can anyone show some news or updates?
you gotta get through the small fires before you can get to the source
Beware of Prosecutors Bearing Gifts
One of the unexpected items in the Ryan Frederick preliminary hearing was the dropping of the charge for possession of marijuana. The first reaction to that news might be relief that at least that is one thing Frederick doesn’t have to worry about. But since that was the one charge that appeared to be a slam dunk conviction, dropping it seems to be irrational, and prosecutors seldom do things without a reason.
So, what is different about that charge and the more serious murder and firearms charges? Well, for a start, the possession charge rests entirely on the results of the search warrant, while the others are supported by testimony from the police.
What if there is a serious problem with the warrant? Is it possible that the possession charge was dropped in order to keep those problems from the eyes of the jury when considering the more serious charges? And what if the problems with the warrant reflect on the other testimony from the police?
The last thing any citizen would want to believe is that a police officer would use deception to obtain a warrant, but there are some serious credibility problems here. Let’s look at the original affidavit used to obtain the search warrant. You can view it at http://tinyurl.com/4ld4bf
The affidavit requesting the warrant maintains that the confidential informant had a long history of providing reliable evidence to the officer requesting the warrant and that the officer had participated in controlled buys with the informant. But other events have called the reliability and history of this informant into question, and he is now believed to be a fugitive. What if it turns out that the reliability of the informant and depth of the investigation were exaggerated in the course of persuading the magistrate to issue the warrant? Might that not get the original warrant challenged and further call into question the credibility of the officer who obtained the warrant?
Well, the warrant was obtained by none other than Det. Kiley Roberts, the prime witness against Frederick in the murder charge. If the warrant were made relevant to the testimony by prosecuting the possession charge, the doubts about the warrant could cast doubt on all of his testimony under cross examination.
I would not accuse Det. Roberts of consciously lying to convict an innocent man, but a fellow police officer and friend died as a result of this mishandled investigation and raid, and it is only human, when things go so horribly wrong, to see things in a light that shifts responsibility to others. It is this human ability to refuse to see what we cannot bear, rather than malice toward Frederick, that I believe is driving this prosecution, which to those of us who see it from a distance, seems so irrational.
The Chesapeake Police Department must be more open with the public and accept its responsibilities in this tragedy if they are to win back the trust of the public which has been lost due to this disaster and the ensuing obfuscation. Trust does not come from never making a mistake, but from how we acknowledge and correct mistakes when they occur.
This entry was posted on May 30, 2008 at 6:17 pm and is filed under Ryan Frederick Case. Tagged: Chesapeake Police, Ryan Frederick. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Frederick Case goes to Grand Jury
May 27, 2008
As promised, I went to the Chesapeake General District Court to attend the preliminary hearing for Ryan Frederick. Along with Rick Caldwell, starting at 9 AM, I sat in Courtroom A, as directed by the posted docket for the court. We waited through many minor cases but when the scheduled 10 AM passed, I went back to the posted docket to check for a change. Seeing none, I returned to Courtroom A and waited till the end of business, with no reference to Ryan Frederick. Only as I left did I learn the case had been heard in the Appeals Court Courtroom. No announcement had been made, nor was the posted docket updated at any time. So much for public notice of public hearings.
So, I must rely on the mainstream media’s (who were notified of the change) reports to comment on today’s proceedings. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Ryan Frederick Case | Tagged: Ryan Frederick | Permalink
Posted by Don Tabor
Stacy Davis Reporting
Police Informant in Fatal Pot Raid Revealed
Police Informant in Fatal Pot Raid Revealed
One informant's word.
That's all it took to convince police to raid a home in Chesapeake...a drug raid that would end in the shooting death of 34-year-old Detective Jarrod Shivers.
Now the gunman himself, 28-year-old Ryan Frederick, has revealed the identity of that informant. And NewsChannel Three has learned that informant is now a wanted man...on the run from the law.
In January, that informant told police that Frederick was growing pot at his house. That he saw a scale, packaging items, grow lights and marijuana plants. On January 17th, police broke through the front door of Frederick's Portlock home executing a search warrant for those drugs based on that tip. Frederick opened fire, saying he did not know it was police bursting through his door. He said he thought it was an intruder breaking in because he recently had had someone stealing from his home. In the end, Shivers would die and police would find only a small misdemeanor stash of pot inside. Frederick now sits behind bars charged with first degree murder.
So who is the informant who set off this tragic chain of events? Who is the informant who led police to raid the home of a soda-delivery man with nothing more than a speeding ticket on his record? According to the affidavit for the search warrant that informant is the only source for the raid. There were no corroborating confidential informants. There was no surveillance. There were no undercover dope buys. So who was the sole source for police?
NewsChannel Three has learned he's a 20-year-old with a troubled employment record, who's character has been questioned by multiple sources, and who has a criminal record.
