Courthouse Steps Mavens   Non-Family Cases   Murdered Law Enforcement *Attempts*   Detective Michael Thomas

Tedie      Courthouse Steps Maven since Sep 2006                                                  September 21st, 2006 10:46 PM         Suspected cop killer appears in court By Felix Doligosa, Rocky Mountain News September 21, 2006 Aurora, CO Adams County District Attorney Don Quick said this afternoon he intends to file first-degree murder charges against Brian Washington, suspected of gunning down Aurora police Detective Michael Thomas in an Aurora intersection yesterday. Washington, along with his attorney, Todd Nelson, made an appearance before Adams County District Judge Harlan Bockman where he was advised of his rights. The courtroom was packed and security was tight as Washington listened to what the judge told him and simply replied "Yes, your Honor" when asked if he understood his rights. Nelson tried to prohibit the media from attending the hearing, but Bockman allowed one still photographer and one videographer to attend. Washington was arrested at the scene yesterday after he allegedly walked up to a car Thomas was driving at Peoria Street and Montview Boulevard, and allegedly shot the officer in the side, killing him. Thomas was in plain clothes and wasn’t driving a police vehicle. No motive for the shooting has yet been offered. Two corrections employees were in the car behind Thomas and jumped out, subduing Washington until police could arrive. Washington is scheduled back in court next Monday for the filing of formal charges. He’s being held without bail.         For all the missing.

Tedie      Courthouse Steps Maven since Sep 2006                                                  September 21st, 2006 10:48 PM         Aurora detective ambushed Corrections officers subdue suspect in officer's slaying By John C. Ensslin and Javier Erik Olvera, Rocky Mountain News September 21, 2006 Aurora, CO A decorated police detective was shot to death Wednesday and police said the man they arrested was already being sought in a random shooting in Denver two days earlier. Michael D. Thomas, 52, a 24-year veteran of the Aurora Police Department, was on a lunch break during a daylong training exercise when he was shot in the left side while waiting for the light to change on Peoria Street at Montview Boulevard. It wasn't clear whether the suspect realized that Thomas was a police officer. Thomas was on duty at the time but wearing civilian clothes in his own personal vehicle. Two corrections officers who were passing by when the shooting occurred scrambled out of their van and tackled the suspect, whom police identified as Brian Allen Washington, 27, of Denver. Washington is being held without bail in Adams County Jail on investigation of first-degree homicide. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance this afternoon. Denver police had identified Washington as a suspect in a similar shooting Monday in which a gunman fired into a woman's car at East 33rd Avenue and Pontiac Street. Paramedics rushed Thomas to University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, where he was pronounced dead at 12:35 p.m., said Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates. "This is a terrible and tragic day," Oates said during a somber press conference Wednesday afternoon in front of a memorial for slain officers outside Aurora police headquarters. "This is about as hard as it gets for those of us in policing and we ask that you bear with us," the chief said. Oates was surrounded by about 85 officers and city officials who were standing in front of a memorial that reads, "It's not how these officers died that makes them heroes. It's how they lived." Police released no details of how the shooting occurred, other than to knock down a rumor that it was a road-rage incident. Thomas became the fourth Aurora police officer slain in the line of duty. His death came just one day shy of 19 years after the death of Edward John Hockam, the last Aurora officer killed on duty. "Mike was a great guy," said Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer. "This is a huge loss of somebody who cannot be replaced." Tauer also thanked the two unidentified corrections officers who subdued the suspect as well as civilian witnesses who tried to come to the slain officer's aid. Thomas served as a patrolman, a canine officer and a narcotics detective. He had been promoted to detective in April 2005 and recently was assigned to District 3 in southeast Aurora. During his career, Thomas had been decorated more than a dozen times, including a 1992 Medal of Honor, the department's highest award. In October 1991, Thomas and a fellow Aurora officer were stabbed by a knife-wielding man accused of beating his wife. Thomas suffered cuts to his forehead. "He was known within the department as one of the hardest-working detectives," Oates said. Washington has a lengthy adult arrest history dating back to January 1999. Most of his prior arrests were in Denver, Aurora and Adams County. The charges include smuggling contraband into prison in 1999, drug possession, parole violations and traffic offenses such as driving with a revoked licence. His most recent arrest occurred Aug. 28 when Denver police arrested him on charges of possession of a weapon by a previous offender and marijuana possession. Oates said Denver police had been seeking Washington in connection with a shooting that occurred around 10 a.m. Monday. According to a police report, Vernice D. Griffin, 55, had stopped at a traffic light that morning when a man crossed in front of her gray Isuzu Amigo, pulled out a handgun and fired a shot through her front windshield. She ducked and the shot missed her, although shards of glass from the shattered windshield cut her left hand. As she drove east on 33rd Avenue to get away, she could see the suspect running westbound. Griffin, a home-care nurse with a background in psychiatric nursing, said she didn't know the man who fired the shot. "Oh my God," Griffin said Wednesday night after she was told the same man who may have shot at her was also a suspect in the fatal shooting of an Aurora detective. Wednesday's shooting occurred at a busy intersection that includes North Middle School and the Fitzsimons Golf Course. Investigators interviewed several witnesses and used an Aurora Fire Department ladder truck to shoot an aerial view of the crime scene. Police have asked anyone who witnessed the shooting to call Detective R.J. Wilson at 303-739-6106.         For all the missing.

