PROTECTING A KILLER

One has to wonder what was going through the minds of family and friends who went out of their way to provide help to a suspected cop killer.

Any one of them could have picked up a phone, and made the call to say, "He's here, and he needs medical help." By doing so, they would have received a $125,000 reward. That kind of money could have been a life–changing event.

Instead, they made the choice to mislead police, and they tried to provide rudimentary first aid. According to reports, they also provided money and transportation.

Then, it turns out, most of the “friends” have felony records, and at least one of them might have been a prison mate of the suspect while they were serving time in Arkansas.

Now, police have seven people in custody, and I think that prosecutors are charging five of them with felony rendering assistance. Maybe they will be looking at 60 months in prison. I hope the prosecutors will go for the maximum amount of charges, and sentence.

I think that by providing assistance to a killer, their behavior is just as bad as his. They should get the death penalty, or at the least, life in prison without the possibility of parole. Why? Clearly, society does not need this type of criminal–minded people among the rest of us.

My cousin, Percy Clark, was a Salt Lake City Police Detective who was killed on duty in 1973. Even after all these years, the pain never leaves the family. He left a wife and seven children. Here is a link: http://odmp.org/officer/3109-detective-percy-lindsay-clark

The Utah Peace Officers Association has a web site, including a memorial page that includes this poem.

Partners, please think kind thoughts, as you remember me,
It was God's will so my leaving was meant to be,
Hear the songs that speak of life's end,
And to my family, now with me gone, I hope you'll tend,
I loved the job; you know that's true,
And what made it so special was being partnered with each of you,
I'm up here now where all is good,
But I'll be watching as you patrol the 'hood,
For now and forever I'm 10-7,
But some day I hope we'll partner up again in Heaven.
Duane Preimsberger Ret . Assist. Sheriff, LASD