Unmarked cop cars are illegal, TN has death penalty for cops in unmarked cop cars

"Stealth Mode" Secret Police on the Dragon at Deals Gap

"Is it legal in the state of TN for an unmarked police car to pull a citizen over for an alleged minor traffic violation? We'd always been taught in safety classes by certified law enforcement that it was illegal to do so. However, it seems some cities and towns in Tennessee are using unmarked cars to pull citizens over for minor traffic violations. We were told in safety classes taught by certified LE the reason laws were put into place to begin with were because of criminals impersonating police officers, stopping, robbing, raping and even murdering their victims after rendering them defenseless posing as bonafide police officers. Does anyone know the code or statute relating to this subject and whether it is still legal or illegal for an unmarked police car to be used in cases of minor traffic violations in the state of Tennessee?"
-Unmarked police cars in TN illegal?

"Well there have been many police impersonators and psychopaths have used this trick to lure victims to their deaths, so there is certainly a valid reason fro concern. Ted Bundy often pretended to be a cop. So did the BTK killer. Its a very common thing, actually."
-Roadshow: Illegal for CHP to use unmarked cars solely for traffic enforcement


"Actually, the BTK Killer WAS a cop, in uniform, with an official badge and a govt-issued gun, driving an official police car, on official duty, when he perped the serial murders. So always ditch the cops, no matter what kind of car they drive. This requires driving a MUCH faster vehicle, getting schooling in how to drive at high speed in curves without crashing (race schools), having a mapped route memorized on back roads, parking in a locked garage, etc. Or so I've read on the internet."
-The Dragonater

"Motorists followed by an unmarked car with flashing police-style lights are often told to activate their flashing emergency lights and wait for the nearest well-lit area before pulling over. An attractive young female motorist who followed this advice found herself held at gunpoint, handcuffed and searched by real police officers in Greene County, Missouri last week. Just before 2:40am on June 5, twenty-two-year-old Vanessa Kimery passed through one of the state’s many speed traps. An unmarked police cruiser pulled behind her vehicle and activated its lights. Kimery immediately put on her flashers and slowed to acknowledge the vehicle behind. She then drove less than a mile to the nearest well-lit area, a convenience store parking lot. For this, Kimery was ordered out of the car at gunpoint and surrounded by three police deputies. Kimery had feared that the unmarked car may have been driven by a police impersonator. Exactly one year ago, two women were attacked in Howell County by by a man driving a Ford Crown Victoria with red-and-blue lights mounted on the dash. Several other states have similar problems with robbers and rapists taking advantage of police use of unmarked cars to trap their victims on dark, rural roads. This woman did exactly the right thing. Automatically pulling over for an unmarked car is way too risky. The cops owe her an apology."
-Woman Fails to Stop Immediately for Unmarked Police Car, Handcuffed at Gunpoint

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Washington Judge Tosses Citation Issued in Unmarked Police Car Traffic Stop

Tim King
Salem-News.com

Common sense may ultimately prevail in the argument against the use of unmarked police cars for traffic enforcement in the state of Washington.


Can you tell which of the two police type cars is real? One belongs to a cop killer, the other an unmarked police car.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Opponents of unmarked police cars for traffic enforcement in Washington had a small victory Wednesday, when a traffic ticket originating from an unmarked unit was tossed out of court. In a previous article, Kevin Schmadeka explained that he was pulled over by one of these secret unmarked cars, and received a citation for not having his seat belt properly fastened.

He was in court Wednesday morning to attend a hearing for his seat belt ticket that was issued by a state trooper in an unmarked State Patrol car.

Download Court Brief For Use In Unmarked Car Cases

"I had submitted my brief to the Pierce District Court in advance. The judge began by asking me point blank if I had my seat belt on. I confessed guilt on that, and then told him my case was based upon the unmarked car issue. Then he said that he remembered reading my brief, and then a strange thing happened. He told me he was dismissing the ticket because of some sort of problem with the officer's report, (after I had confessed), then called up the next case and got me shuffled out of there as fast as possible."

