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Maurice Clemmons

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Maurice Clemmons
Mugshot of Maurice Clemmons
Cause of deathGunshot wounds from police
SpouseNicole Smith (2004–2009)
Details
Location(s)Lakewood, Washington
Target(s)Four police officers
Killed4
WeaponsHandgun

Maurice Clemmons (February 6, 1972 – December 1, 2009) was an American felon and the prime suspect in the November 29, 2009, murder of four police officers in Parkland, Washington.[1] After evading police for two days following the shooting, Clemmons was shot and killed by a police officer in Seattle.

Prior to his alleged involvement in the shooting, Clemmons had at least five felony convictions in Arkansas and at least eight felony charges in Washington.[2] His first incarceration began in 1989, at age 17. Facing sentences totaling 108 years in prison, the burglary sentences were reduced in 2000 by Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee to 47 years, which made him immediately eligible for parole. Clemmons was released in 2000.

Clemmons was subsequently arrested on other charges and was jailed several times. In the months prior to the Lakewood shooting, Clemmons was in jail on charges of assaulting a police officer and raping a child. One week prior to the Lakewood shooting, he was released from jail after posting a $150,000 bail bond.

Early life and crimes

Clemmons lived in Marianna, Arkansas in his early youth, and moved to Little Rock as a teen. Clemmons was arrested when he was a junior at Hall High School for carrying a .25-caliber pistol on school property.[3][4] He claimed to be carrying the gun because he was "beaten by dopers", and said he had "something for them" if they attacked him again.[3] In 1989, a 17-year-old Clemmons and two other accomplices robbed a woman at midnight in the parking lot of a Little Rock hotel bar. Clemmons pretended to have a gun in his pocket and threatened to shoot her if she did not give him her purse. When she responded, "Well, why don't you just shoot?", Clemmons punched her in the head and ran off with the purse, which contained $16 and a credit card.[4]

Clemmons was accused multiple times of displaying violent behavior during court appearances. In one incident, Clemmons dismantled a metal door stop and hid it in his sock to use as a weapon. It was discovered and confiscated by a court bailiff. In another incident, Clemmons took a lock from his holding cell and threw it at a bailiff, but missed and accidentally hit his mother instead.[3][4] Clemmons was once accused of reaching for a guard's pistol while being transported to court. During one trial, he was shackled in leg irons and seated next to a uniformed officer because the presiding judge ordered extra security, claiming Clemmons had threatened him.[3]

By 1990, Clemmons was sentenced to 108 years in prison for eight felony charges from his teenage years in Arkansas. The total prison term stemmed from multiple sentences, some of which were concurrent to others and some were consecutive.[5][6] The largest sentencing came in 1990, when he was given a 60-year prison term for breaking into an Arkansas state trooper's home and stealing about $6,700-worth of items, including a gun.[4][7] During his sentencing on the charges, a circuit judge told Clemmons that he had broken his mother's heart, to which Clemmons responded, "I have broken my own heart."[3] Clemmons was also sentenced in 1989 to 35 years in prison for robbing the woman in front of the Little Rock hotel bar. Among his other sentencings were six years for weapon possession based on his high school arrest;[4] and eight years for burglary, theft and probation in Pulaski County on September 9, 1989.[5] Clemmons was not to be eligible for parole until 2015 or later.[4]

Clemency

"Where once stood a young ... misguided fool, who's (sic) own life he was unable to rule. Now stands a 27 year old man, who has learned through 'the school of hard knocks' to appreciate and respect the rights of others. And who has in the midst of the harsh reality of prison life developed the necessary skills to stand along (sic) and not follow a multitude to do evil, as I did as a 16 year old child.""

Maurice Clemmons, in his clemency application to Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee[4]

In 1999, after having served 10 years of his sentence, Clemmons filed a clemency appeal with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.[6] In his petition to Huckabee, Clemmons wrote he came from "a very good Christian family" and was "raised much better than my actions speak".[4][8] Clemmons claimed he had just moved from Seattle, Washington, to Arkansas as a teenager, and because he had no friends he gave in to peer pressure and "fell in with the wrong crowd" in to be accepted by his young peers, which led to him to commit his crimes.[4][6] Although Clemmons apologized for his actions, he also complained that he received overly harsh sentences. He also claimed to have changed and expressed regret that his mother had recently died without seeing him turn his life around. Clemmons' clemency application was supported by Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Marion Humphrey, who argued the cumulative sentence was excessive and cited Clemmons' young age at the time he committed the crimes.[4]

