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October 06, 2012

Cop gets five years for kicking in the door when he didn't have a warrant


 A St. Charles County sheriff's deputy was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for breaking the law while he and other officers were at a Middletown, Mo., home to apprehend a wanted meth cook.
In August, a jury found Christopher E. Hunt, 38, guilty of felony burglary and misdemeanor assault and property damage after a three-day trial that pitted police officer against police officer.
The charges stemmed from the Feb. 5, 2009, arrest of Phillip Alberternst, who was wanted on several felonies related to meth-making. Hunt and three other members of the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force were assisting members of the East Central Drug Task Force — which serves Warren, Audrain and Montgomery counties — with the arrest.
In arguments during the trial, Montgomery County Prosecutor Nicole Volkert said officers had agreed to try a consensual search because they didn't have a search warrant, but when Hunt showed up later, he kicked in a porch door and beat "a helpless, naked man" who was not resisting. The burglary charge stemmed from him going into the home.
Hunt plans to appeal his case, and he remains free after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bail.
St. Charles County officials tried to write a check for the 10 percent, but Circuit Judge Keith Sutherland would not allow it. "I don't know whether it's normal or not, but we're supporting our people," County Executive Steve Ehlmann said later. "People don't understand what a tough job these guys have."
Ehlmann said Hunt then paid $5,000 of the bail money, and St. Charles County Sheriff Tom Neer put up the other half.
At the sentencing, Hunt broke down several times while reading a statement in which he detailed his military service with the Marines and his lifelong desire to be a police officer. He said on the day of Alberternst's arrest, he felt everyone around him was in danger.
"I had to decide in a matter of seconds what it took jurors five hours to weigh," he said. "My intention that night was not assault, it was safety."
Hunt's wife also testified on his behalf, but Sutherland did not let Neer or Ehlmann get on the stand after Volkert said they weren't listed as potential witnesses.
Volkert asked that Hunt get 15 years for the burglary charge, in part because he is a police officer.
"This is the type of person who makes other people doubt the entire system," she said.
Hunt's attorney, Joseph McCulloch, argued for probation. "His law enforcement career is ended; the ability to support his family is crippled," he said. "I don't know what message putting him in jail would send."
But Sutherland said he agreed with the jurors that Hunt had gone to the scene that night with the intent to get revenge on Alberternst, then "made up facts to make himself look good."
He said it was common knowledge that police officers stick together, but in this case officers from four different agencies had testified against Hunt.
"That's very telling to me," Sutherland said.
He also said that he didn't doubt that Hunt loved his job and was a brave man.
"But it appears that this defendant was intoxicated with the power of the badge," he said.
Three other St. Charles County officers — William S. Rowe III, Dion E. Wilson and Deric Dull — also are charged with misdemeanor counts of assault and making a false report in the arrest. No trial date has been set in those cases.

15 comments:

  1. Just another little man trying to be a big man.

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    1. "What kind of message will this send"? The rule of law periodically raises its head. Should be a lesson on hiring ex military you see, in the military(I'm a Vietnam vet), there is no constitution. You just obey orders. The last person I would hire would be a marine, especially if he's been in combat

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  2. Wow, I would have thought a conviction against a cop was impossible. Maybe jury's are starting to wake up.

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  3. Too bad Hunt didn't catch a bullet in the kisser to shut up that big yapper of his loving to brag. All these weak punks kicking down doors and terrorizing folks in the name of drug interdiction should meet the same fate.
    Honor the oath to protect and defend the Constitution pukes, or may death be swift in coming.

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  4. It's about damned time one of these thugs was brought to justice for thinking he is above the law, for abusing authority, and for thinking he can violate someone's constitutional rights with impunity. It needs to happen to a whole lot more of them...some judges, too.

    They "don't know what message putting him in jail would send"...?? Simply the same message it sends to all the regular criminals, for whom these jerks have no sympathy. As an enforcer of the law, he should get double the jail time.

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  5. About time bad cops were jailed. Hopefully there will be many more to follow.

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  6. In Indiana, that cop could have been justifiably killed!

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  7. If the guy was a Marine who invaded Iraq or Afghanistan then Karma is a bitch and I can only hope his family gets what he gave to Iraqi or Afghan families. I Piss on the dead bodies of US Troops occupying other sovereign Nations and I piss on dead cops who violate the freedoms of US citizens.

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  8. Waah!
    "I thought everyone around me was in danger".
    Baloney! He was being an A-hole bully wearing a government costume & this cannot be tolerated in our country.

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  9. "This is the type of person who makes other people doubt the entire system,"

    And I will STOP doubting the entire system when this happens to, say, even a third of the crooked and corrupted pigs.

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  10. come on...can't you source your articles?

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  11. This is not sending a message as 'they' are sacrificing an insignificant lamb(s) for PR's sake. TPTB are scared and don't want to hasten the inevitable-civil war. Meanwhile, doors all over the country are kicked down daily as well as people being unjustly murdered by agents of the state and nothing of any significance is done.

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  12. If all the bad cops were jailed, who would be left to harass the folks in cars for going 39 in a 35?
    What would the donut shop owners do??

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  13. This is unfortunate for the victim and the LOE's family, but we have WAY TOO MANY LEO's who feel they are above the law; LEO's like the ones who were guardsmen and women who abused Iraqi's at Abu Grab. These zealots have no business having a gun AND a badge. If people think Missouri has bad LEO's, try acroos the big muddy in Illinois. Why do you think so many bangers on the street aren't afraid to battle with LEO's there? Too many head cops are corrupt and mean in IL; I feel sorry for the soldiers under those BAD BOSSES WITH BADGES!

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  14. Hopefully he getting his back door "kicked in". Fuck police. Every single one of you bastards are on a power trip, and you despise civilians, whether you show it or not. I will NEVER trust a fucking cop.

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