Developing: Pakistani Plane Escorted by UK Fighter Jets — 2 Men Arrested

Doc Thompson’s 24-hour radio marathon, ‘#24forok,’ continues until 9 am ET — Listen Live!

Crime

Cop Who Killed Grandmother in 100 mph Crash Gets Case Dismissed After Fellow Officer Misses Trial

Feb. 20, 2013 11:55pm Erica Ritz

Florida Cop Detrick McClellan Responsible for Grandmothers Death, Citations Dismissed When Officer Doesnt Show Up to Court

Detrick McClellan is seen in this undated photo. (Photo: CBS News)

The Florida Highway Patrol is under heavy fire after a state trooper was found responsible for the death of a grandmother in a crash at over 100 miles per hour, but saw the case dismissed after the officer who wrote his citation failed to show up to trial.

Worse yet, the officers and the judge in the courtroom were seen laughing about the dismissal on video.

According to reports, it began roughly a year ago when Detrick McClellan was answering a call about people throwing rocks from an overpass. Driving without his lights on, he slammed into 51-year-old Michelle Campbell’s car at a curve with a suggested speed limit of 35 mph. The crash killed Campbell, threw her young granddaughter through the windshield, and injured her niece.

This image shows the wreckage from the crash that killed Michelle Campbell. (Photo: CBS News)

The Sun Sentinel continues:

FHP found the trooper, Detrick McClellan, at fault in the horrific crash, fired him, and cited him with three traffic violations.

But when his case came up in court, the trooper who issued the citations wasn’t there. Another trooper in attendance said that though he couldn’t represent the agency, he would not object to dismissing the tickets, and the judge did just that.

McClellan walked out with no consequences, and even got handshakes from his fellow law enforcement officers.

“If the FHP allows it to stand, what they’re saying is the law does not apply to us, even if we kill people,” said Dennis Kenney, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and a former Florida police officer.

[...]

The trooper who issued the citations has been exonerated — FHP found he had a legitimate reason to miss court — but seven other troopers remain under investigation for their conduct in the hearing. FHP is still trying to sort out what happened in the courtroom.

Here’s the unsettling video from the courtroom, where the officer says he’s “easy to please” when asked if he’d like the citations dismissed, and the judge asks if she’s on Candid Camera before the group starts laughing:

CBS News reports that the FHP has fired a commanding officer and demoted a sergeant over the case, but the other officials are still being scrutinized.

Many are saying the incident points to a larger problem among Florida police officers. According to the Sun Sentinel, speeding officers have caused at least 320 accidents involving 19 deaths across the state since 2004.

But the Florida Highway Patrol says they’re doing their best to limit the danger to innocent bystanders, telling CBS News: “We have taken steps to ensure that our members understand the high ethical expectations we have of them.”

–

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (99)

FOREIGNANDDOMESTIC
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 2:31am
The KKK was founded by the freaking Dims.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
marine249
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 2:19am
at any demorats office.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
lid.smoker
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:35am
Folks this IS the real America. All your idealistic thoughts of honesty and justice are mere imaginary fairy tales. It’s every facet of life, infected with evil. Not that other countries are better, but pretty much everything that seems honorable and fair is in fact evil masquerading as good.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- walnutportconservative
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 8:57am
  Dude… LidSmoker,
  What then shall we do? We must fight against evil. We need to bring integrity back. This will not happen if we all run to the bong and do another hit. WAKE UP, the hour is near.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:15am
The judge behaved very unprofessionally. All that cutting up and giggling like a fourteen year old.
That poor excuse for a judge, should be disbarred immediately. She does not take her sworn duties or the loss of a life seriously.
Her behavior was like killing the victim twice. The family should file charges against the judge.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:33am
  Lots of judges like that in Florida…Just check out Fetish Con…..They love that event…..Do you know where your daughter is??
  
  Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:12am
Question…If you get a red light camera ticket and you take it to court…if the officer ( camera ) does not show up IS IT DISMISSED??

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Wyld_goose
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:11am
Vehicular Manslaughter isn’t tried at traffic court,so WTF!??

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- moreoilplease
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 5:03am
  He wasn’t charged with vehicular manslaughter. Just traffic citations. If they had charged him with manslaughter, a good defense lawyer would have gotten him off. It would have come down to what defines excessive speed in the course of his duty responding to a dangerous situation like people throwing rocks off bridges. It depends on how the laws are worded as far as would they have to prove reckless disregard or what. Plus had he been found guilty it would have serious implications for FHP and how they handle high speed driving for the public good.
  
  That said, I would have liked to see this play out in court. Maybe this will play out in civil court after all. The victims deserve some kind of justice. It’s for the good of the public would not have been enough for me.
  
  Report this comment
- Rowgue
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 5:28am
  He SHOULD have been charged with involuntary manslaughter/reckless homicide though, that’s the point. The police immediately fired him ffs. Which is concrete evidence that even the police viewed his actions as grossly irresponsible and reckless. So the whole “cops are allowed to drive like maniacs because of the nature of their jobs” reasoning doesn’t hold water.
  
