The Virginian-Pilot
©
Jailhouse interviews make great news copy.
If you're a fan of fiction, that is.
The guys behind the glass, with rap sheets as colorful as their jumpsuits, share at least one trait: They're accomplished liars.
And lying is usually the least of their transgressions.
That said, what do we make of a jailhouse interview conducted by Pilot reporter John Hopkins with Renaldo Turnbull Jr.?
This guy, awaiting trial on assorted felony charges, claims he was one of the confidential informants Chesapeake police relied upon to secure a search warrant on a suspected drug dealer in January.
In an astonishing admission, Turnbull said he and another man broke into Ryan Frederick's garage to look for marijuana plants, while essentially on a reconnaissance mission for the police.
If this is true - and many details given by Turnbull dovetail neatly with police records and statements from the prosecutor and defendant - an outrageous criminal enterprise was at work in Chesapeake, working in concert with law enforcement.
Yet let's stay calm and remember that snitches usually have a problem telling the truth.
Here's what we do know: In early January, Chesapeake police got a search warrant for Frederick's home based on information provided by an unnamed source who had been inside the garage where Frederick was supposedly growing pot.
All of Hampton Roads now knows how that Jan. 17 drug bust went down. Minutes after police got to Frederick's door, 34-year-old Detective Jarrod Shivers was shot to death.
Frederick has been charged with capital murder, use of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Within a week of his arrest, Frederick also gave a jailhouse interview. In it, he said he fired his gun at what he thought were intruders, because his property had been burglarized a few days before the raid.
Turnbull, on the other hand, said Frederick knew the police were coming.
If the unthinkable turns out to be true, that police officers really did send criminals to break into private property or they looked the other way and allowed them to do it, Chesapeake prosecutors will see more than their capital case crumble.
Confidence in the city's justice system will collapse.
This is a deadly serious matter. One man died in this mission. A young woman was widowed. Three children were left fatherless.
And the man charged with killing the detective will be on trial for his life.
It is illegal for police officers to allow individuals to commit felonies and violate the constitutional rights of other citizens. It's the sort of reckless behavior that turns cops into criminals.
Turnbull's allegations are so disturbing that the indignant "no comments" and "we don't discuss people who may or may not be confidential informants" emanating from Chesapeake officials ring hollow and need to stop.
The public is owed answers to at least two questions and shouldn't have to wait until trial to get them:
No. 1: Is Renaldo Turnbull Jr. one of the informants in the Frederick case?
No. 2: Did police give their tacit approval to a break-in by a couple of larcenous free agents to gather evidence for a search warrant?
Chesapeake Commonwealth's Attorney Nancy Parr - who ought to be commended for bringing in a special prosecutor early to try the Frederick case - and the police chief need to assure the public that Chesapeake police do not engage in illegal behavior. And if it happened in this case, that the culprits will be dealt with appropriately.
Frederick's trial is set to begin in January. The prosecutor has asked it to be moved out of town.
If it turns out Turnbull told the truth, a change of venue will be pointless. There won't a place in America where the whiff of wrongdoing won't follow.
Kerry Dougherty, (757) 446-2306, kerry.dougherty@cox.net
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Chesapeake Police & Jailed Informer
Kerry, Thank You! for what reads to me like a balanced, fair article. Like many others here and who read such articles, but do not post, this story stinks to high Heaven.
I am so very sorry for the Officer's widow and for the 3 small children whose Father they will no longer know. They deserve better.
However, it is my opinion, that had the Chesapeake Police acted in a proper, legal manner to start with, just maybe events would be different today.
Why should this family and the defendant suffer the consequences of the Police Department's failure and possible illegalities?
This story passes neither the smell test or the swallow test and defies reasonableness and common sense, so far.
If there's so much support!
I have been following this article from the begining. This man has so much support behind him. Even if he is convicted that doesn't mean justice was served. My question to the American people is what are you going to do about it? This effects everybody. Don't you see that the majority of the citizens are the only ones who are not corrupt and are constantly being taken advantage of. All goverment agencies need to be constantly questioned and held accountable. In you mind your thinking how sad this is for Ryan, but as time passes this won't even be a memory. Why is it that people don't think there's anything we can do about it. You need to organize. Thats the problem today. Somehow the goverment has won. In the 60's and 70's people use to protest constantly about everything they thought was wrong. Thats why the goverment is winning. They have been turning us against each other and making us selfish. Remember WE control the goverment not the politicians or police. Its ours not theirs and don't forget that.
Cops and criminals:One in the same
We all know that after you commit your first crime your repuation is tarnished. But when you have nothing to lose,why lie? Why wouldn't a cop use a "criminal" to do their dirty work. For as stupid and crooked as cops can be that is a smart plan. When all is said and done reporters like you can get on their high horse and make their judgements and assumptions. As for Turnbull i'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt. His probably as honest as cops are.
"A Snitch",you say! Since I'm assuming you can be an unbiased reporter. Snitch is a degrading term, a term that in jail can be life or death.
Doc
Well, perhaps slightly off topic, but regardless of whether we are talking about any of The Bill of Rights or Article 1 of The Virginia Constitution, I am losing my faith in the judicial system that these rights will be protected as well as guaranteed in future. It seems that the courts always find or dream up some excuse that the documents don't mean what they say.
4th and 2nd Amendment protections
That's a bit off topic but the notion that the 2nd Amendment did not apply to States arises from the theory that the 2nd Amendment guaranteed a right of the States rather than of individuals. In view of the recent SCOTUS decision in Heller vs DC, that the 2nd does guarantee an individual right, that notion will probably be discarded. Even so, the 4th has been applied to States since the 14th Amendment was passed.
In any case, Article 1 section 10 of the VA Constitution is more restrictive than the 4th to the US Constitution.
Further, Article 1 section 13 of the VA Constitution leaves no doubt on our right to keep and bear arms.
Doc Tabor
It seems to me that since a federal judge has recently ruled that The Second Amendment doesn't apply to states, then maybe The 4th Amendment may have suffered the same fate. It's just like when drug dogs are used. The vehicle or premesis has essentially been searched by the dog and not by the LEO, hence a probable cause without initally having any in the first place. It sounds like to me that if a person sued for a 4th Amendment violation, nothing would be done about it anyway.
Chesapeake Justice
No one who lives here should be surprised about any of this. The only people in Chesapeake more corrupt than the police are the judges. A State Police investigation won't help because they're too understaffed to do a good one. They never did release their complete report in Seneca Darden's killing. They only contributed to the cover-up. None of us are safe as long as politicians care more about political contributions than the people’s rights.
Word!
To donlisw: apparently the police didn't have a problem using a criminal as a means to achieve probable cause for a search warrant! In this respect, I guess you are right.
Is he lying, or isn't he...
It is entirely possible that Mr. Turnbull is a fluent liar (as Kerry suggests in the first three sentences…), and is lying about this. It is said, that in order to lie convincingly, one must know what the truth is…
Equally, it is entirely possible that Mr. Turnbull is speaking the truth, because HIS only salvation is for the public to be aware of the CPD’s involvement, in all of this…
21 1/2 hours and counting - thank you for consistently proving my point...
Crazy Ted
The problem is that Det. Roberts has already testified that he had been working with the informant on the Frederick case for almost two months before the burglary.
There is no scenario that fits the timeline that does not involve the police either directing or approving the burglary.
If the police are going to use criminals to conduct illegal searches, and then use them as informants to get search warrants, we have effectively lost the protections of the 4th Amendment. If this evidence is admitted in court then police could send burglars anywhere they please, to your home or mine, with no probable cause.