The decision was made over the objections of victims and prosecutors involved in Clemmons' previous cases.[3][4][6][9] Mark Fraiser, an attorney who prosecuted early cases against Clemmons in Pulaksi County, argued Clemmons was extremely likely to commit further acts of violence in the future, and said for a teen to receive such a lengthy prison sentence without committing a murder, "you've got to be a bad little dude".[4] On May 3, 2000, Huckabee commuted Clemmons' 108-year sentence to 47 years, 5 months and 19 days, which made him eligible for parole that day.[5] As a factor in his decision, Huckabee cited the unusually long sentence for Clemmons' age at the time the crimes were committed.[3] The Arkansas Parole Board unanimously approved Clemmons' release on July 13, 2000, and Clemmons was set free on August 1, 2000.[4][5]

Later crimes

In March 2001, Clemmons violated parole by committing aggravated robbery and theft again in Ouachita County. He was convicted on July 13, 2001 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.[5] Clemmons also faced charges of parole violations, but due to problems with the case, he was not served with the charges until 2004. His attorney argued the parole violation charges should be dropped because so much time had passed, and they were subsequently dismissed.[6] Clemmons was granted parole on the robbery charges in 2004. He told the parole board he was "not ready" the first time he was released, but that he "doesn't want to die in prison" and will "try to do the right thing".[8] Clemmons moved to Washington in 2004 while still on parole, which was approved by Arkansas authorities.[4] That year, he married a woman named Nicole Smith, although the The Seattle Times later reported the relationship had "been tumultuous".[3][4][10] Clemmons was placed under the supervision of the Washington State Department of Corrections and classified as "high risk to reoffend". His supervision was to continue until October 2015. Clemmons lived in Tacoma, where he ran a landscaping and power-washing business out of his house.[3] Over the next five years, Clemmons bought six houses, including one in Arkansas and five in Washington.[6]

Following his parole in 2004, Clemmons had no arrests or problems with the law until May 2009.[6] The Seattle Times referred to four days in May 2009 as the time when "Maurice Clemmons' behavior and mental state deteriorated".[10] On May 9, a Pierce County sheriff's deputy responded to Clemmons' home after reports he was throwing rocks at houses, cars and people. When the deputy tried to enter the house, one of Clemmons' cousins grabbed his wrist. After a struggle, Clemmons emerged from the house and punched the deputy in the face, and assaulted a second deputy who arrived to help. Clemmons was placed under arrest and taken to Pierce County Jail, where he continued to struggle and told jail workers, "I'll kill all you bitches."[6][10] Clemmons was charged with two felony assault charges and two felony malicious mischief charges, and released from jail the next day after posting a $40,000 bail bond without seeing a judge.[10]

On May 11, around 1 a.m., Clemmons appeared naked in his living room and ordered two female relatives, ages 11 and 12, to fondle him. The two reportedly complied out of fear, and the 11-year-old fled the house afterward. Clemmons took the 12-year-old into his bedroom along with Clemmons' wife.[10] Clemmons repeatedly referred to himself as Jesus, and said his wife was Eve.[8][10] Clemmons released the 12-year-old girl after his wife begged him to let her go. However, at about 4 a.m. that same morning, Clemmons gathered his family back into the living room and demanded they strip naked together. He later left the house, claiming the world was coming to an end and that he was "going to fly to heaven". A family member called 911 and police found Clemmons at a nearby second house he was building, but Clemmons fled on foot and escaped. He failed to appear the next day for an arraignment on his May 9 charges. Child Protective Services investigated and substantiated the sexual abuse complaint.[10] Latanya Clemmons, Maurice's brother, told authorities he had undergone a change and was "not in his right mind".[8]

Clemmons was arrested on July 1, 2009, after he appeared in a Pierce County court trying to have his bench warrant thrown out. He was charged with second-degree rape of a child, as well as being a fugitive from Arkansas.[10] At the time of his arrest, Clemmons made religiously themed comments and referred to himself as "the beast". He also told a police officer that Barack Obama and Lebron James were his brothers, and Oprah Winfrey was his sister.[6] Pierce County prosecutors claimed Clemmons' recent crimes amounted to a violation of Clemmons' parole in Arkansas, and that he faced years in prison if he was returned to the state. However, the Arkansas Department of Community Correction notified Pierce County on July 22 that they did not intend to ask for his extradition and that Clemmons should be adjudicated on his Washington charges. Stephen Penner, a deputy prosecuting attorney in Pierce County, said of the Arkansas decision, "There's a built-in incentive to not following through. In a way, the more violent they are, the less you want them in your community."[10]

