Officer down

[boxy]

No murder charge for man who fatally shot Texas deputy
Deputy was shot after entering a home with other officers looking for guns and marijuana

Feb 6, 2014

By Nomaan Merchant
Associated Press

DALLAS — A Central Texas man who shot and killed a sheriff's deputy entering his home will not be charged with capital murder, attorneys said Thursday.

A local grand jury declined Wednesday to indict Henry Goedrich Magee for the Dec. 19 death of Burleson County Sgt. Adam Sowders, who was part of a group of investigators executing a search warrant for Magee's rural home.
Sgt. Adam Sowders (Photo courtesy Burleson County Sheriff's Office)



Sowders and other officers entered the home about 90 miles northwest of Houston without knocking just before 6 a.m. Authorities were looking for guns and marijuana.

Magee's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said his client thought he was being burglarized, reached for a gun and opened fire.

DeGuerin has acknowledged his client had a small number of marijuana plants and seedlings, as well as guns he owned legally. The grand jury did indict Magee for possession of marijuana while in possession of a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony.

"This was a terrible tragedy that a deputy sheriff was killed, but Hank Magee believed that he and his pregnant girlfriend were being robbed," DeGuerin said in an interview Thursday.

"He did what a lot of people would have done," DeGuerin added. "He defended himself and his girlfriend and his home."

The longtime defense attorney said he could not immediately remember another example of a Texas grand jury declining to indict a defendant in the death of a law enforcement officer.

Julie Renken, the district attorney for Burleson County, said in a statement Thursday she thought the sheriff's office acted correctly during events that "occurred in a matter of seconds amongst chaos."

"I believe the evidence also shows that an announcement was made," Renken said. "However, there is not enough evidence that Mr. Magee knew that day that Peace Officers were entering his home."

Magee is still in custody in neighboring Washington County, but should be soon released on bond since he only faces a marijuana possession charge, DeGuerin said.

Renken said her office would "fully prosecute" that case.

The 31-year-old Sowders was a native of Somerville who had recently been promoted to a sergeant-investigator position.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press

Some justice in Texas: The raid on Henry Magee

Last December 19th, nine of the 10 members of the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department staged a raid on the rural home of Henry Magee. An informant had told Deputy Adam Sowders that Magee was running a major marijuana grow. They’d find 12-14 plants, all over six fee tall, the informant said. Magee also had, according to the informant, a vicious dog and several guns, one of which had been stolen from the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department.

By the time the raid was over, Deputy Adam Sowder was dead. Magee shot him as Sowder and his fellow deputies attempted to force their way into Magee’s home. Magee was arrested and charged with capital murder — the knowing and intentional killing of a police officer.

A subsequent search of Magee’s home by the Texas Rangers didn’t turn up any six foot pot plants. According to Dick DeGuerin, the well-known criminal defense attorney who took Magee’s case shortly after the raid, the police found two plants about six inches tall, less than an ounce of dried marijuana, and several seedlings. According to DeGuerin, Magee had four guns in his home, all of them legal, three of which were locked in a safe at the time of the raid. They also didn’t find the gun the informant claimed Magee had stolen. DeGuerrin says Magee’s allegedly vicious dog barked, but never attacked, even when the officers had Magee cuffed and on the ground.

Sounds like an informant needs to be looked at for providing false information. If it was deliberate...

[Super Nova]

I thought you could shoot people in Texas if they invade your home.

If the guy did nothing wrong and the cops didn't enter in the correct manner he would have a case for getting off.

[Outlaw Yogi]

Sounds like an informant needs to be looked at for providing false information. If it was deliberate...

Serves the kunt right for taking the word of a junkie.

Problem with coppers is their almost always psychopaths. That's why they join police gangs, for the right to stand over, extort and home invade members of the public on a govt's behalf.

If they were honest people it wouldn't be so bad, but trying to find a police sargeant without a stolen TV in his lounge room is like looking for kangaroo feathers or rocking horse shit.
Coppers lie more than junkies and steal as often as bikies.

In qld if your shed gets broken into and tools stolen it's most likely done by a junkie. But if your house gets broken into it's just as likely to have been coppers as black kids.

In 2009 I lived in a 30 ft caravan on the farm I worked on. The boss' (an ex copper) junkie daughter and her junkie boyfriend lived in one of 3 houses on the farm. The boyfriend went through a shed I has things stored and stole from me. I terrorised them, and went around to all the local junkies houses looking for my possesions, who just bad mouthed said boyfriend.
The daughter and boyfriend moved off the farm, and the boss was so happy he gave me a 3 bedroom house to live in for $100 per week.

