The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Ryan Frederick threatened to kill police informant Steven Rene Wright after learning that Wright broke into his garage and stole five marijuana plants, Wright testified at Frederick's murder trial Tuesday.
"I had a week to turn myself in to him or he was going to go after my family," Wright said from the witness stand. "He said he was going to... kill me if I didn't come."
The conversation, Wright said, happened three days before police raided Frederick's Portlock home looking for a marijuana growing operation, based in part on Wright's assistance. As police tried to break down his door the night of Jan. 17, 2008, Frederick shot and killed Chesapeake Detective Jarrod Shivers.
Frederick contends he didn't know the police were at his door, but a jailhouse witness testified late Tuesday that Frederick told him he did see the police that night.
But it was Wright's testimony that consumed most of the day. He was subjected to heated cross-examination by defense attorney James Broccoletti, who raised questions about Wright's character and his propensity to lie in order to help himself.
Wright told a prosecutor that a city detective told him to go to Frederick's house "to make sure there were marijuana plants still growing there" prior to the raid. He insisted police never instructed him to break in. He admitted breaking a contract with police by burglarizing the garage, though he was never charged.
Wright said he and a friend, Renaldo Turnbull Jr., broke into Frederick's garage on Jan. 14, 2008, and stole five of about 10 plants growing in a sophisticated hydroponic tent. They then went to another friend's house where they made a cell phone video of the plants.
The plants were never turned over to police, he said, but Frederick learned Wright took them and called with the threats.
Wright said he met Frederick earlier in 2007 while dating the sister of Frederick's fiancee.
In the six to eight months prior to the raid, Wright said, he'd been to Frederick's house at 932 Redstart Ave. 30 to 50 times; he saw the marijuana growing operation at almost every visit; and he smoked the drug with Frederick and others. He said Frederick even explained to him how the hydroponic system produced superior cannabis.
Wright said he became a police informant after seeking help from a drug dealer in an unrelated case who threatened him. He said police paid him $60 for information that led to the arrest of that dealer.
Despite being limited by the judge to testifying about one or two marijuana sales between November 2007 and the night of the raid, Wright blurted out that he bought marijuana from Frederick some 20 to 30 times throughout 2007.
Wright, 20, a one-time Hooters employee, came under intense cross examination by Broccoletti, but Wright continued answering questions politely, typically with a "Yes, sir," or "No, sir."
Wright admitted lying to police and prosecutors before confessing to breaking into Frederick's garage with his friend, Turnbull.
He said Detective Kiley Roberts had him sign a contract stating he would not break any laws while helping police.
"Did he instruct you to break into the house?" Broccoletti asked Wright.
"No, sir," Wright answered.
"Did he coach you to burglarize the home?" Broccoletti asked.
"No, sir," Wright replied.
Also Tuesday, Jamal Skeeter said Frederick told him in the Chesapeake Correctional Center last year that he saw the police outside his house that night and shot at them intentionally.
"He was in the room. He seen the police by the garage," Skeeter said. "The only thing he said he heard was 'Police, open the door.' "
Frederick has said he never heard the police shouting that night.
Skeeter is serving prison time for grand larceny and drug offenses.
Frederick faces charges of capital murder, use of a firearm and manufacturing marijuana. If convicted of capital murder, he would get an automatic life prison term.
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com
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Mr. Ryan
I believe this CPD messed up the raid and I feel that Mr. Ryan acted in self defense. I hope the jury will let him go free.
Wrights life
Hopefully Mr.Wright will end up in prison where he will get the treatment that snitches deserve that goes the same for the other informants. If they do make it to the streets they will have to look over thier shoulders constantly and always wonder who knows they are snitches. Wright should be charged with det. Shivers death and should have to worry about police retaliation as well. People can let some things go but once a snitch always a snitch and snitches end up in ditches.
sierra159
Sierra159 states "Well Keith, I guess its a good thing your not sitting on the Jury. Thats what the testimony supports so far. Do you think they'll put Frederick on the stand?"
Well, I guess it boils down to whose testimony you believe. It is now come into question about Jamal Skeeter's testimony, the "jailhouse snitch". It is hard for me to believe that Mr. Ebert or the jury would be so ignorant that they would assume that this guy's testimony would be credible. Same for Wright and Turnbull. This whole thing has stunk from the get go. I believe CPD blundered the raid, the prosecution has lied to the court about the video and still pictures, and they will get away with it. They are going to make RF a poster boy for CPD's blunder in causing this chaos and mayhem and getting one of their own killed. I agree and ditto Mike Litoris's comments. As for RF taking the stand, I doubt it, but you never know.
Steven Wright
Steven Wright was a bad informant gone wrong for the Chesapeake Police Department. He was more concerned about getting paid $500 for snitching and stealing what was supposed to be marijuana that was in the house. He is and shouldn't be a credible witness because he signed a contract stating he wouldn't break any laws concerning this case that was being investigated. But the truth of the matter, he did break a law. He broke into Fredericks home.....point blank. No need in nicknaming anything about Wright, a "SNITCH" and a "LIAR" out for his own gain. He probably would snitch on his own parents if it gets him out of trouble and not in jail. Under Mr. Wright, once they are done using you, you will be thrown to the wolves.
Self Defense in Va.
In Va., self defence is an affirmative defence. This means that the defendant implicitly admits the killing was intentional & assumes the burden of introducing evidence of justifiable excuse that raises a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. Self defense is the law of necessity & the necessity relied upon must not arise out of the defendant's own misconduct.
rukiddingme
i refuse to be dragged into a name calling battle with someone who uses words like explanantion and succesful. This is about Ryan Frederick, police corruption, and individual rights.
The prosecution commited suicide
Seems to me the prosecutor shot himself in the gut when he started his opening argument with the lie that RF was stoned out of his mind. Seems he was counting on a witness to RF's condition being unavailable. As for being presumed innocent until proven guilty, what a joke! RF has spent an entire year in jail and he is shown in most photos wearing handcuffs. Is this the presumption of innocence?
hoodie?
I thought I read the hoodie was worn on the outside of the vest zipped up. This is a huge difference than under the vest considering the vest had the logo on it. It seems like the people supporting the prosecution are spewing misinformation like that and saying "he shot through a closed door period" failing to mention the door was broken by the intruders. I don't know what motives they would hav, if any other than to confuse the facts not in thier favor.
The attorneys know. They are omniscient
Both attorneys on either side of the case are reading eveyr one of these comments. You didn't know that?
Wow!
There is enough information in these posts, both pro and con, to provide a plethera of information about how regular people and trained professionals view criminal behavior, what justifies certain police actions, the justice system, the persumption of "innocence until found guilty", the argument of the dangers of marijuana, the right to protect oneself, the definition of imminent threat and bodily harm, and the list goes on. It would be fitting if someone with reputable intentions could take all of this information, put it in research form, and make it available to law enforcement academies, higher learning institutions, law-making bodies, and human behavior analysts, so that something great could be gained from all of this. It would be a shame if nothing is learned from this.