During a court-ordered mental health evaluation, Clemmons told psychologists he had experienced hallucinations in May 2009 of "people drinking blood and people eating babies, and lawless on the streets, like people were cannibals".[6] Clemmons claimed the visions had since passed. He also claimed to have no faith in the American justice system and thought he was being "maliciously persecuted because I'm black and they believe the police".[6] The evaluation, completed by two psychologists from the Western State Hospital on October 19, concluded Clemmons was dangerous and presented an increased risk of future criminal acts.[6] Pierce County Judge John McCarthy set bail for Clemmons' assault charges at $40,000, below the $100,000 that prosecutors sought based on Clemmons' history of violence. Pierce County Judge Thomas Felnagle set bail for the child-rape charges at $150,000, lower than the $200,000 sought by prosecutors,[10] but higher than usual for the charges.[4][6] After a mental evaluation, a psychologist concluded Clemmons was competent to stand trial on the charges, which eliminated him as a candidate for involuntary commitment. An attorney for Clemmons notified the court he planned to pursue an insanity or diminished-capacity defense.[3][6] On November 23, 2009, Clemmons paid $15,000 for a $190,000 bail bond from Jail Sucks Bail Bonds, a Chehalis-based company, to secure his release.[3][10] Two other bail bond agencies had rejected Clemmons based on his history of failing to appear in court.[10]

2009 Lakewood shooting

Main article: Lakewood police officer shooting
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On November 29, 2009, one week after Clemmons posted his bail bond,[3][9] four Lakewood Police Department officers were shot to death at the Forza Coffee Co. coffee shop in the Parkland neighborhood, near Lakewood, a suburb of Tacoma. A lone gunman walked up to the counter as if to order coffee, then turned and opened fire on the officers as they were working on laptops before their shift.[8][11][12] Investigators say the murders were a targeted, execution-style attack and not associated with a robbery.[13] The four slain officers were Mark Renninger, 39; Ronald Owens, 37; Tina Griswold, 40; and Greg Richards, 42.[2] Clemmons was identified later that day as a "person of interest" in the murders,[2] but soon after was identified as a wanted suspect. Police identified no motive for the murders, and Detective Ed Troyer, Pierce County Sherriff’s Office spokesman, said, "We're going to be surprised if there is a motive worth mentioning."[1] As Clemmons fled to the coffee shop door, one of the officers shot him in the stomach before the officer succumbed to a bullet wound to his head.[8] Police initially believed the suspect may have died from the injury shortly after the shooting.[1][14]

Darcus Allen, a convicted murderer who previously served in a Arkansas prison with Clemmons, allegedly drove Clemmons' getaway pickup truck after the Lakewood shooting.[15][16][17] Police locked down a Seattle neighborhood house for several hours in the early morning of November 30, believing Clemmons to be holed up inside. After several attempts to coax or force him out of the house, including use of a robot and flashbang grenades, police entered and discovered Clemmons was not inside.[14][18] Authorities also surrounded the homes of Clemmons' friends and family in order to prevent him from finding shelter, and to determine who was helping him.[8] Later in the day, police searched multiple spots in the Seattle and Tacoma areas, including a park where they found a handgun carried by Clemmons and his pickup truck, which had blood stains inside.[19]

On December 4, 2009, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist charged five people with felonies for assisting Clemmons. Letricia Nelson is charged with Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.[20] Quiana Williams is charged with Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree.[20] Douglas Davis, Eddie Davis, and Ricky Hinton are charged with Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree.[20] Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree is a gross misdemeanor if the person assists a relative including a brother or sister; otherwise, it is a felony. Police are holding the suspects on bail ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000. Darcus Allen will be jailed without bail due to an arrest warrant in Arkansas for multiple crimes.[20]

Death

Post-shooting photograph of Clemmons with previous bullet wound visible.

