"Feud" in the Case of Accused Ogden Cop-killer Takes the Weber County Attorney Off the Deep End

So what about it, O Gentle ones? Does this case get crazier with every passing minute, or what?

There's more highly disturbing news this morning in connection with the 1/4/12 Ogden Shootout case.

When folks, have you ever seen a county attorney call a press conference solely to lambaste a private defense attorney in a high profile murder case? The answer, folks, is never. Ethically-inclined public prosecutors don't due that. Well... not until yesterday, that is. In that connection, the Northern Utah news media is all abuzz this morning over yesterday's press conference, about which a variety of news media, everyone from the Standard-Examiner, the Deseret News, ABC4 News to KSL News are feverishly reporting that Weber County Attorney Dee Smith publicly "called out" Defendant Matthew David Stewart's private defense lawyer Randall Richards, accusing him of spreading "misinformation and misrepresentations," “playing games” with the court, and engaging in other purported "shenanigans."

Here's the KLS video on this story. Believe us folks, you're not going to believe your own eyes. Decide for yourselves whether County Attorney Smith has finally "gone off the deep end" (to adopt a little lay psychological parlance):


Mr. Smith's performance has to be the worst public display of professional public misconduct we've witnessed within memory. If County Attorney Smith had set out intentionally to "taint" the potential Weber County jury pool and provide defendant Stewart with another fact element to support an iron-clad basis for appeal upon any possible conviction in this matter, Mr. Smith could not have picked a more effective tactic.

There's been some public discussion centering on the question of whether Defendant Stewart will seek public funds to hire a psychiatric expert to serve as a possible defense witness in this case. Our suggestion... the Weber County Commission should immediately appropriate money to hustle Weber County's top prosecutor for his own psychiatric examination, to determine whether he's sufficiently of sound mind to continue to serve as the top lawyer in this case.

If Mr. Smith requires a forum to vent his childish frustrations, a public press conference is not the place to do it. The Utah Rules of Court provide an appropriate venue within the 2d District court, where the Utah v. Stewart matter is pending. If Mr. Smith believes that Mr. Richards has engaged in any misconduct, Mr. Smith should petition presiding judge Hyde to issue sanctions against Richards. Smith is an experienced lawyer himself, of course, so he's obviously aware of that remedy. With that in mind, Mr. Smith's motivations for this latest egregious public misbehavior become all the more bizarre and mysterious. Mr. Smith's latest attempt to try the matter in the press is an dangerous and mendacious tactic. Perhaps Mr. Richards should himself consider seeking similar sanctions against Mr. Smith. Who knows... maybe Smith and Richards should even adopt the traditional Ogden approach... and settle this in the parking lot.

So what about it, O Gentle Ones?

Does this case get ever crazier with every passing minute, or what?

Standard-Examiner: County Attorney to Discuss Stewart Case

More hypocricy from the Weber County Attorney's office?

Breaking news in re the 1/4/12 Ogden Shootings story from the Standard-Examiner! Weber County's cockeyed, loose cannon county attorney Dee Smith, whose goose-stepping prosecutorial minions are even now urging presiding Judge Hyde to issue a gag order, nevertheless is talking out of both sides of his face, and is now, inexplicably, preparing to further taint the Weber County jury pool, with yet another friggin' press conference. Seeing is believing, fair-minded WCF Readers. Read up:

• County attorney to discuss Stewart case

All we can say is that this Weber County Commission appointed prosecutor Dee Smith needs to be quickly ushered off the public stage, when he comes up for election two Novembers from now.

And what say you, O Gentle Ones?

Ogden Shootings Story Update: The Latest From the Northern Utah Print Media

We'll be sure to provide updates throughout the day, in the event that there's more breaking news

Here's the latest from the Standard-Examiner, which continues to do a "bang-up" job reporting on the still-developing 1/4/12 Ogden Shootings story:

• Weber County attorney: Crime scene 'massive'
• Signs of shooting remain at Ogden home
• Foundation plans to financially aid fallen officers
• Crime Scene Photo Gallery

The Standard also provides a video of yesterday's Dee Smith press conference, which we embed below for your viewing convenience:


And here's a new story from the Salt Lake Tribune:

• Prosecutors plan to seek death penalty in Ogden shootout

With reference to yesterday's Standard-Examiner story, the above-linked Christopher Smart story includes this interesting paragraph and quote:

Earlier Monday, Brad Beyersdorf, public information officer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, confirmed that bomb technicians detonated "explosive materials" or components found inside Stewart’s house Saturday. Beyersdorf did not specify what was found but said that "to characterize it as a bomb or device is not accurate at this time."