Tedie      Courthouse Steps Maven since Sep 2006                                                  September 21st, 2006 10:49 PM         Slain officer was instant fit in new neighborhood By Hector Gutierrez And Javier Erik Olvera, Rocky Mountain News September 21, 2006 AURORA - With his law enforcement career heading into its twilight, Michael Thomas moved recently into his new home in the Saddle Rock North subdivision. If it was his retirement home, he couldn't have picked a better place, because everyone benefited from his presence. Thomas, 52, fit in perfectly, neighbor Larry Bistrow said. He and his neighbors mowed each other's lawns, and Thomas enjoyed working on his yard. He didn't hesitate to cross the small residential street to engage in casual conversation with his new friends. He and his girlfriend threw a housewarming party shortly after settling in, cooked up some steaks and invited the neighborhood. Bistrow went over to his house and helped hang a mirror inside. In addition to his police work, Bistrow saw a photo of Thomas' other love, his adult daughter. "He moved in three or four months ago and instantly was a permanent member of the neighborhood," said Bistrow, still visibly shaken several hours after the gunfire that took the life of his new friend. "He had such a vitality and he had a big smile on his face, and he was always positive." Bistrow recalled that the last time he saw Thomas was on Friday, when the detective invited him to attend a "smoker" boxing exhibition involving pugilists from different law enforcement departments. "It seemed like he was with us forever," he said. "It's a tragedy." Bistrow remembered Thomas talked to him about motorcycles after Bistrow recently purchased one. Thomas, Bistrow said, told him he used to own motorcycles and had sold his last one prior to moving into the quiet and secluded community. The two also had military backgrounds, Bistrow said. He was in the Marines and Thomas was in the Air Force. Although Thomas didn't say why he became a cop, Bistrow reasoned that it may have had to do with his military service. "I think he was civic-minded and wanted to serve society," Bistrow said. "I know he was a dedicated officer and devoted to being the kind of officer the public would want." Thomas was a patrolman and a narcotics detective during his 24-year career. He had been promoted to detective in April 2005 and had recently been assigned to District 3 in southeast Aurora, not far from his home. He had been decorated for service more than 12 times, including a 1992 Medal of Honor, the department's highest award. Aurora Police Association President Don James had known Thomas for 24 years and described him as "a quality guy who worked hard, was committed to his job, to his family, to his community." "Right now, the big question is what happened," said James, who considered Thomas a good friend. "Things are really tough for all of us here. This is a dark day." Former Police Chief Ricky Bennett, who is now a captain in the department, also had known Thomas since he started his career, and said he was one of the best officers in the city. Bennett said that if Thomas was asked to do something, he would go out of his way to make sure it was done to the best of his abilities - a quality that made him stand out. Until recently, Bennett oversaw the department's District 3 area, where Thomas has been assigned for a few years. "He was loved by all," Bennett said. City Manager Ron Miller struggled to find the right words. "It's very difficult for all of us," he said. "We have an excellent police department, and Mike was one of our finest officers. He's irreplaceable." Roll of honor Other Aurora police officers killed in the line of duty: • Debra Sue Corr, 26, was the first Aurora officer to be killed when on June 27, 1981, she stopped a drunken driver in the 1500 block of Moline Street. A struggle ensued and the man, who was wanted on several warrants, managed to get her weapon and shoot her. • Agent Thomas J. Dietzman, 34, was killed Aug. 16, 1985, when he was accidentally shot during a training exercise for the Aurora Police SWAT team. • Agent Edward J. Hockhom, 29, was shot Sept. 21, 1987, in an exchange of gunfire with a robbery suspect.         For all the missing.