  Report this comment
- Melika
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 6:48am
  Yeah I have to say, with lights off its vehicular manslaughter. If he had the party lights on, then you can give citations for excessive speed and take that to traffic court.
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 7:40am
  Moreoil has it right, The state is going to owe her survivors a big pay out. This backroom cronyism at it’s worst. You can bet the cop who wrote the citation could have found the time to be in court if the defendant had been a civilian.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:10am
Seems like the Black female judge had a bit of a crush on the Black man who killed an innocent Grandma.
Her behavior made me want to puke.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
LeadNotFollow
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:01am
That sorry excuse for a judge, should be disbarred.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:18am
  There are a lot of judges in Florida that should be disbarred and some lawyers…….If you are ever in Tampa around August, check out Fetish Con…..Its a fetish festival and there are quite a few judges that attend, but you will be hard pressed to figure which ones are there…….I dont have a problem with any other persons in the private industry involved in the fetich world etc….But judges and lawyers always whine about jokes that people talk about them negatively and they always want this up on a pedestal type mentality….and Fetich Con is one big joke with judges…..I would like someone to send some spies into their little dirty play ground one time…..Dont believe me and do your own research in August…..Look at it this way….If some person in your church was involved in this type of activity then you would shun their business and drive them out of town….judges in this case have the upper hand and always will, men and women.
  
  Report this comment
vendingdude
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:54am
Years ago, I had a ticket for reckless driving, no less) thrown out because I disputed it instead of paying the fine and lo and behold the officer failed to appear.

That being said, it is a ridiculous policy to void the citations simply because the citing officer doesn’t show up. If that really is the rule, then OF COURSE the cop wasn’t going to appear. This is a mind blowing case, considering the fatality and gravity of the offense. As others have said, time for a big time lawsuit.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:02am
  yup.
  
  Report this comment
- ron2win
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 7:04am
  I would like to know what the alleged legitimate excuse was for not appearing.
  
  Report this comment
theninthplanet
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:46am
Indiana: See David Bisard

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
SciPro
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:43am
The way I see it .. Judges have to follow court procedure, when a case come before them, and no accuser is there. They then have an option of dismissal of case .. the defense counsel made sure of that. It would seem that the judge had the option of remanding the trail to a different date, maybe her hands were tied there to … Judges seem to have their hands tied more and more as time passes. It’s really the prosecuting office that’s to blame for not seeing to it, that the relevant charging officer was there or made arrangements to fill in or move the court date. The chief prosecutor should be brought to task, and charged with being an accessory to that Grandmother’s vehicular death, along with that speeding Officer. The victims deserve “justice” .. not a slap in the face … Justice? … getting to be a thing of the past … just saying

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- SCHEXbp
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:56am
  I think the Judge should have declared a recess (& just disappeared or cited “feeling bad”) when he left & then NEVER come back that day. The case would remain open AFAIK. It will be automatically rescheduled & the important missing officer might NOT have an legitimate excuse to miss court NEXT time.
  
  Report this comment
KidCharlemagne
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:34am
This will definitely make you think twice before taking that next family vacation to Disney World:

————————————–
But when his case came up in court, the trooper who issued the citations wasn’t there. Another trooper in attendance said that though he couldn’t represent the agency, he would not object to dismissing the tickets, and the judge did just that.

McClellan walked out with no consequences, and even got handshakes from his fellow law enforcement officers.

“If the FHP allows it to stand, what they’re saying is the law does not apply to us, even if we kill people,”

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
nesmond
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:33am
I’ve always said, “Cops and judges break more laws on a daily basis than the average person does in a lifetime”.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:22am
  Lots of judges in Tampa are involved in what is called Fetish Con…….Do your home work and let me know if you think judges really care what you think about them…..answer is they don’t and the media is running cover for the liberals and all of their little dirty secrets….Both men and women…..Don’t believe me, do your own research, after all its your judicial system that is faulting here.
  
  Report this comment
mrwolfy
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:30am
Tall oak trees for the judge, the defendant, and the officer who said it should be dismissed. And for the supervisor that prevented the ticketing officer from showing.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Zee_Obama_In_Zee_PeePee_By_Zee_Glenn_Beck
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:21am
“Cop Who Killed Grandmother in 100 mph Crash Gets Cased Dismissed After Fellow Officer Misses Trial … The crash killed Campbell, threw her young granddaughter through the windshield, and injured her niece. … from the courtroom … the officer says he’s “easy to please” when asked if he’d like the citations dismissed, and the judge asks if she’s on Candid Camera before the group starts laughing …. got handshakes from his fellow law enforcement officers. … speeding officers have caused at least 320 accidents involving 19 deaths across the state since 2004.”

So-o-o-o, how’s that whole Police-(standing army)-Department thingy working out for everyone? America’s Founders knew, greatly feared, and warned us of it.

