Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 15, 2006 10:22:44 GMT -5
Man indicted in officer's death and could face death penalty
Associated Press
CLEVELAND - A man indicted Thursday by a Cuyahoga County grand jury in last month's shooting death of a Cleveland police officer could face the death penalty if convicted.
Wilson Santiago, 37, of Cleveland, was charged with aggravated murder in the Aug. 30 death of Officer Jonathan Schroeder, 37, who was shot through a closed door. The bullet passed between panels of his bulletproof vest and hit him in the upper left chest.
The 27-count indictment also charged Santiago with attempted murder for allegedly firing on four other officers. None was wounded.
The other charges include 12 counts of rape and counts of gross sexual imposition, kidnapping, felonious assault and aggravated burglary in the attack on a woman Aug. 24 and Aug. 25.
Santiago has been jailed without bond since his arrest at the time of the shooting.
The indictment came amid a debate between city hall and the police union on whether overtime cost concerns prevented the use of the better-protected police SWAT team to arrest Santiago on a rape warrant.
Schroeder would not have died if a SWAT team had been assigned to execute the warrant because SWAT members wear armor that covers more of their bodies, said Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association.
Lt. Timothy Gaertner, the officer who led the team that arrested Santiago, told Schroeder and the other officers who volunteered for the mission that it would have required paying overtime to get SWAT to do it, said the union's attorney, Pat D'Angelo.
Lt. Thomas Stacho, spokesman for the Cleveland police, said Wednesday that Gaertner did not request a SWAT team and that Chief Michael McGrath would have approved the request had it been made.
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Information from: The Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com
Associated Press
CLEVELAND - A man indicted Thursday by a Cuyahoga County grand jury in last month's shooting death of a Cleveland police officer could face the death penalty if convicted.
Wilson Santiago, 37, of Cleveland, was charged with aggravated murder in the Aug. 30 death of Officer Jonathan Schroeder, 37, who was shot through a closed door. The bullet passed between panels of his bulletproof vest and hit him in the upper left chest.
The 27-count indictment also charged Santiago with attempted murder for allegedly firing on four other officers. None was wounded.
The other charges include 12 counts of rape and counts of gross sexual imposition, kidnapping, felonious assault and aggravated burglary in the attack on a woman Aug. 24 and Aug. 25.
Santiago has been jailed without bond since his arrest at the time of the shooting.
The indictment came amid a debate between city hall and the police union on whether overtime cost concerns prevented the use of the better-protected police SWAT team to arrest Santiago on a rape warrant.
Schroeder would not have died if a SWAT team had been assigned to execute the warrant because SWAT members wear armor that covers more of their bodies, said Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association.
Lt. Timothy Gaertner, the officer who led the team that arrested Santiago, told Schroeder and the other officers who volunteered for the mission that it would have required paying overtime to get SWAT to do it, said the union's attorney, Pat D'Angelo.
Lt. Thomas Stacho, spokesman for the Cleveland police, said Wednesday that Gaertner did not request a SWAT team and that Chief Michael McGrath would have approved the request had it been made.
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Information from: The Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com