Indeed, an interesting avoidance of a very important issue. It removes Kevin's ability to appeal the matter to a higher court, but also seems to indicate that the judicial system in this northern state may indeed be squeamish with this super controversial practice.

We have reported Washington's large numbers of unmarked traffic cruisers prowling the freeways, and we have also discussed things the way some of these officers tailgate and intimidate drivers. In one case the woman we interviewed was pulled over because she would not get out of the officer's way - that is exactly what she was told. The same woman had lost her small child one day before, after a long battle with an illness that began at birth.

Then there is the terrible story about the unmarked Washington police car and the officer who shot a minister to death even though the unmarked cop was technically trespassing without cause.

Kevin wrote about it in: Safety Demands Marked Squad Cars

Most people in the Spokane area know the story of what happened to Pastor Wayne Scott Creach. In August of 2010, he went outside at night to investigate a suspicious car that was trespassing upon his property at the Plant Farm Nursery. The car was an unmarked police cruiser driven by Deputy Brian Hirzel.

Pastor Creach had no way of knowing that, however, until after Hirzel had seen him approaching while armed. Creach put his weapon away, but the situation ended with the pastor’s death. The shooting was recently found justified in review processes that the Creach family was completely excluded from.

The incident has brought a number of issues with law enforcement to light, and among them is the fact that police use of unmarked cars, such as the one driven by Hirzel, is illegal under Washington law.

It is also the simple fact that police get away with murder and it is extremely rare for police review boards to ever find fault with officers. They are generally all part of the same team in the larger sense, and the victim, over and over, is public safety.

Each time a driver is pulled over by a car with a red light that is not a marked police traffic unit with lights on its roof, the person is taking their life in their hands. Absolutely anyone can purchase a retired police car and easily equip it with red lights and pose as a police officer in order to commit a crime.

Then there are the problems that are tied to actual cops in unmarked cars used for traffic enforcement. I'm sure most readers remember the Black woman in Alabama who an unmarked traffic officer attempted to pull over on a lonely quiet stretch of country road.

The woman drove to the first public place she could locate, where people were present and lights were on, and the cop was so pissed off that he just kicked the woman's ass after she finally stopped, with his own cop cam capturing the action.

A recent example of how far police will go without clear identity, is the extremely dangerous stop of a military war veteran home from overseas; an Air National Guardsman named Anthony Graber.

It happened in Maryland and the ultimate police response was to ransack his home and arrest him for shooting video of the arrest and posting it on YouTube.

This is the environment created by the last presidential administration under Homeland Security. Still, every American has a right to take any photo of anything they want to and should. You are always protected by the First Amendment.

Kevin Schmadeka says he won and lost Wednesday. The losing happened when the judge successfully ducked the issue, halting his plan to appeal the matter to a higher court. "This will also not be much help in pursuing enforcement action against the State Patrol," he added.

On the other hand, Kevin has a victory to tout in promoting the use of his brief by the public in unmarked car cases.

"I might also challenge a sheriff's department to write me a ticket from an unmarked car, and if I get one, I'll make sure the brief specifically requests a ruling on that issue," he said.

Kevin included these photo to illustrate how difficult it is to know who is who, when police fail to identify themselves.

"Next time someone tries to cite Crown Victoria's as being readily identifiable as law enforcement, you can ask them if this car is readily identifiable as such. Then you can break the news that this car was owned by Christopher Monfort."

Chris Monfort, the driver of one of the two police Crown Victoria's, was actually the person who shot and killed a Seattle police officer named Timothy Brenton.

Kevin Schmadeka said that with the aid of these photos of Monfort's cruiser, "I can show them his car and ask how comfortable that makes them feel about such a car pulling onto their own property."

I'm very happy for Kevin's success and we will keep you updated on this real progress that can protect the public and raise the effectiveness of police, by putting them back in readily identifiable vehicles that among other things, show a community that its law enforcement is there, rather than hiding in some overpriced taxpayer supplied hot rod.

