Officer's ex-mother-in-law testifies about alleged death threat against her

By Sarah Langbein, Rocky Mountain News
October 20, 2004

An emotional letter to police officer James Turney, pleading with him to play a bigger role in his son's life, led to a death threat against his ex-mother-in-law, she testified Tuesday.

That was one day before he shot and killed Paul Childs.

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Tuesday was the first day of testimony in Turney's appeal of the discipline he received in April - 10 months without pay.

Manager of Safety Al LaCabe suspended Turney for two incidents: the July 5, 2003, shooting of the developmentally disabled teen, who was approaching Turney with a knife, and for the alleged threat against his ex-mother-in-law, Rozella Orme.

The shooting caused an outcry throughout the city. Community leaders called for Turney's firing, while Denver police officers marched and rallied in his support, saying he did what officers are trained to do.

The shooting has led to an overhaul in police use-of-force policy, retraining of Denver police and a proposal to go before voters next month that would provide more civilian oversight of the department.

Turney's lawyers are appealing the discipline handed down by LaCabe, saying that the decision was unlawful, arbitrary and ignored the evidence.

"What Jim Turney did was according to his training," Turney's lawyer, Doug Jewell, said in his opening arguments. "They just want to say we need someone to blame."

City attorneys countered, saying that Turney used poor judgment and poor tactical maneuvers.

"Here, those tools went out the window," City Attorney Jack Wesocky said.

Orme, who lives in Iowa, was the first witness questioned in the officer's appeal.

Remaining mostly composed, Orme described a caring relationship between her family and Turney, even after his divorce from her daughter.

But her demeanor changed, and she cried at times, during testimony about a July 4, 2003, phone call with Turney.

Orme said that Turney called her after receiving her letter and said, "I will put a bullet in the middle of your head."

"I hung up the phone immediately," she said.

Orme cares for Turney's 10-year-old son three days a week while his mother works out of town.

She testified that she wrote Turney to urge him to spend more time with the boy. She said she detailed the 10-year-old's personality changes, including depression, because of his father's lack of attention.

Turney has admitted calling Orme and using vulgar expletives but, his lawyers said, he threatened only to take her to court for telling the boy "garbage."

Orme said it was worse than that.

"I was very frightened," she said. "My mind went in a thousand directions."

At the time, Orme thought that Turney was in Omaha, visiting his mother. She believed he was driving to Iowa to hurt her, she testified.

She asked her husband to take the boy and leave, she said.

"I was afraid he would kill them also," Orme said, crying.

Orme said she decided not to press charges, in part, because she was afraid what Turney would do if she did.

"If he lost his job, he would have come back and killed me and my family," Orme said.

Orme cried when she talked of her daughter. At one point she said she decided to call police only after her daughter insisted she do so.

"She said 'Mom, you and Dad are all I have. Call the police,' " Orme said.

Turney didn't have the opportunity to respond to the charges but is expected to take the stand today.

langbeins@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2536. Staff writer Brian D. Crecente contributed to this report.

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