On December 1, 2009, Clemmons was shot and killed by a Seattle Police Officer, Benjamin L. Kelly.[15][16][21][22][23] Around 2:45 a.m., Officer Kelly, age 39, was on patrol and stopped to investigate a broken-down car on the side of the road, which was idling with its hood up. Officer Kelly recognized the vehicle as having been reported stolen. While sitting in his patrol car, Officer Kelly noticed Clemmons approaching him, and recognized him as the suspect in the Lakewood shooting. Officer Kelly ordered him to stop and show his hands, but Clemmons instead began to flee around the disabled vehicle.[8][19] Clemmons also reached into his waist area, seemingly moving for a gun. Officer Kelly fired several rounds at Clemmons, resulting in his death.[15][22] Clemmons was allegedly carrying a handgun that had belonged to one of the slain Lakewood police officers. Officer Kelly was placed on routine administrative leave following the shooting.[19] Police later said Clemmons would have eventually died from the gunshot wound he sustained at the Lakewood shooting.[21]

Since his death, multiple people have been arrested for helping Clemmons during and after the Lakewood shooting. Authorities claim the accomplices misled police about his whereabouts, gave Clemmons cell phones and money, applied first aid to his gunshot wounds and tried to help him leave the state.[8][15][19] Among those arrested were Darcus Allen, his alleged getaway driver, and Clemmons' sister, who bandaged his wounds and provided him transportation.[15][16]

A cell phone photograph taken of the shirtless dead body quickly spread among city residents and government employees. The photo became part of the controversy because of the circumstances around who would have taken it. If the photo was leaked by an employee of the city or emergency responder, the action may possibly violate their employment contract.[24]

References

  1. ^ a b c Naughton, Philippe (2009-11-30). "Police killing suspect Maurice Clemmons "has been shot"". The Times. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  2. ^ a b c Buck, Michael (2009-11-30). "Slain cop a Valley native". The Express-Times. Easton, Pennsylvania. p. A1.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Suspect let out of Pierce County jail one week ago". The Seattle Times. Seattle, Washington. 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Brunner, Jim; Kelleher, Susan (2009-11-30). "Persuasive appeal helped Clemmons win clemency". The Seattle Times. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  5. ^ a b c d e Brantley, Max (2009-11-30). "Maurice Clemmons' record UPDATE". Arkansas Times. Little Rock, Arkansas. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Robinson, Sean (2009-12-01). "Clemmons deemed "dangerous" by psychologists". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  7. ^ Robinson, Sean (2009-11-29). "Person of interest in slayings began criminal career as a teen". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Murphy, Kim (2009-12-01). "Suspect in Seattle-area police slayings is shot and killed". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  9. ^ a b Egan, Timothy (2009-11-30). "Mike Huckabee's Burden". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Perry, Nick; O'Hagan, Maureen; Armstrong, Ken (2009-12-01). "Four days in May set stage for Sunday's tragedy". The Seattle Times. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  11. ^ Johnson, Gene (2009-11-29). "Official: 4 police officers shot dead in Wash". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
  12. ^ Miletich, Steve (2009-11-29). "Four police officers shot to death in Lakewood in apparent ambush". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-11-29. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Shooting of four Lakewood officers 'an execution':Washington police". Vancouver Sun. 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-29. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ a b Pulkkinen, Levi; McNerthney, Casey; Ho, Vanessa (2009-11-30). "Wounded suspect in officers' slaying on the run". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  15. ^ a b c d e Johnson, Gene (2009-12-02). "More charges likely in Wash. police killing". Seattle, Washington: Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  16. ^ a b c "Maurice Clemmons Manhunt: An Inside Look". CBS News. 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  17. ^ "Police: Getaway driver was jailed with Clemmons". Tacoma, Washington: Associated Press. 2009-12-01. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  18. ^ Karlinsky, Neal; Netter, Sarah (2009-11-30). "Washington Cop Shooting Suspect Maurice Clemmons Not in House Targeted by Police". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  19. ^ a b c d Sullivan, Jennifer; Rahner, Mark; Broom, Jack (2009-12-01). "Lakewood police shooting suspect killed by Seattle police officer in South Seattle early this morning". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  20. ^ a b c d "Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney files charges against alleged accomplices" (PDF). 4 December 2009.
  21. ^ a b Johnson, Gene (2009-12-01). "Seattle police kill suspect in officer slayings". Associated Press. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  22. ^ a b Miletich, Steve; Broom, Jack (2009-12-02). "Routine stolen-car check led to Lakewood police-slaying suspect". The Seattle Times. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  23. ^ McNerthney, Casey; Fears, Shannon (2009-12-01). "Suspected cop killer slain by police". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  24. ^ . 12-4-2009 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010410146_shootingphoto03m.html. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
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