Kentucky Officers Sued After Man Is Beaten At Horse Show

There is a disturbing case out of Kentucky this morning. State police and the FBI are reportedly investigating Owsley County deputy Sheriff Michael Havicus and Booneville Officer Timothy Marshall in the beating of John Adkins at a horse-riding event called the Fall Trail Ride. He was allegedly assaulted after he asked the officers if a band could continue to play at the event.

Adkins was at the event with his fiancée, Kerri Vandiver. The officers appeared after a report of an intoxicated women, but neither Adkins or Vandiver were reportedly drunk. After officers ordered the band to shutdown, Adkins reportedly approached the officers and “quietly and calmly” asked that the band be allowed to continue to play. He says that Havicus then assaulted him with a metal retractable baton — breaking his left eye socket and nose. The details are found in a federal lawsuit.

Marshall, is accused of failing to stop the attack.

In addition to the attack, Havicus is accused of jumping on Adkins and spraying him in the face with a chemical. The officers also prevented others from helping Adkins who was asking for water to wash out his eyes. Adkins was never charged with any crime.

Source: Kentucky and Reddit

Jonathan Turley

17 thoughts on “Kentucky Officers Sued After Man Is Beaten At Horse Show”

  1. Now, I just looked at the video of the guy getting thrown out of his wheel chair…maybe this is what the Teabaggers are really mad about when they say that their tax dollars are being wasted…but I see where she got fired too…thank the video techs…or there would not be any justice at all…and this was for a traffic stop..what the fuck?

  2. Well, besides needing to lose some weight or maybe get some humor, he could go to one of the war zones we are in and work off his post stress pre stress…when ever I see a big jerk like this using his authority to hassle, what a fourteen year old kid, and then a guy messing around with toy car, I wonder where are the supervisors? At least the City is using an Electric car…maybe that was why he got so irritated..fat guy, small car, kinda funny, and the shorts are a real crack up…Sorry you got your self fired dude, now go get some help…

  3. “Current cost of killing a victim appears to be two-hundred-thousand-dollars.” (michellefrommadison)

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    I just thought that observation should be repeated for emphasis.

  4. Video looks like attempted murder charges against the department are necessary in his case. Let’s see just how many days, if any, the department will do in jail after they are charged and convicted of this apparent crime. I suspect they will simply just settle the upcoming lawsuits instead of admitting to any crime just like CNN did when they were a part in the death of a victim they telephoned and verbally-battered to death. Current cost of killing a victim appears to be two-hundred-thousand-dollars.

  5. anon nurse
    1, January 1, 2011 at 1:13 pm
    “The ability of some law enforcement agents to slide past a jury verdict is astounding.” -Otteray Scribe

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    Though it clearly shouldn’t be the case, I wonder if fear of retribution doesn’t play a big role…

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    Whoa!! That could be a real possibility!

  6. This is an update on the brute that dumped Mr. Sterner out of the wheelchair. Personally, I think it isn’t enough of a punishment and a bad idea all around to let this person within a hundred feet of someone that is vulnerable.

    http://www.disaboomlive.com/Blogs/karaswims/archive/2008/07/02/unique-punishment-for-deputy-charged-in-wheelchair-dumping-case.aspx

    “the former deputy spend her time in an 18-month diversion program. Ms. Marshall-Jones accepted the offer and will serve around 100 hours of community service. As a final stipulation of the deal, Sterner requested that Ms. Marshall-Jones serve her time working with people with disabilities. There’s no word yet on where exactly she might serve her community service.”

  7. Otteray Scribe

    January 1, 2011 at 12:22 pm

    “This booking officer was indicted by a Grand Jury on a charge of ‘felony abuse of a vulnerable adult.’ She was acquitted.”

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    After watching the video, I asked myself how this woman could have been acquitted. I’m still not sure, but it is Hillborough County…

  8. “The ability of some law enforcement agents to slide past a jury verdict is astounding.” -Otteray Scribe

    =============

    Though it clearly shouldn’t be the case, I wonder if fear of retribution doesn’t play a big role…

  9. BBB, thx for the update. The guy needed to take up another line of work. Maybe he could find work as a tackling dummy for the Ravens. Well, one can have a fantasy anyway.

  10. OS,

    As of Aug 25, 2010, Officer Salvatore Rivieri (the officer in the second video) was fired by Commissioner Bealefield. Unfortunately, Circuit Judge Evelyn Cannon granted a Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of Rivieri dismissing the civil case brought against Rivieri by the mother of the skateboarder.

  11. rafflaw, do not hold your breath or take any “sure thing” bets on the outcome you predict. The ability of some law enforcement agents to slide past a jury verdict is astounding. A conviction is the exception, not the rule.

    A couple of horrible examples. This booking officer was indicted by a Grand Jury on a charge of ‘felony abuse of a vulnerable adult.’ She was acquitted. I understand her defense was that he brought it on himself, “forcing” her to dump him on the concrete floor. In other words, when she ordered him to stand up and he told her he could not, his refusal to stand was justification for laying him out in the floor.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SYjRe__HlA&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]

    Then there is the case of the Baltimore officer who was exonerated in his case. One has to ask, why is a 17-year veteran of the force assigned to sidewalk patrol in funny shorts and driving a funny looking golf cart?

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Mts9gMGKo&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]

  12. This is a horrible example of police brutality on steroids! I hope that the County and the Sheriffs have the insurance that they are going to need when this hits a civil court. These two “officers” should be spending some serious time cleaning out cells. Their own.

  13. …and the bad ones make it that much harder for the good ones, to follow up on AY’s comment.

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