The junkie daughter sought revenge by telling Bundy cops I had 200 dope plants on the farm.
A day prior to ANZAC day I was giving an old bloke who also lived (in 16 ft caravan in shed behind the house I got) and worked on the farm a lift into Bundy to buy food, as his ute had run out of rego.

We're cruising along 10kph under the speed limit with a radio scanner running. Jacks going in opposite direction turned around and came after me with lights flashing and siron blaring.
I had done nothing wrong, so got out of my panel van to see what his problem was and didn't bother putting my thongs on. Turns out it was a bent copper I'd made a fool of and proven a liar at a commital hearing (court) 7 years earlier.
He looked at my bare feet, took a step backwards and put his hand on an item on his batman belt. I thought "This prick's gunna taze me". Then had a closer look and saw he had his hand on his Glock 10mm pistol.
He made me put my hands up high on the back of the panel van to frisk me, then cuffed my hands behind my back. He pulled everything out of the back of the van looking for I don't really know what. There were 2 golf clubs, but there was also a golf ball - legal. There was a short length of chain, but it had padlocks on either end - legal.
Then he got me to go and sit near the old bloke who's eyes widened upon seeing me cuffed.

Bent copper's fat partner couldn't get the passenger door open and asked me how to do it.
So I stepped over the cuffs bringing my hands to the front to which he said "You've done this before" (which is correct). I said "Hold that button" while I leant in and opened the door from inside.
End result, nothing.

6 weeks later 4 carloads of Jacks turn up at my place looking for a dope crop. The front yard was full of ruts and holes in the long grass, and I stood on the verandah laughing at them falling over though the Cobbler's pegs/Farmers' friends prickles. They soon realise there was no dope crop, then wanted to come inside. Head cuntstable asked if there was anything dangerous in the house?. I replied "There's a rifle leaning up against the wall in the rear bedroom". They found my Ruger 10/22 with a gold star silencer and home made shell catcher, loaded and cocked with the safety on. Boss cop asked "Why is it loaded?". I replied "Because I was shooting the rats". He asked "What's the silencer for?" I replied "So the people across the road don't freak out and call you lot".
They also found a bong and a tiny cannabis bud in the pantry.

Before leaving my house to do more raids (I was 1st of 11 that day) they were disapointed that my computer (played video games on) wasn't hooked upto the net, that the phone in the lounge room wasn't connected and I didn't have a mobile/cell phone.

Back at Bundy cop shop, during an interview I agreed to boss cuntsable asked about the rifle.
I told him I bought it in Queensland in 1998 for $500 (which is true, I just didn't say I bought it in Gin Gin).

In court the prosecutor reading out boss cunstable's witness statement said I'd claimed to have "brought the rifle up from NSW about 5 years ago". I interjected with "That's incorrect".

When the magistrate asked me what I had to say for myself, I replied "Well about the gun, I knew it was illegal so I'll just have to cop it sweet, but with regards to the marajuana or cannabis or whatever you want to call it, I've had post traumatic syndrome since 2001 or 2002 and I'm annoyed that people think they've got the right to take my stuff and penalise me for it".

The gobbsmacked prosecutor just glared at me, and behing my back according to a cohort the audience were apparently just as surprised by my comments. The magistrate said her opinion didn't count and fined me $800 for the lot.

Meanwhile Bundy Jacks had broken into my house and searched it again (while I was in court). And the break ins (by Gin Gin cops) repeated every 2 weeks. Having some experience with AM bugs I knew the 1.5 volt battery only last 3 weeks so if they want to bug me for any length of time they had to keep breaking in to replace the battery.
Relising I was bugged, I gave them numerous performances. Whenever something came on TV about coppers, I rant and slag them off. made no difference, they still kept breaking in. And it sempt they wanted me to know I was being broken into. On one occasion the left a big screw driver they'd forced a window open with on the kitchen table.

I then went around to all the police station in the area taking photos of their own cars and when I found out where they lived I took photos of their houses, and then stuck them up on the wall in the loungeroom so when they broke in again they'd know I was doing surveilance on them. Made no difference, break ins continued.

I set steel jaw rabbit traps where they'd been jumping the side fence, but the some how knew and triggered them with sticks. Then I bought a spy camera from Dick Smith's for $200.

