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Prosecutor rejects calls for grand jury over allegations police shot Columbine student
AP | 1/3/02 | Steven K. Paulson

Posted on 01/03/2002 1:02:42 PM PST by Native American Female Vet

Prosecutor rejects calls for grand jury over allegations police shot Columbine student

By Steven K. Paulson, Associated Press, 1/3/2002 16:50

LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) Federal and county prosecutors Thursday refused to convene a grand jury to look into allegations that a police officer accidentally killed a student during the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

Gov. Bill Owens said he would not ask for an investigation, and U.S. Attorney John Suthers said no federal crimes have been alleged.

''You have to believe there was criminal conduct to convene a grand jury. We have no reason to believe there was anything criminal that took place during the investigation,'' said Pam Russell, spokeswoman for Jefferson County District Attorney Dave Thomas.

The parents of some of the slain Columbine students have said they have proof that an officer accidentally shot student Daniel Rohrbough and that authorities tried to conceal it.

During a news conference Wednesday, the student's father, Brian Rohrbough, played a tape recording of a voice he identified as Arapahoe County sheriff's Deputy Jim Taylor describing his son's shooting. The man on the tape says he was dispatched to Columbine when gunfire broke out.

''I'm right there and I see this through my window . .. You could hear glass breaking, you could see kids running everywhere, and that's when I see the boy coming down the sidewalk, you know, and I see him just fall down,'' the man says. The man says he recognized the boy as Rohrbough's son through a photo in a newspaper the next day.

The recording was made without Taylor's knowledge 11 months after the shootings during dinner with Daniel Rohrbough's mother, Sue Petrone, and her husband, a longtime friend of Taylor's, Brian Rohrbough said.

In a statement taken by the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office on Monday, Taylor said the only thing he told the Petrones was what he had seen on television and read in newspapers. Taylor did not return calls left with the sheriff's office seeking comment.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sullivan said he was disturbed by the apparent contradictions and had asked to meet with Rohrbough.

According to authorities, Columbine students Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 12 students and a teacher during the April 20, 1999, attack before committing suicide.

On the Net:

Columbine Commission report:

http://www.state.co.us/columbine


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 01/03/2002 1:02:44 PM PST by Native American Female Vet
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To: Native American Female Vet; Nov3; Critter
The coverup continues.
2 posted on 01/03/2002 1:09:04 PM PST by Fred Mertz
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To: Fred Mertz
The lack of accountability of police and protection by prosecutors (local and fed.) makes it easier for any thug the dept. hires to 'just follow orders'.
3 posted on 01/03/2002 1:18:45 PM PST by monkeywrench
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To: Native American Female Vet
You'd think the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office would welcome an investigation like this. It would prove that at least one cop actually drew and fired his weapon during the whole incident instead of cowering behind vehicles.
4 posted on 01/03/2002 1:22:32 PM PST by randog
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To: Fred Mertz
This type of action truly gives me faith in the police and law enforcement in general. I knew that this was inevitable. There is no accountability for SWAT types.

A street cop is led on a high speed chase and has to deal with a suspect resisting arrest and shoots him. He is crucified. This guy shows up empties a magazine and a half out of an MP-5 into a crowd of children killing one without a perp in sight and he skates????? What the heck. Shouldn't this be reversed?

REAL COPS DON'T CARRY SUBMACHINEGUNS, WEAR FACE MASKS AND BLACK UNIFORMS, USE GRENADES, AND KICK IN PEOPLE'S DOORS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. SWAT ACTIONS ARE DESTROYING THE MORAL AUTHORITY OF THE POLICE.

5 posted on 01/03/2002 4:35:14 PM PST by Nov3
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To: Native American Female Vet
I'm shocked...SHOCKED, I tell you.

This is obviously the work of LEO-haters, because these Cops didn't do anything wrong...and we will make SURE that the public believes they did nothing wrong by NOT INVESTIGATING TO SEE IF THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG!!!

OK...nothing to see...nothing to see here serfs...er, citizens...move along...BbbaaaaAAAAAHHH!!!

Folks, vote with your feet and dollars...LEAVE THESE COMMIE-SOCIALIST States behind and come to the Red Zone!

6 posted on 01/03/2002 4:56:35 PM PST by Itzlzha
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