Antalli      Courthouse Steps Maven since Mar 2006                                                  September 22nd, 2006 04:16 PM         Suspect in slaying no stranger to trouble Accused gunman served prison time over drug use By Sara Burnett Rocky Mountain News September 22, 2006 The man accused of killing Aurora police Detective Michael Thomas struggled with drugs and had several run-ins with the law - one as recently as last month - before he was arrested in Wednesday's brazen midday shooting, court records show. Brian Allen Washington, 27, of Denver, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2003 after he repeatedly tested positive for marijuana or missed mandatory drug tests, according to a Denver court file. The tests were required as part of a deferred sentence for possession of Valium, a charge Washington pleaded guilty to in 2001. In letters to Denver District Court Judge Paul Markson, Washington, his mother, his uncle and two ministers urged the judge to send Washington to a drug treatment center rather than to prison. "I have a drug problem and I really want and need help for my drug addiction," Washington wrote. "Please find it in your heart to give me another chance." Washington also said he needed to remain in Denver and continue working, possibly through a program at a halfway house, so he could support his two children. "Your honor, I am truly sorry and if you would just give me one more chance I know I can do it," he stated. Washington's uncle, James Washington, wrote that he sat down with his nephew after church one day and had a long talk with him about his drug problem. He described Brian Washington as "a very good young man and very smart" who would help with the public address system and youth choir at Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church in Denver. Jules E. Smith, the church's pastor, wrote in another letter that Washington wanted to do better and realized "he made a mistake in life." Smith and James Washington both declined comment Thursday. Court records show that Brian Washington was first cited in 1999 for speeding in Douglas County. He also has traffic citations for not having insurance and driving without a driver's license in 1999 and 2000. His first drug-related charge came in November 1999, when he was arrested in Aurora for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of about $200, records show. In 2001, Denver police found a bag of what they suspected was crack cocaine and a bag of marijuana in Washington's car, and he was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Washington pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, possession of Valium, later that year. He was sentenced to a two-year deferred judgment with supervised probation. But even before he was sentenced, Washington failed a drug test, testing positive for marijuana, according to his court file. Over the next year he either tested positive or failed to show up for drug tests at least eight more times. In February 2003, because of the violations, Markson sentenced Washington to two years in prison. Washington's next criminal charge was in January of this year, when he was arrested in Adams County on charges of possession of marijuana and driving with a revoked license. He was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear in court on those charges when he was stopped last month in Denver. According to a Denver police report, Washington was the passenger in a car that was stopped near Colfax Avenue and Xenia Street just before midnight on Aug. 20. Officers found a large bag of marijuana between the passenger seat and passenger door, the report states. A search of the car also turned up a loaded 9 mm handgun under the passenger seat. Washington posted bond two days later, and on Aug. 25, after deciding there was not enough evidence to charge him with possession of the gun or drugs, the Denver District Attorney's Office dropped the charges, DA spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said Thursday. "There wasn't enough for us to go to a jury and prove it was his," Kimbrough said, adding that the items could have belonged to the driver. Earlier this week, Denver police identified Washington as a suspect in a random shooting on Monday. Authorities say someone walked up to a car stopped at 33rd Avenue and Pontiac Street - less than a block from Washington's mother's home - and fired at the woman driver. The woman ducked and the shot missed her. Officers were still looking for Washington on Wednesday when they say he shot Thomas. Washington's mother, Patricia Tripp, could not be reached for comment Thursday. But in a letter to Markson in 2003, she too said her son needed a drug treatment program to "help him see the light at the end of the tunnel." "Brian has a drug problem you see he loved to smoke weed (if you don't mind me using that term)," Tripp wrote. "My son needs help."

Gabby      Courthouse Steps Maven since Jul 2006                                                  September 27th, 2006 03:58 PM         9News Police officers statewide attend Aurora detective's funeral written by: Sara Gandy Web Producer updated by Dan Boniface Web Producer 9/26/2006 AURORA - Gov. Owens and police officers from around the state packed the Heritage Christian Center near Parker Road and Florida Avenue on Tuesday to pay their final respects to a fallen Aurora officer. "Sometimes people just do crazy things, and we can't blame you for what people do, but we do know today that our hope is in Christ Jesus." Those were among the first words spoken at the funeral for Aurora Police Detective Mike Thomas. Thomas was on duty, stopped at the intersection of Peoria Street and Montview Boulevard last Wednesday when he was shot and killed. Thomas was driving his personal car and was not in uniform when he was shot. He was heading from one training center to another. He was pronounced dead about a half hour later at the hospital. "Mike, you were a somebody," said Division Chief Ken Murphy. "You were a loving, providing, protective dad. You were a faithful and supporting husband. You were an outstanding police officer and our brother in blue." Gov. Owens told the crowd it wasn't the officer's badge that made him a target, but a random act of hatred. "When people called Mike Thomas a public servant, they meant it," said Owens. "Mike served our state, he served our country, he served the city of Aurora. He served us all well." Owens called Det. Thomas an inspiration and encouraged everyone to take up the charge of service where the fallen officer left off. "Mike Thomas will have his moment of justice in the courtroom," said Aurora Police Chief, Daniel Oates. "I guarantee it." Oates concluded the funeral by asking the congregation to honor the fallen detective with a round of applause. "For the life Mike Thomas lived, and for how he chose to live, for the wonderful human being and police officer he was, I'd like you all to give him a round of applause," said Oates. Twenty-seven-year-old Brian Allen Washington was arrested soon after the shooting and has been charged with first-degree murder in Thomas' death.