It would thus appear that the Standard's Mr. Gurrister needs to be a mite more careful with his "anonymous" sources, don'tcha think?

In connection with tomorrow's funeral/memorial service, we received an email from one of our sharp-eyed and alert readers, who refers to two internal WSU memos helpfully suggesting that WSU students and Harrison Boulevard commuters would be wise to plan in advance tomorrow, and consider alternate routes and campus parking arrangements:

• WSU Jared Francom Memorial Event Memos

That's it for now O Gentle Ones. We'll be sure to provide updates throughout the day, in the event that there's more breaking news in re this story.

In the meantime, don't be shy about throwing in your own 2¢.

Update 1/10/12 10:02 a.m.: As an added bonus this morning, here's a "chewy" blog article from Libertarian Salt Lake lawyer Andrew McCullough, who's "gearing up to run for Utah Attorney General":

• War on Drugs hits home

Mr. McCullough pretty much "nails it," wethinks.

Standard-Examiner: Officer Dies of Gunshot Wound; Five More Injured - UPDATED 4X

The world-wide webosphere awaits the ever-earnest outpourings of those of us living here in and around the nation's most recent "War Against Drugs" urban battleground

In the interest of setting up a community-based platform for the discussion of last night's shocking Ogden City firefight, here's last night's initial Standard-Examiner story, reporting on the shootout which occurred in the vicinity of Ogden City's 33rd Street and Jackson Avenue:

• Six officers shot while serving warrant; two critical

In a followup story, the Standard reports that one police officer has died as a result of gunshot wounds:

• Officer dies of gunshot wound; five more injured

This story's also "gone viral" across the national news media, with writeups appearing everywhere from the Washington Post to the Austin Statesman. While Ogden City boosters have been knocking themselves out trying to put Ogden City "on the map" for many years, this is most certainly not what they had in mind.

While details still remain sketchy, we'll open up the discussion of this disturbing incident, so our gentle Weber County Forum readers can chime in with their own takes. Although we agree with WCF readers Bob Becker and Ray that now is NOT the time to "play politics" with this story, we'll also add that even at this early date, keeping last week's strong Standard-Examiner editorial in mind, we don't believe a general discussion of police tactics in serving search warrants in residential neighborhood settings is entirely inappropriate or premature.

The world-wide webosphere eagerly awaits the ever-earnest outpourings of those of us living here in and around Ogden City, the nation's most recent "War On Drugs" urban battleground.

We'll also express our sincere best wishes to all Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force and Ogden Police Department officers who were wounded in this unfortunate event, along with our heartfelt condolences which we offer to the grieving friends, family and law enforcement colleagues of Agent Jared Francom, the first Ogden Police Department officer to lose his life in the line of duty in Ogden City since the legendary OPD hero Marshall White.

Have at it, WCF Readers.

Update 1/5/12 10:38 a.m.: In this newly uploaded story, the SE reveals the names of the injured officers and the suspected "perp":

• Suspect identified in Ogden shooting of 6 officers

The Standard is also now carrying the video from this morning's press conference on its website home page. Here's the embedded video via the Standard's sexy new "Live Show Podcaster Site":

Watch live streaming video from standardnet at livestream.com

We'll of course provide further updates here on WCF as this story continues to develop.

Update 1/5/12 5:33 p.m.: Here's the latest S-E story, for what it's worth:

• Suspect in deadly shootout was Army vet treated for PTSD, father says

Update 1/6/12 7:14 a.m.: For the sake of our WCF readers who do not subscribe to our home-town newspaper, here are another seven (Count 'em 7) Standard-Examiner stories which have popped up on the S-E site (and in the print edition) since our last update:

• Ogden police shooting likely death penalty case
• Donation accounts set up for police officers shot
• Ogden shooting reverberates in Davis County
• 3 shot officers remain in critical condition
• Hundreds pay tribute to officers at vigil
• Sharing the pain
• Stewart's family heartbroken over shooting

And here's a strong S-E editorial, which is also running in this morning's hard-copy edition:

• OUR VIEW: In the line of duty

Whew!

Update 1/7/12 6:00 a.m.: The latest from the Standard-Examiner (and now the Salt Lake Tribune):

• Accused shooter's attorney has worked with injured Ogden officers
• Wounded Ogden officer now in fair condition, hospital says
• Cops need to revise 'knock and search' method
• Ogden police getting weekend help on patrol
• Retired Ogden officer relives memories of brushes with criminals
• Injured officer says he’s ‘devastated’ by Ogden shooting
• ‘Knock-and-announce’ warrants are the standard

A WCF Tip O' The Hat to the Standard-Examiner for continuing to keep ahead of most of the other media, local and national, in re this story.