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Big black dick Ron Killings on trial for murder of little girl by unmarked police car in "Stealth Mode" as seen on TruTV. TN has death penalty for cops drunk on duty.

Sergeant in unmarked car kills girl

Murfreesboro, TN - Ron Killings, a detective sergeant with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, had an unblemished record in his 12 years with the department–at least he did until July 17, 2008. That evening, at about 8:43 p.m., he was speeding in an unmarked patrol car when he struck and killed a child, 11-year-old Lakeisha White, as she crossed a road called Bradyville Pike in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Killings is charged with reckless homicide, based on his speed at the time of the crash. The issue at this trial is whether the fatal collision was a tragic accident or a crime. Watch live coverage of TN v. Killings this week on In Session.

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11-Year-Old Girl Hit, Killed By Sheriff's Deputy

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A Murfreesboro girl was killed overnight when she was hit by a car, and Friday morning confirmed reports said a deputy was behind the wheel of the unmarked car.

According to Murfreesboro police, veteran Detective Sgt. Ron Killings hit and killed 11-year-old Lakeisha White Thursday night.

Killings was on duty when the tragic accident happened at 8:43 p.m. on Bradyville Pike.

Witnesses and family members said Lakeisha was visiting her grandmother, who lives in Murfreesboro, when she was hit crossing the street.

FACT commander Sgt. Sam Campbell said that Lakeisha darted in front of Killings' vehicle and that Killings never saw her.

Lakeisha's cousin, who witnessed the incident, said the car dragged her down the street before stopping.

"That's when I went to get my mom to tell her she got ran over. That 's when we saw her laying there, beside the mailbox," said Raynesha Carneal, Lakeisha's cousin.

"I saw an undercover police officer going real fast. The girl was crossing the street; he hit her and when he hit her she landed at the mailbox. He got out of the car throwing a bottle. He got a cover to cover her up," eyewitness Jonathan Smith said.

Campbell said he "found no evidence that would indicate alcohol was involved". A routine blood alcohol test was taken on the scene, but the results of that test have not been released.

"There have been other media reports that he put a blanket on her. What he did, Sgt. Killings is also apart of our FAST: our tactical team if you will. He removed his Nomex flight suit that he wears with the team and covered her up assuming she may go into shock," said Sgt. Dan Goodwin with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department.

Lakeisha was flown to Vanderbilt where she died around midnight. Officials said it will take at least three days to reconstruct the scene.

The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said their prayers were with Lakeisha's family, and that they stand by Killings. They said he has an exemplary record.

"Killings has two young daughters and is understandbly devastated by this accident," said Detective Sgt. Dan Goodwin in a press release.

Friday night Killings was on administrative leave.

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Family members say there was a cover-up


CNN Justice

Family members say they believe there was a cover-up in the investigation into the death of Lakeisha White. In Session’s Ryan Smith spoke with the victim’s aunt, Kim Coleman, who was there the night the 11-year-old was struck and killed by an unmarked police vehicle. Coleman shared what she knew about the event and how the death of her niece has affected her family. She feels there is no way the jury in this case will find Ron Killings “not guilty.” Stay tuned to In Session for the latest on TN v. Killings.

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Jurors Will Not Hear Evidence Of Alcohol In Killings Trial

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - NewsChannel 5 has learned crucial evidence against Ron Killings will not be allowed in court. A grand jury indicted Killings last year with reckless homicide in the death of 11-year-old Lakeisha White on Bradyville Pike in Murfreesboro.

Family members said the investigation into Lakeisha White's death has been one blunder after another.

"He was caring more about bottles," said victim's godmother Rose Collier. "He's a trained police officer. He should have been jumping out of his car going to perform CPR."

Instead video showed Killings buying a Gatorade at a Murfreesboro Mapco 30 minutes after hitting Lakeisha.

