The Day the Police Never Showed....again
Malicious wounding as defined by the VA criminal code is the act of shooting, stabbing, cutting, wounding, or causing bodily injury with the intention to maim, injure, disfigure, disable, or kill.
If you cause serious bodily injury without intent, the charge is unlawful wounding.
A charge of aggravated malicious wounding is when the victim is severely injured, and caused permanent physical damage or disfigurement.
What are the penalties for Malicious / Unlawful Wounding in VA?
Under Virginia criminal code, Malicious Wounding is a Class 3 felony, which carries with in penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Unlawful wounding is a class 6 felony, with a penalty of up to 5 years in prison.
Aggravated Malicious Wounding is designated as a Class 2 felony, which carries with it a prison sentence of 20 years to life.
Approximately two years ago a young man was assaulted in the Town House Development on Hunting Path Lane. Upon getting back to his house he did the right thing and called for rescue. The rescue squad came and the police were sent. Unfortunately there was a Town of Haymarket Police Officer working. He responded and took the information from the victim and said he would begin the investigation based on the known perpetrators of the crime. The victim was never photograhped nor was a formal statement ever obtained from the victim.
Fast forward 8 months. The man and his parent contact the local police to see what is going on with the case. The known suspects are still at large and are infact never been questioned or detained and now openly laugh at the fact that "they got away" with the "ass whipping."
The officer never returns phone calls never meets with the victims when asked at the station and never contacts either of them. Repeated phone messages go unanswered and the officer openly states "f*** him" and smiles when asked at the old PW's Eatery.
The parents now begin to question the proper way to investigate the crime. The father contacts Paul Ebert the Commonwealth Attourney for Prince William County. He then asks the Criminal Investigations Commander to look into this incident. He then contacts the Haymarket Police Department to see where the investigaion is going. Repeatedly he is never contacted by the officer, he sends officers to the station to get the report that was done the day of the assault only to find that there is no report there.
The commander assigns Detective S. Fuller of investigations who goes to the station and discovers that not only is the report missing, in fact no report was ever done. No evidence was ever collected and no attempt was ever made to contact or interview the suspects.
To his credit Detective Fuller of Prince William Police begins the job that should have been done over one year ago and does a good job, within 5 weeks all the suspects are interviewed, confess, and are charged and convicted of Malicous Wounding in Prince William County Court.
Why did the chief never do anything to this officer?
The officer who handled this case was the Chief - James Roop!
