Lawyer: Phoenix Police Officer Charged With Murder

[DeSwiss]

Lawyer: Phoenix police officer charged with murder

AZCentral | By Bob Christie | Oct. 14, 2010 01:08 PM | (AP)

A Phoenix police officer has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge for the on-duty shooting of a suspect, his lawyer said Thursday.

Officer Richard Chrisman was served a summons on the indictment, attorney Craig Mehrens said. The indictment also charged him with aggravated assault and misdemeanor cruelty to animals. He had been previously charged with aggravated assault but remains free on bail.

Chrisman allegedly pulled his pistol, put it against 29-year-old Danny Frank Rodriguez's head and told him he didn't need a warrant when Rodriguez ordered him out of his house on Oct. 5. Over the next few minutes, authorities say, Chrisman shocked Rodriguez with a stun gun, shot his pit bull, then finally fatally shot Rodriguez, according to a court document.

Records show another officer told investigators he saw no reason for Chrisman to shoot.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/10/14/20101014phoenix-police-officer-shooting-arrest-prosecutor14-ON.html">MORE

[Coventina]

1. Good news! And I'm glad he's also being charged wi/ animal cruelty

:thumbsup:

[Angry Dragon]

2. A sickness has invaded this country

[rurallib]

3. starting to sound like those old, bad cops and robbers TV shows.

[JTFrog]

4. K&R

[JonLP24]

5. Good news

At first he was charged with aggravated assault and I said to myself, WTF? I was thinking at least manslaughter.