Witnesses said they saw the former Rutherford County sheriff's deputy remove a liquor bottle from his trunk, a bottle eventually collected by police.

Loved ones are still hopeful of a conviction of reckless homicide for Killings, but the prosecution said the family was robbed of a key piece of evidence.

"I just wish that he would fess up and say ‘man I screwed up' and call us and say ‘I'm sorry,'" said Collier.

Blood tests found Killings was not drunk, but prosecutors still wanted to tell jurors about Killings' conduct in trying to dispose of the liquor bottle.

On Tuesday Judge David Bragg ruled to exclude the liquor evidence saying it was not relevant. Legal experts said this was a big victory for Killings as he fights the reckless homicide charge.

Ron Killing's attorney did not return NewsChannel 5's phone calls on Tuesday. Killings' trial is scheduled to begin on October 13.

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BREAKING NEWS: Ron Killings fired from RuCo Sheriff's Department

By: LISA MARCHESONI, Post Senior Writer

February 7, 2010

Ron Killings sits in a Rutherford County courtroom with his lawyer during a pretrial motion.

Fate of a former sheriff’s detective charged with killing an 11-year-old girl in a automobile accident will rest with 12 Hamilton County jurors.

Former Sgt. Ron Killings faces trial Monday for reckless homicide of Lakeisha White of Hopkinsville, Ky., who was visiting relatives when killed at 8:45 p.m. July 17, 2008 on Bradyville Pike. Reckless homicide is defined as the reckless killing of another. The range of punishment is two to 12 years.

At the time of the crash, Murfreesboro Police said the investigation showed Lakeisha darted out in front of Killings who was en route to back up another detective on a burglary call. He did not have emergency lights or siren activated.

Because of pre-trial publicity, Circuit Court Judge David Bragg agreed to select a jury from Hamilton County.

Bragg, the prosecutor, defense attorneys, clerks and sheriff’s deputies will travel to Chattanooga where jury selection begins Monday. Once the jury of 12 and two alternates is selected, deputies will transport the jurors to Murfreesboro for opening statements and testimony set to begin Tuesday morning.

Because District Attorney William Whitesell’s office worked with Killings on his cases, the family asked for a special prosecutor. Former DA Joe Baugh of Franklin was appointed to prosecute the case.

During a pretrial hearing, Baugh said the report showed Killings’ vehicle traveled at 71 mph two seconds before his vehicle struck Lakeisha. The speed was 62.8 when the air bag deployed.

Killings was also indicted on charges of a tampering with evidence by concealing liquor bottles so the containers would not be available as evidence. In the false report charge, the indictment accused Killings of giving a false statement to Murfreesboro Police.

Those cases will be tried separately.

Baugh repeatedly said Killings was negligent when he disposed of the bottles instead of treating Lakeisha, who died later that night at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

One of the bottles contained a receipt linked to Killings.

But defense attorney Terry Fann said the prosecution didn’t have any witnesses to show Killings failed to aid the girl, causing her death.

The investigation has been controversial from the outset.

• While officers were investigating, witnesses told police Killings disposed of a bottle of alcohol just after the crash but investigators did not take the bottle as evidence.

• Murfreesboro Police allowed Killings to leave the scene. A test of Killings’ blood showed no presence of alcohol.

Because of a lack of alcohol in Killings’ blood, Bragg ruled evidence about the alcohol is not permitted at the reckless homicide trial.

• Baugh asked the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Critical Incident Crash Team to reconstruct the crash almost 15 months later. Because the street was improved since then, Fann argued to have the newest photographs kept from the jurors but Bragg denied his motion.

• In motions last week, Fann filed motions stating Killings was selectively prosecuted because he is black. Lakeisha was black. Fann reviewed 58 previous fatal crashes that didn’t involve alcohol showing only one person was prosecuted. Bragg, who reviewed the crashes, said the majority was not prosecuted because the offending driver died.

