The Denver Posteditorial
Turney should be fired
Friday, April 02, 2004 -
Police Chief Gerry Whitman's recommendation of a 20-day suspension without pay for the cop who shot and killed a mentally disabled 15-year-old boy last July is a pitifully insufficient response for the conduct involved.
Officer James Turney fatally shot Paul Childs, 15, after the youth failed to drop an 8 1/2-inch kitchen knife in the doorway of his Denver home. Police had been summoned there on a disturbance call after Childs threatened family members with the weapon. Turney charged up to the door even though two other officers, equipped with less-lethal Tasers, were already in position. The devices disable a subject with high-voltage electricity. One officer, however, had put away one of the Tasers and drawn a firearm. The killing of the teenager caused a huge outcry among community activists. The Childs shooting was the second killing of a disabled person in which Turney was involved. In January 2002, he and Sgt. Robert Silvas fatally shot Gregory Smith Jr., a hearing-impaired 18-year-old who didn't drop a knife when ordered. Two police disciplinary panels recommended punishments ranging from a written reprimand urged by the Discipline Review Board, which includes civilians, to a 30-day suspension without pay suggested by the Firearm Discharge Review Board, made up of division chiefs and the officer's commander. Neither of those suggestions nor the 20 days suspension are commensurate with Turney's actions, in our judgment. Turney recklessly and needlessly placed himself in danger, precluding the options of just waiting Childs out or disarming him without killing him. Last October, District Attorney Bill Ritter cleared Turney of any criminal wrongdoing in the Childs shooting. But that doesn't put Turney on our A-list of top cops. Here's why: The day before the Childs shooting, Turney allegedly had telephoned a death threat to his former mother-in-law in Iowa. The misdemeanor charge was later dropped under an agreement reached with Iowa authorities. Turney must stay away from the woman for five years. The deal allowed him to continue to legally possess a firearm. Taken together, these incidents tell us that Turney shouldn't be carrying a gun and a badge in Denver. His judgment seems poor to nonexistent, and, as we've said before, he should be fired from the force, not slapped on the wrist. Whitman's recommendation is subject to review by Manager of Safety Al LaCabe, who has 15 days to act. He may impose a lesser or more severe punishment than that recommended by Whitman. (The police union opposes any punishment for Turney.) We would urge LaCabe to do the right thing and dismiss Turney from the Denver Police Department. He is an embarrassment to his profession and a liability to the city. |