Razz      Courthouse Steps Maven since Oct 2006                                                  October 1st, 2006 03:02 AM         Picture of man accused of killing cop released written by: Jeffrey Wolf Web Producer 9News 9/29/2006 DENVER - Police released a picture Friday of the man accused of shooting and killing an Aurora Police officer. Brian Allen Washington is charged with first-degree murder after police say he shot and killed Det. Mike Thomas as he was stopped at an intersection in Aurora last week. Washington is also accused of shooting at a woman as she sat in her car in Denver on Sept. 18. Denver Police released a picture of Washington on Friday. The Denver District Attorney's office says a 55-year-old woman from Jefferson County was in her car at the intersection of 33rd Avenue and Pontiac Street on Sept. 18, when Washington opened fire on her. He is charged with attempted murder in that case.

Ferzy      Courthouse Steps Maven since Apr 2006                                                  October 4th, 2006 03:26 AM         Struggle at cop slaying scene Affidavit: Suspect struck officer after saying, 'I shot him' By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News October 4, 2006 Officer Scott Osgood stood next to the car of a plainclothes Aurora police detective who'd just been shot when a man in a blue jogging suit approached him and asked if the fatally wounded officer was OK. When Osgood told the him the situation was under control, the man said, "I shot him." Asked what he'd just said, Brian Allen Washington repeated, "I shot him." Those details are part of an affidavit released Tuesday that describes the struggle that ensued between Osgood and Washington and provides more insight into the gunman who admitted killing Detective Michael D. Thomas, 52, on Sept. 20, two days after allegedly shooting at a woman in Denver. "It's OK," Washington told Osgood. "I'm federal. I'm with the nation." Washington was considering becoming a Muslim, the affidavit says, but it's unclear whether his "nation" comment referred to the Nation of Islam, a group that adopted a doctrine of black supremacy. Osgood, who had a badge, a sidearm and a polo shirt identifying him as a Police Academy staff member, lunged at Washington, who was pulling a gun from his pants pocket. Washington struck Osgood in the face several times before the officer was able to subdue him. Two corrections officers who were driving by went to Osgood's aid. Although police have been close- mouthed about possible motives for Washington's actions, the affidavit provides more insight into his personal life. Washington, a 27-year-old father of two, was living with his mother in Denver. During the past few months, Washington's mother said he developed an interest in the Quran, said he was God and talked about going "to Iran and become Muslim and be the president." Washington faces eight felony counts, including twjo charges of first-degree murder, in connection with the death of Thomas, a 24-year Aurora Police Department veteran. Washington also faces several charges in Denver, including attempted first-degree murder, after he allegedly shot at a 55-year-old woman who was inside her car, waiting at a traffic light. Thomas also was stopped at a traffic light on Peoria Street at Montview Boulevard just before noon when he was shot. Police have said both shootings were random and that Washington didn't know Thomas was a detective. When Osgood first saw Thomas in his car, he didn't realize he'd been shot. We need mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole for rapists and child molesters.

8 Ball      Courthouse Steps Maven since Nov 2006                                                  July 19th, 2007 06:05 AM         Defendant In Fatal Officer Shooting Gets Max Sentence In Other Case Brian Washington Sentenced To 26 Years In Prison TheDenverChannel July 18, 2007 Brian Washington DENVER -- A 28-year-old man accused in the alleged murder of an Aurora policeman was sentenced to 26 years in prison Wednesday in a separate case. The Denver district attorney's office said Brian Washington pleaded guilty in a deal in which he accepted the maximum sentence on a charge of first-degree assault. He fired a gun at a woman in Denver last year. She ducked and was not hurt. Washington originally pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the case. Washington faces first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of Aurora police officer Mike Thomas three days after attacking the woman last September.