Lisa Marchesoni can be reached at 615-869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@murfreesboropost.com

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Jury Finds Ron Killings Not Guilty


MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The jury has found former Rutherford County sheriff's detective Ron Killings not guilty of reckless homicide.

Police charged Killings with hitting and killing 11-year-old Lakeisha White with his unmarked squad car in July 2008.

Deliberations began around 5:20 p.m. Thursday after closing arguments. The jury deliberated for just under an hour.

After the verdict Lakeisha's aunt Kim Coleman was too upset to talk. Killings also left the courtroom without comment.

"We're delighted for Ron and his family right now," said Rutherford County Sheriff Truman Jones. "We're very happy with the verdict.

"He is relieved. It's been a long, long journey for him. It's been an uphill battle. It's been a long time since he's gotten some good news, to be honest with you. It's his birthday. It's been a great birthday present for him," said Killings' attorney Terry Fann.

Killings testified on his own behalf earlier in the day.

Killings was visibly upset during his tearful testimony. He said after that the impact, "I stayed there and at that point I was looking at her. I couldn't do anything for her."

He testified he first ran to the front of his vehicle, then the back looking for her – when he saw where she had been thrown to the side of the road.

"I wish he would just tell the truth because he tore our family apart," said Lakeisha's aunt Kim Coleman before the verdict.

The prosecution said Killings was driving more than twice the posted speed limit on Bradyville Pike. Killings testified that he was responding to a call for back-up in the area. He said his squad car was in stealth mode, meaning his lights and siren were not turned on.

Killings faces two more charges, one for tampering with evidence and one for giving a false statement.

The special prosecutor will decide in the next few weeks whether to move forward with other charges.

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BREAKING NEWS: Ron Killings fired again from RuCo Sheriff's Department

September 8, 2010 2:11 pm

Rutherford County’s new sheriff made good on a campaign promise Wednesday when he fired Detective Sgt. Ron Killings.
“Detective Ron Killings was released from duty at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office here today,” Sheriff Robert Arnold said in a brief press conference.

Killings was rehired by former sheriff Truman Jones in early August after being cleared of wrong doing in a trial this spring and other charges were dropped afterward.

Arnold said Killings was an at-will employee and on probation since his rehiring.

“Under county regulations, an employee on probation may be released at any time with one year of employment,” he said.

Killings has been a controversial figure for the RCSO since he was tried for the hitting and killing 11-year-old girl Lakeisha White with his patrol car while en route to aid another officer July 17, 2007 on Bradyville Pike.

Killings was indicted for reckless homicide of White of Hopkinsville, Ky., filing a false police report and tampering with evidence.

Besides the homicide charge, Killings was accused of concealing a bottle of liquor so the container would not be used as evidence. Also, he was accused of giving a false statement to Murfreesboro Police investigating the crash. But those charges were dropped after he was cleared of wrongdoing in the reckless homicide case.

White’s family was very happy with Arnold’s announcement.

“We’re really happy about this,” said Kim Coleman, White’s aunt. “They need to get rid of all the crooked police officers.”

Rosie Collier, White’s grandmother said Killings’ firing won’t bring her granddaughter back, but it does bring closure to the family.

“He lived up to what he said he was going to do,” Collier said.

•••

In an unrelated matter, Arnold also announced Lisa Marchesoni, a former Murfreesboro Post news hound, will now serve as the RCSO's Public Information Officer.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

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Family Settles Out Of Court With Sheriff's Office

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - One of the court cases surrounding the death of 11-year-old Lakeisha White is over. A settlement has been reached between the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and the family of the deceased girl.

Ron Killings, a Rutherford County Detective at the time, was behind the wheel of his patrol car when he struck the little girl, killing her in the summer of 2008.

NewsChannel 5 has learned that the family has reached a settlement, worth a little more than $200,000 in the civil case.

Witnesses claim that the Detective refused to help the girl at first.

The criminal case against Killings will begin next month. He's charged with reckless homicide.