Trial proceedings are set to start this week for former Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Blount, who’s accused of manslaughter within the 2019 killing of Bloomfield resident David Ward throughout a visitors cease.
Blount is the primary Sonoma County legislation enforcement officer to face murder prices linked to killing somebody whereas on obligation.
After a pretrial look Wednesday, the primary day of Blount’s trial is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday within the courtroom of Decide Robert LaForge.
He’s charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault by a peace officer. Each offenses are felonies.
The costs stem from the Nov. 27, 2019 demise of Ward, 52, throughout an early morning visitors cease.
Deputies tried to tug over Ward’s Honda Civic after he had reported it stolen, unaware that Ward had recovered his automobile and was behind the wheel, based on authorities.
Following a short pursuit by means of west county, Ward stopped his automobile close to his dwelling in Bloomfield however refused deputies’ orders to open the door or get out of the car.
Video from deputies’ body-worn cameras present Blount reached into the car by means of the driving force’s aspect window, wrapped his arm round Ward’s neck, in a now-banned neck maintain, and bashed his head into the door body a number of instances.
One other deputy, Jason Little, shot Ward with a stun gun by means of the driving force’s aspect window.
Ward, who kinfolk stated suffered from poor bodily and psychological well being and used a wheelchair, fell unconscious whereas handcuffed on the bottom exterior the automobile. He stopped respiration and died on the scene.
The Marin County Coroner dominated the demise a murder, concluding Ward died from cardiorespiratory collapse, blunt affect accidents, neck restraint and the usage of a TASER brought on by a “bodily confrontation with legislation enforcement.”
If convicted, Blount could possibly be sentenced to 6 years in jail.
In a video concerning the visitors cease and Ward’s demise launched by the Sheriff’s Workplace in late 2019, Sheriff Mark Essick stated Blount’s conduct was “extraordinarily troubling” and “doesn’t mirror the tradition of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Workplace.”
Essick went on to say he had served Blount a notice that he would be fired. However the 19-year division veteran retired earlier than that occurred and forward of the Sheriff’s Workplace completion of its investigation into the incident.
Authorities arrested Blount in November 2020, after a hardly ever used, secret felony grand jury returned a verdict to indict the ex-deputy. The jury’s 19 members heard testimony from medical and use-of-force specialists, in addition to native legislation enforcement brokers together with Assistant Sheriff Jim Naugle, who testified that Blount made tactical errors through the incident that needlessly escalated the scenario.
The opposite deputy concerned within the demise, Little, was not disciplined or charged.
An inner Sheriff’s Workplace investigation into his actions cleared him of any violation of coverage, together with insurance policies about use of pressure, stun-gun use, firearms, main incident notifications, and hostage and barricade incidents.
Nonetheless, in an audit of that investigation by the county’s Impartial Workplace of Legislation Enforcement Outreach and Evaluate, the county watchdog company disagreed with the Sheriff’s Workplace’s findings relating to Deputy Little.
IOLERO concluded that Little had certainly violated division coverage..
That coverage, IOLERO stated in its annual report, which was printed final month, entails a deputy’s obligation to intercede. It requires deputies attempt to interrupt and forestall extreme and unreasonable pressure by their colleagues.
“IOLERO understands that it was Charles Blount, not Deputy Little, who created the scenario and who was liable for Mr. Ward’s demise. Nonetheless, we can’t overlook the purpose that Deputy Little seems to have had ample alternative to intercede in Mr. Blount’s egregious habits, {that a} departmental coverage required him to do this, and that he made no try and comply,“ the audit said.
IOLERO beneficial that the Sheriff’s Workplace “strongly encourage” its staff to satisfy their obligation to intercede when witnessing acts that violate division coverage. The watchdog company can’t make suggestions about particular person deputy’s self-discipline for misconduct.
In April, Sonoma County settled a wrongful demise lawsuit introduced by Ward’s household for a file $3.8 million.
The trial is scheduled to start Friday with authorized motions, adopted by jury choice and opening statements. Each Deputy District Legal professional Robert Waner and Blount’s lawyer, Harry Stern, previously said the trial would seemingly take three weeks.
You may attain Employees Author Emily Wilder at 707-521-5337 or emily.wilder@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @vv1lder.