NewsChannel Three has his full name and even has a mug shot, but we are only identifying him by his first name, Steven, because police tell us they are certainly not going to confirm a police informant's name to a reporter.
But in letters to his family, Ryan Frederick identifies Steven as the "confidential informant." Frederick knew him. Steven was dating the sister of Frederick's fiance. Family members tell NewsChannel Three that Frederick accused Steven of stealing something from Frederick's home. Steven got mad and threatened to come back to Frederick's house.
According to multiple sources, Steven worked at Bullies, a Chesapeake restaurant and bar. The owner tells NewsChannel Three that Steven was fired...not once, but twice. The second time came after he had threatened to burn the owner. In fact, according to court records, the owner charged Steven with trespassing and had to take him to court to get him to stop coming in the bar.
According to court records, Steven also has a criminal history. He was arrested on January 15th for grand larceny for stealing a woman's credit cards in Chesapeake. He was also charged with credit card fraud for trying to use those credit cards. Two days after that arrest, police would make the raid on Frederick's home. Did Steven tell police about a possible drug stash in Frederick's home in exchange for dropping his charges? We don't know. But, a few months later, that grand larceny charge WAS dismissed. Those credit card charges WERE nolle prosequi or set aside. That was April.
Now Newschannel Three has learned that those charges have recently resurfaced, in the form of direct indictments. Steven was supposed to be in court last week to face those charges. He was a no show. Now a judge has issued a capias for Steven's arrest. He's listed as a fugitive five times over in Chesapeake court records.
We went to the address listed in those court documents. It's his parents' condo. Steven's father told us he had no idea where Steven is. He said he didn't think Steven would want to talk to a reporter about his knowledge of Ryan Frederick and closed the door on us.
Ryan Frederick's preliminary hearing on first degree murder is less than two weeks away.
28 posted on Monday, May 19, 2008 05:58:38 AM by gieriscm
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does any one know where it was found? I was mowing my lawn and found a 44 mag case once and I have never owned a 44. who knows could have come from some one else before the incident.The police deny any of their officers fired a shot but have offered no explanation for the .223 casing
I agree with your opinion however there is still a legality issue in Va for shooting through a door.In my opinion, a person is justified in firing at someone attempting to break down their door as malicious intent should be assumed when a door is breached unless you know for sure it is the police
what are you doing to make yourself the target of an investigation? I am willing to bet nothing. So therefore you should continue to live with out worry. I will have to check your site tomorrow as it is blocked for some reason here at work.I live here and I no longer rest easy in my bed, not out of fear of criminals, but out of fear that the police might place me in a no win situation in their zeal to dominate the populace.
ErikF, do warrants ever get served to the wrong address or person?what are you doing to make yourself the target of an investigation? I am willing to bet nothing.
Because warrants are always delivered to the right address and right personSo therefore you should continue to live with out worry.
go figure, read the blog.I will have to check your site tomorrow as it is blocked for some reason here at work.
Erik F is a diffrent person who posts on THR also, I am Eric FErikF, do warrants ever get served to the wrong address or person?
Maybe a coincidence? how are you sure it was a chesapeake detective?Since writing about this incident on the Tidewater Liberty Blog and being interviewed on the matter on WTKR, wy wife and I have been followed on at least one occasion, and possibly others, by unmarked Chesapeake police cars (white Crown Vic, spotlight, police bumper, blue license plate, no other markings) when going out for dinner and to Home Depot. Not just on the highway, but into the parking lot where he parked and waited while we went inside.
could have made you a target. For the record I have absolutly no problem with speaking out against(pick some one). You have a Right to do so.(it also means not every one has to agree with you, added for the benifit of others) I am not sure I would worry about it though. I have been tailed for long distances before for no reason that I am aware of, you just need to keep going about your business.being interviewed on the matter on WTKR,
Since writing about this incident on the Tidewater Liberty Blog and being interviewed on the matter on WTKR, wy wife and I have been followed on at least one occasion, and possibly others, by unmarked Chesapeake police cars (white Crown Vic, spotlight, police bumper, blue license plate, no other markings) when going out for dinner and to Home Depot. Not just on the highway, but into the parking lot where he parked and waited while we went inside.
That is a bit intimidating, but I have my attorney on speed dial on my cell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_JohnstonI am doing nothing illegal therefore I do not live in fear of the law coming to break my door down.
Yeah, and cops weren't following that kid in Missouri who got the cop fired who threatened him on video...Awwww, how cute. Don clearly thinks so highly of himself that he believes there's a conspriracy against him. As if anyone really cares, that this "crusader" spoke out against systen on a blog no one reads.
And maybe Kathryn Johnston really WAS selling drugs...Ever consider that maybe your driving just sucks?