Texas Officer Charged In Shuttle Looting

AP ^ | 2/10/03

[11th Earl of Mar]

By JAMIE STENGLE

Associated Press Writer

February 10, 2003, 4:31 PM EST

LUFKIN, Texas --

A Texas law enforcement officer was arrested Monday on federal charges he stole pieces of space shuttle Columbia.

Harrison County Constable Robert Hagan II, 45, became the third person charged with looting shuttle debris that dropped onto the countryside.

Hagan was charged with theft of government property for allegedly taking a piece of tile and other debris while helping with the recovery effort Feb. 1 and 2 in the Nacogdoches area.

"It is a particularly troubling day when an individual who swore to uphold the law is charged with stealing evidence and hindering this historic investigation," U.S. Attorney Michael Orwig said.

Officials are investigating 10 to 20 possible cases of people taking debris, Orwig said.

Hagan was scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon.

Court documents indicate Hagan showed some of the items to another law enforcement official, claiming he was allowed to keep them. A few days later, that law enforcement official notified authorities.

In Texas, constables are primarily responsible for serving court papers and working as courtroom bailiffs, though they sometimes write tickets, patrol or do other police work. They are elected to four-year terms.

Last week, federal authorities in Texas declared a three-day amnesty period during which anyone who stole pieces of the shuttle could return them without fear of prosecution. The period ended Friday afternoon.

Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

[headsonpikes]

I guess he figured it was just like taking drugs and cash from 'suspects'.

Accepted police procedure.

[DoughtyOne]

Ouch! That smarts.

[ErnBatavia]

Court documents indicate Hagan showed some of the items to another law enforcement official, claiming he was allowed to keep them.

"Good cops gone bad"....this was one smart cookie!

[and the horse you rode in on]

Hang him High.

There is no possible excuse.
No possible way he didn't know it was criminal.
Max him out.

[A. Morgan]

http://www.lufkindailynews.com/news/content/coxnet/shuttle/mnmstories/1044914339.16698.7370.1278.html

[cubreporter]

He knew it was wrong to do what he did. He of all people should stand above the crowd in doing what is right. Why would anyone want to keep a piece of this tragedy anyway? Souvenir? $$$$$ maker? Either way, it's a disgrace and he knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Get him out of there. We need to weed out the bad in law enforcement.

[TankerKC]

Accepted police procedure.

I'm familiar with the “Rules are for civilians” mentality of MANY cops. But, this guy was a constable. What are the duties and training of constable in Texas? Here in Alabama, they are a far cry from cops. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)

[misanthrope]

"Good cops gone bad"....

One down, 96% to go.........

[steplock]

Another example of subtle use of Propaganda:

"A Texas law enforcement officer was arrested" gives the impression of a police officer or, to north-east leftist pea-brains, a Texas Ranger gone bad. Just an impression, mind you. Enough to make a NEGATIVE thought appear.

Later in the article, you find that it is a "constable". In a sense he IS a law enforcement officer - but without the authority or responsibility.

Sneaky way of "opinion molding" don't you think?

[freeper12]

>>One down, 96% to go.........

Why, did we already find the outher 3.5%?

[Stat-boy]

What are the duties and training of constable in Texas?

I understand that each state has its own means of creating different classes of law enforcement. In Texas, all peace officers must meet the same standards; they (i.e., state troopers, city police, county sheriffs, constables, certain inspection officers, marshals, whatever) are all defined as a "peace officer"; all must attend a qualified academy and pass the same test to be licensed, and the license is the same. The one exception is for game wardens and other officers who may also be required to meet additional requirements.

I am aware that other states take a different approach.

[solo gringo]

Hang the guilty Bast@@d.

[ChemistCat]

How is impeding this investigation in any way at all different from premeditated attempted murder? How is it different from conspiring to blow up the next shuttle to launch? I don't see a moral difference....

Gotta find out what happened, and if it's preventable, before we send anybody else up in one of those.

(I'm starting to lean toward the various theories that say it was not preventable, though.)

[tall_tex]

Hang'm High, constables are LEO wantabe's for the most, many will aspire.

Saurday afternoon, the day of the disaster, a poster here on FR told us of an Ebay space shuttle debris auction starting at 21 Million. Ebay pulled it, but I hope that the two people arrested so far for snatchin and grabbin debris were involved.

[Centurion2000]

What are the duties and training of constable in Texas?

Constables were charged with prisoner transport and legally were the only guys that could arrest a Sherriff.

Stake this retard down for the ants.

[weegee]

I think that the Feb 1 2003 ebay auction was fraud (and to be prosecuted as such) since the seller (and coordinates listed) were in Germany. It wasn't a part of the shuttle (the seller claimed that it "could" be debris(???).