you were a cop

I hadn't realized you are a local cop. I'm so sorry about this. It probably is a copycat but it still sucks. I hope they find that useless excrement soon.

[depakid]

23. Wonder who arranged the bail?

The indemnitor is not going to be very happy.

[paulsby]

26. Jail Sucks Bail Bonds

out of chehalis.

and no, i am not making the name up

[quiller4]

12. He is accused of 3rd degree rape of a child. He has not been convicted

the bail set was quite high but he put his house up for the bond and his brother raised $8,000 cash and thus he was able to bail on the condition that he wear an ankle monitor.

[quiller4]

13. 3rd degree is the charge for having sexual intercourse with somebody 14-16

if the other is at least 4 years older than the victim. This charge does not imply that force was used (RCW 9A.44.0779)

[SeattleGirl]

27. I thought it was second degree.

I haven't heard any updates on that particular charge today.

[DeSwiss]

16. The only question that remains then....

...is why he was granted bail at all since he's a http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412750_pierceco30.html">wanted fugitive from the state of Arkansas.

- And the girl he's accused of raping was 12......

[paulsby]

22. does whoopi

concede this was "rape rape"?

[paulsby]

20. he is accused of two felonies

the rape charge and the assault on a cop (punch in the face) AND he's a multiple times convicted felon. in light of that, imo, the bail was set too low. i realize this is 20.20 hindsight, and even if the bail was set appropriately, he still could have bailed out.

[vadawg]

25. wow cant believe he got bond at all, just for the simple assault on a cop there would be no bail

here and coupled with the other stuff theres no way i could see him getting bail....

[freeplessinseattle]

21. guess that ankle monitor was pretty useless n/t

[Faygo Kid]

3. I wouldn't have used a laughing smilie for your post.

Given the circumstances. But maybe that's just me.

[TPaine7]

4. Mea culpa

I actually posted that accidentally as I was trying to edit it out.

Changed. There's nothing remotely funny about child rape or murder, and though the thought a Palin / Joe ticket is funny, the smilie was out of place.

[Faygo Kid]

6. No problemo. We all have actions here we wish we could take back.

I've pulled a few bonehead stunts here on DU in my time. Thanks for acknowledging that the smilie wasn't appropriate in this instance. And we move on from here. . .

[slackmaster]

7. D'OH!

If someone said to me that he was planning to kill some cops, I'd sure as fuck call the cops and report it, and right away.

That is partly a result of a traumatic experience I had as a child. When I see something that looks like a problem, I don't hesitate to act even if action carries a risk making an ass of myself.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. Whoa!

From the article:

Nine years ago in Arkansas, The Seattle Times reported, Mr. Clemmons was released from prison after Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted his lengthy prison sentence, over the protests of prosecutors.

[greennina]

9. Last time Huckabee did this...

it didn't hurt his career one bit. Those xtians are crazy. You're assuming they're going to use logic. They don't even know what that is.

[DeSwiss]

24. Yeah, but back then.....

...the accused had been convicted of raping a cousin of then-former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton. So politics played a role in 'Ol Huck's decision.


- Likewise, this graphic didn't exist back then either:


From 1996 through July 2004, Arkansas had more clemencies than
all neighboring states combined. One-third of Texas clemencies
were for people convicted with planted evidence. http://www.arkansasleader.com/frontstories/st_08_11_04/huckabee8.html">Link

[Pavulon]

11. I assume for the dont talk to police crowd

this is a victory? Really if someone says shit like that, call the police. I would feel pretty shitty if I failed to warn on a person who later did this.

[DeSwiss]

17. K&R

[annm4peace]

19. Huckabee pardoned a 16 year old Clemmons

who had not killed someone.

Sadly it is coming out a little bit at a time that Mr Clemmons has mentally illness and had episodes of severe paranoia. There is so much mental illness in this country.

Just like the Ft. Hood "killer" / "terrorist".. he had been displaying violent and paranoid behavior.

If there were more mental health resources and if mental health professionals could be called out in crisis situations, instead of just waiting for shootings, or other violence to happen, maybe some lives wouldn't be destroyed.

My heart goes out to the police officer's killed and their families and friend.

but honestly, my heart also goes out to Mr Clemmon's family also and others who have hostile and violent mental illness and their loved ones who frustratingly try to find them help.