Past time to put an end to government thuggery and disband the police “standing army” departments (because they’re here for a reason, a very bad reason):
“America: Freedom To Fascism”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNNeVu8wUak

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
lassiegirldawn
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:18am
The judge needs to be off the bench immediately. That shows how much of a good ole boy system we have become. It is all the same from cops to judges to politicians to the commander in chief. If I was the family I would file a suit against that judge, the police department and everyone else connected to the case.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
KidCharlemagne
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:18am
This is obviously not that uncommon in Florida these days:

————————–
“Every day, about 20 Florida police cars crash into something: another vehicle, a person, a utility pole. Every year, those crashes kill 20 people, hurt 2,400 others and cause $25 million in property damage, an Orlando Sentinel investigation has found.

The Sentinel analyzed five years of Florida vehicle-crash data — 1.6 million crashes — to determine how often Florida law-enforcement officers crash while in department vehicles and how often they’re at fault.

About 7,400 crashes a year involve cops. In one out of every four, they’re at least partially to blame, and they seldom are ticketed, the data revealed.

In fact, though average drivers receive citations if they are at fault in crashes more than 64 percent of the time, officers are cited less than 11 percent of the time.”
Orlando Sentinel (Feb. 11, 2012): “Police car crashes: Florida police car crashes leave devastated families in their wake”

Looks to me like Governor Scott is running a quasi police state…

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Hopefulone
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 4:34am
  THIS is the long-term important point. To stop people getting maimed and killed by police doing 100 in a 35, and the like, there must be consequences and reform. That won’t happen unless this story is pushed and pushed–along with additional investigative reporting. What other states have this problem, by the way?
  
  Report this comment
davidwjohnson
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:08am
Police take care of their own don’t you know!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- mercenary4freedom
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:24am
  If I were that poor womans family, I would retain the best lawyer $$ can buy and sue the piss out of that trooper for everything he’s got, sue the state, county, the judge, and the trooper that didn’t show up.
  
  Report this comment
- rickroland
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 2:32am
  @MERCENARY4FREEDOM — There are plenty of lawyers that would take such a wrongful death case in this matter on a “pay me if we win” basis. The family would have to shop around a bit, find a relatively honest lawyer with a reasonable fee after a win. Lawyers know how to determine who has the deepest pockets and, therefore, who to sue in this regard.
  
  Report this comment
AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:07am
This is wrong, just plain wrong! And the judge should be strung up in a tree. Our laws are so screwed up its ridiculous! One woman killed and the killer walks free!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Cavallo
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:06am
Your government protects itself. This is what it is like living in Amerika.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Wyld_goose
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:06am
Now what is it the mind numbs keep saying about giving the cops the benefit of the doubt til all of the facts come out?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
The Big Mick
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:05am
“We have taken steps to ensure that our members understand the high ethical expectations we have of them.” Gee, that’s nice. So what are you doing to “ensure” they actually MEET them?
And, more importantly, what are you DOING TO THEM when they DON’T?

Gang Blue strikes again.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
AUsername
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:05am
you gotta watch out for them on the road since they are some of the worst and most dangerous drivers on the road. i have seen countless state troopers pass me on the road going above100 mph when there lights are not even on. Be careful when your turning onto a street one of them might be a wrong way driver you have a split second to dodge. Americas dumbest and most dangerous if you ask me.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
MonkeyBeagle
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:03am
Good thing is wasnt my grammy… our governments are corrupted.. local, state, and federal. Seems like we need a redo or something.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
The Big Mick
Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:02am
Further evidence, if any was needed, of the Gang Blue Chris Doornob Phenomenon.
Like Congress and the Administration and over half the SCOTUS, these guys are Out of Touch, Out of Control and Arrogant about both those things.
So, what are YOU going to DO about it?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- ZAP
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 12:14am
  This is why they are called “PIGS”
  
  Report this comment
- marine249
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:10am
  @ZAP
  As a so-called pig,up yours.
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 1:45am
  marine249…………so do you think these HP have honor?
  
  Report this comment
- marine249
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 2:10am
  @ BOOGER71
  No, that not what I said. ZAP took that big old paint brush
  and tried to paint all cops as pigs. If he would have said
  this ex h.p was no good, ok thats true. The word pigs was
  started back in the 60 and does not fit any cop. You can say
  a bad cop o.k. I could go on but I think you get the point.
  
  Report this comment
- averageman
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 6:00am
  Hey MARINE: Words mean squat. DO SOMETHING; call for the offender and his protectors and those that cover up for him to face the consequences. Otherwise, i am sorry to say that you sir join the ranks of PIG. not to mention you put yours and all the good cops at risk, for when the public no longer trusts the cops, well that is not good for any of us…
  
  Report this comment
- averageman
  Posted on February 21, 2013 at 6:05am
  He didnt actually paint all cops as pigs…he said that after reading the story, that is why they are called pigs…because when they break the law, the law is subverted and doesnt seem to apply to them. That is also why Congress is called all kinds of deerogatory names.
  Those sc–bags are worse than the “bad cops” …they are “bad politicians” No, call a spade a spade, bad politicians are F’in Sc–bags, and bad cops are pigs. Sorry.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.