Budder      Courthouse Steps Maven since Mar 2009                                                  March 20th, 2009 06:16 AM         Agent Michael Del Thomas Aurora Police Department Colorado End of Watch: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Biographical Info Age: 52 Tour of Duty: 24 years Badge Number: 82-60 Incident Details Cause of Death: Gunfire Date of Incident: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Weapon Used: Handgun Suspect Info: Apprehended Agent Michael Thomas was shot and killed by a suspect who opened fire on him while he sat a traffic light at the intersection of Peoria Street and Montview Boulevard. Agent Thomas had just left a training session and was heading to another session when the incident occurred. The shooter was subdued by several passers-by and then taken into custody by an Aurora police officer, and two Federal Bureau of Prisons corrections officers who happened to be in the area. The shooter was wanted in Denver for an unprovoked shooting that had occurred the previous week. Agent Thomas had served with the Aurora Police Department for 24 years. He is survived by his daughter, mother, and brother. http://www.odmp.org/officer/18505-a...hael-del-thomas

Budder      Courthouse Steps Maven since Mar 2009                                                  March 20th, 2009 06:18 AM         Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Killing Aurora Detective Jury Did Not Believe Brian Washington's Insanity Plea March 19, 2009 BRIGHTON, Colo. -- An Adams County jury said a 27-year-old man was sane when he shot and killed an Aurora police detective in broad daylight. Brian Washington was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder, but not guilty of first-degree murder. "I think they listened and did the best job they could under the circumstances. So I respect their decision," said Adams County District Attorney Don Quick. The jury had to determine whether Washington had a clear intent to kill or was in a "full-blown psychosis" when he shot and killed Aurora Police Detective Mike Thomas in September 2006. Washington's attorney had asked the jury to find her client "not guilty by reason of insanity" because she believes Washington suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and was in the middle of a "delusional fit." Attorney Sharlene Reynolds said her client believed he was the son of God and was hearing voices before the shooting. She said he was taking 700 milligram of the psychiatric drug Thorazine daily and believed police were following him. Reynolds told the jury that Washington has an IQ of 84 and is not clever enough to fake insanity. The jury, who was given the case Tuesday afternoon, told Judge C. Vincent Phelps Wednesday that they were "unable to come to a consensus" about Washington's mental status during the shooting. The judge told the jury to continue deliberating. Thomas, a 24-year veteran of the Aurora Police Department, was on duty but in plain clothes and driving his personal vehicle when he was shot at the intersection of Montview Boulevard and Peoria Street. Prosecutors said Washington killed Thomas because he believed police were following him for selling drugs and shooting at a woman in Denver a few days earlier. "He wanted someone dead. He wanted a cop dead. He wanted Mike Thomas dead," said Adams County Deputy District Attorney Tim McCormick. "And he accomplished that." McCormick argued that Washington definitely suffered from some type of mental problem but it did not meet the legal definition of insane. "You don't shoot at two people in 48 hours -- narrowly missing one and killing the other -- without something being wrong," McCormick said. "The evidence bears it out that he wasn't insane." State doctors believed he was likely exaggerating his symptoms of mental illness and possibly making up being insane. On Thursday, the judge asked the jury if they found Washington not guilty of first-degree murder "solely because he was insane." The jury said no. The jury also found Washington guilty of criminal intent to commit assault and second-degree assault. He was acquitted on the charge of criminal attempted murder and menacing with a deadly weapon. "Whether the suspect knew it was a police officer or not, he's going to be spending the rest of his life, I believe in jail. So we're happy with that," said officer Edward Nolte, one of roughly 40 Aurora cops at the Brighton courthouse for the verdict. Both the suspect and the victim's family said the verdict was just. Washington's sister said she knew he was sick because he thought he was God, but she never thought he would resort to violence. "It wasn't anything that I thought about. I mean, weird things like he kept mixing (books of) the Bible up. He thought he was God. He thought he was the Son of God," said Shaleda Tripp, Washington's sister. "It wasn't normal like my brother that I know." Aurora police Officer Scott Osgood testified during the trial that Washington walked up to him after the shooting and admitted he did it. Washington is already serving a 26-year sentence for that earlier shooting. Thomas, who was a decorated officer and the father of a grown daughter, was the first Aurora police officer killed in the line of duty in almost 20 years. "There is vindication, in the sense that he's not going to see the light of day - if ever - for a very, very long time," said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates. "I've been supervising cops now since 1984 and this was the first officer seriously hurt or killed under my command." Washington's trial has lasted 19 days. Washington will be sentenced April 6th. He faces 26 to 80 years in prison, according to Adams County DA Qucik. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/new...0/detail.html#-

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