The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Commonwealth's Attorney Nancy Parr said the police informant who burglarized the home of Ryan Frederick cannot be prosecuted until the victim reports the crime.
"As far as I'm aware, Mr. Frederick did not file a complaint," Parr said Wednesday.
Frederick, 29, was convicted this month of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Jarrod Shivers, a Chesapeake police detective shot Jan. 17, 2008, during a drug raid. Police executed the raid at Frederick's home based on tips Steven Wright had provided in return for money.
Police knew of the burglary at Frederick's home but have said they didn't know the culprit was their 20-year-old informant, who was looking for evidence of a marijuana-growing operation. Wright's actions, according to authorities, came to light months later.
Parr said a complaint has to be formally made with Chesapeake police. Chesapeake police said the burglary on Jan. 14, 2008, was never reported - even though Wright testified under oath that he did it.
"We have to have, basically, a victim who reports the crime, and Mr. Frederick has not made a formal report of the burglary," said Dorienne Boykin, a police spokeswoman.
Parr's office has not been involved in the prosecution of the Frederick case. After Shivers' death, she requested an outside prosecutor because her office had worked closely with Shivers and she wanted to avoid any perceived appearance of conflict or bias by her office. The burglars in Frederick's case are being prosecuted by Parr's office in other cases.
Wright testified during Frederick's trial that he and Renaldo Turnbull Jr., broke into Frederick's detached garage. Wright, a Great Bridge resident, said a city detective told him to go to Frederick's house a few days before the drug raid.
"He asked me to go and make sure there are marijuana plants still at his house," Wright testified. He insisted police never instructed him to break in. He admitted to breaking a contract with police by burglarizing the garage. He said he stole about five plants.
Frederick is being held in the Chesapeake Correctional Center while awaiting sentencing in May. Turnbull also is being held in Chesapeake, awaiting sentencing in March for an unrelated burglary and probation violation.
Wright is free on bond while awaiting trial in April on charges of credit card theft and fraud and felony failure to appear.
John Hopkins, (757) 222-5221, john.hopkins@pilotonline.com
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It Makes Sense that Frederick Wouldn't REport the Burglary
If he made a formal complaint that his garage was broken into, and marijauana plants were taken, he would, in writing, be admitting to being guilty of a drug-related felony of manufacturing marijuana.
While I don't think Frederick intentionally meant to kill a cop, I have no problem believing that he grew pot for himself, and maybe "share" some the extra stuff with his "friends".
Parr is being smart - let RF admit his guilt over the drug felony if he really wants Wright to do time for the burglary. If he fell for it, she would be able to put them both away.
Nancy Parr?
Why is Nancy Parr even commenting on this case, she ran from this case like the plaque a year ago to safeguard her political career. She really has nothing to say that is worthwhile in reference to this case. If she had tried the case she probably would have lost it.
People are missing the point that RF could have filed the
report of the burglary and theft of his marijuana plants if he wants/wanted to. But, for some reason he hasn't wanted to, to date. You have to have a "victim" that will come to court (i.e. a "reporting party") to testify that the person who broke in to their house did not live there, and did not have the victim's permission to break into the residence and steal his marijuana plants. (For whatever reason, RF does not appear to want to be that "victim.") If you don't have a victim in court (in this case)...you don't have a case, and won't get a conviction- that's reality.
Now, we all know what Wright testified to in court, and that he admitted to breaking in and taking the plants. We also know that he also testified to the fact that the police did not direct him to commit a burglary, nor to take the plants. Just because the police told him to go back and make sure that the plants were still there, does not mean that they told him to commit a burglary. No one really knows the true relationship between RF and Wright, but the two of them. This is not some conspiracy involving the CPD and the Commonwealth Attorney's Office. If you were to ask any judge, I think you may get the
Police corruption
I think the police should be up on charges of conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, conspiracy to commit perjury, and obstruction of justice.
More bull from Law Enforcement.
Breaking and entering, theft, setting up a grow operation, breaking his contract with police, conspiracy, falsifying a police report, perjury (re: num of phone calls received vs phone records in trial?). I believe the absence of prosecution on these crimes (and the ones that I missed) should be added to the tab of Wright’s payoff from police and prosecutors.
Judges and juries put a dollar value on a life, death and freedom all the time in civil trials. I wonder what the cash value of the above payoffs are.
Troubil can try to muddy the conversation by noting things like, “…Wright's grow operation was in Norfolk. Therefore Chesapeake CANNOT prosecute the crimes…” Anybody with the common sense Troubil implies he has would know that if a prosecutor wanted Wright tried, he would be tried, wherever or whatever it took.
tabor
Lying to the police and making false statements to the police ARE the same thing. Neither is a crime. Give it up. You don't know what you are talking about. What would you say to an attorney that told you how to do dentistry? Stick with what you know, and it certainly isn't the law. do not think for one minute that the law is about common sense, it isn't. Don't think for a moment that trials are about the truth, they are not, O.J. Simpson anyone??? You're blogs have done nothing but add misinformation to those that are uneducated in the law. Sitting in court for two weeks does not an expert make. The police are so corrupt that absolutely nothing has been done in an attempt to silence you. If the police were as corrupt as want people to believe, neither Frederick nor you would be around to say anything.
Troubil
Lying to the police and making false statements to the police are two different things.
Wright made false allegations of felonies, exaggerating a few plants grown for personal use into a commercial grow operation and selling of marijuana, which never happened. The police acted on those allegations in a manner they might not have if they had been correctly appraised of the scope of Frederick's activities.
By any rational measure, Wright is more responsible for Det. Shivers' death than Frederick, but he is being allowed to slide. Why? Is there something more he might say if charged that it is preferred we not hear?
Sounds fishy to me
So, if the Police find a murder victim, but no one files a complaint, they can't prosecute?
I thought in criminal cases, it was "the state" vs the perpetrator. Was there a criminal complaint sworn out against Frederick before they broke down his door? If so, who was the "victim" who filed the complaint?
When Police become aware that a crime has been committed, they can't act upon that information until a victim complains?
Sorry, not buying it.
Why is this news?
Somebody said they stole 5 plants a person grew from seeds... or maybe it was 2. Somebody took my juice out of the fridge at work the other day, should I call the media?
Integrity???
Dr. Tabor...People lie to the police everyday and do not get prosecuted. As a mattter or fact, lying to the police is not a crime. As for Wright's grow operation, the plants were taken to Norfolk. Chesapeake CANNOT prosecute crimes that occur in other jurisdictions. As for rayr, yes, a rape victim MUST notify the police that she was raped in order for us to investigate. As for murder, that is a crime against a person, not a crime against property. Everyday charges are dropped in court because victims don't wish to follow-through. What would be the point of charging Mr. Wri9ght when Mr. Frederick has made it clear that he does not wish to pursue charges? Integrity is not what is missing. What is missing is an understanding of the law and common sense.