Whenever I wnt to Bundy white shirts would follow me on foot and paddy wagons would do laps of the block I was on. I was suspicious they were also spying on me while getting hair cuts, which turned out correct.
The female barber would ask general chit chat questions, and on one occasion I said "Gin Gin cops break into my house every 2 weeks". Stunned she asked "What?!" I repeated "Gin Gin cops break into my house every 2 weeks" then continued with "but that's OK, 'coz I've bought a spy camera and I'm going to put their faces on the net. The break ins stopped.

But they still watch me like a hawk. And it has been going on for 4 years now. This morning I was going to Bundy and before getting to Gin Gin a marked patrol car went the other wat towards Mt Perry. Just after going through Gin Gin headed for Bundy I noticed the same car tailing me, so I sat on 80kph in a 100 zone and eventually he overtook me and headed for Bundy.
Eventually they're going to have to raid me and get fuck all, or have to explain to a superior why they've expended so much reources and time on 1 bloke for no result.

[Super Nova]

[mantra]

I could imagine Queensland police being redneck cowboys like their yank counterparts in some states. Being black in the US wouldn't be much fun. They shoot first then ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdQwKNf ... 1428959035

[Outlaw Yogi]

But I'm not black, and I quit the bike scene just over 19 years ago.
So if a bikie can't be reformed, then likewise cops are arsewipes forever, even if they quit because their conscience can't handle their criminality and corruption.

I admit when I joined the club I was naive. I knew all outlaw clubs had individuals involved in criminal activity, but didn't know I was expected to be a criminal to be worthy of the club.

The whole outlaw biker scene is a load od shit, the brotherhood is bullshit, the supposed freedom from social compliance is also crap because outlaw clubs are paramilitary orgs just like police, but with a different uniform.

From my experience most older coppers are corrupt/bent arseholes and most of the younger new recruits far more decent reasonable people.

In a way I can understand why a young copper with high ideals becomes a corrupt fuckwit.
Eventually they work out the public hates them because they are used by govts as muscle/thug modern day tax collectors, so become resentfull toward the public they imagined they were supposed to protect.

[Super Nova]

Yogi,

I agree with your opinions.

When I first went to Sydney as a naive country boy I stayed in a boarding house in Waterloo that was 50% cop occupied. 50% were old timers. the others when to the local pig farm and were also countries boys.

What an insight. The older cops work Darlinghurst and were as corrupt as hell. Great introduction to the city for me because we went out with them in the Cross a few times... and well... the magic blue badge does buy some privileges. Went to my first illegal casino with them. Yum yum.... pure gangster stuff. I expect a few of these boys went down big time in a cop corruption scandal in the late 80s.

The recruits were not yet corrected and become friends with one.

As for bikers, I have known a few but never have been on the inside. Thanks for the opinion. The brotherhood has always sounded good to me but if it is all BS.... then I am glad I have stayed away. Had my chance when I was younger nocking around with a few lads in Sydney that became members. I just moved one with work and never saw them again.

Became friends with an Angel in London. I just kept his contact incase I need help with a problem outside the law. Never had to use it.... touch wood.

[boxy]

I thought you could shoot people in Texas if they invade your home.

If the guy did nothing wrong and the cops didn't enter in the correct manner he would have a case for getting off.

He did get off, on the shooting part. Not even manslaughter (that others, in similar situations have copped in the past). He had to convince the court that he didn't hear the cops identifying themselves (which they tried to do), for the defence to work.

[mantra]

From my experience most older coppers are corrupt/bent arseholes and most of the younger new recruits far more decent reasonable people.

They were once bent young coppers. Through the work I did 30 years ago - I spent a bit of time with them and paid for personal information on various people (which was illegal but no-one cared). They did me some amazing favours and at the time I took it for granted because that's just the way the police were. You didn't expect them to be any other way. It was the culture of the 70's and 80's.

Generally police are fairly decent if you look straight and are respectful towards them.

[Neferti]

From my experience most older coppers are corrupt/bent arseholes and most of the younger new recruits far more decent reasonable people.

They were once bent young coppers. Through the work I did 30 years ago - I spent a bit of time with them and paid for personal information on various people (which was illegal but no-one cared). They did me some amazing favours and at the time I took it for granted because that's just the way the police were. You didn't expect them to be any other way. It was the culture of the 70's and 80's.

Generally police are fairly decent if you look straight and are respectful towards them.

I've never had anything to do with Cops.