Five New Hanover Sheriff's deputies have been disciplined after tasing and arresting a man at his father's funeral this past Saturday.
Gladwyn Russ III was wanted on a domestic warrant for a threatening to kill his wife. The plan was for deputies to arrest Russ after the funeral, but a miscommunication at the sheriff's department resulted in two plain clothes detectives taking him in to custody while he was acting as a pallbearer, and sliding his father's casket in to the hearse.
From the New Hanover County Jail, Russ told the story of how sheriff's deputies arrested him at his father's funeral. “I was just in awe. I didn't know what was going on because I was watching my daddy's casket pass through my hands for the last time," he said.
Startled, he fought back. That is when Russ was tased, cuffed and taken to jail. "It just amazed me the show of force they had for just a little crime,” he said.
But the New Hanover County Sherrif's Office said it’s more than just a little crime. Russ is charged with threatening to kill his wife; a domestic related charge that Sheriff Causey said, isn't taken lightly.
“He had avoided us, he promised to turn himself in, but he just simply would not,” said Causey.
Arrangements were made for Russ to report to the jail last Monday. When he did not, a plan for his arrest began to take shape. The plan was for deputies to arrest him after the graveside service.
“They tried to arrest him as they were leaving the funeral home. That was our mistake. I take full responsibility for that. I'm sorry for any interruption this caused,” said Causey.
Since August, sheriff's deputies have made 19 visits to Russ's house. The majority of visits were failed attempts to arrest him. In fact, the last time they tired to arrest him, Russ barricaded himself inside a home, and refused to go peacefully with law enforcement.
Wow you can certainly tell
Wow you can certainly tell the criminals and the law abiding citizens by their assumptions and the remarks they make. Simply *saying* something does not make it factual. Were YOU there...those of you that are repeating things over and over again? I for one hold NHCSD in the highest regard - let someone be hurting YOUR family or after someone you hold dear. WHO do you call for help? The criminals? Sure, that and $4 will get you a cup of coffee. Come on people of Wilmington wake up. We've hired these capable men and women to do a job, one they are highly trained for. Please allow them to do it every day, not just when it suits your personal agenda!
Bad Call
Let's take a moment and look at the apprehension of Mr. Russ. This issue should not even concern Dep. Jordan and Cpl. Brown. The issue at hand is the poor decision making capabilities of Sheriff Causey and his administration. This matter clearly went wrong when Mr. Russ allowed to dictate the conditions of his apprehension. This sends a message to the criminals of New Hanover County by saying, do whatever crime you want, barricade yourself in and we will allow you to turn yourself in when you are good and ready. The second issue what if Mr. Russ would have killed his ex-wife during these two days he was granted to go about his life. Sheriff Causey said that this was a serious charge, which in fact it was. But, the command staff at the Sheriff's Office must not have thought it was to serious of a charge by allowing Mr. Russ to freely roam the streets of New Hanover County. Sheriff Causey said that he accepted responsibility for the incident. If Russ would have killed his ex-wife would the Sheriff have assumed the responsibility then. Yes, he would have then. Sheriff Causey would have not necessarily wanted to assume the responsibility, but would have no other option when the law suit was filed. These clearly shows that Causey and command staff are clearly not able to make the decisions that the voters of New Hanover County thought they were able to make. These that should be disciplined are not Dep. Jordan and Cpl. Brown, but Sheriff Causey and everyone of the command staff that participated in the decision to allow Russ to dictate his apprehension. Will Causey suspend himself for a day without pay. I think not, he will not miss a days pay of his $117,000.00 salary. Sheriff Causey, how does it feel to PUNKED, because that is what has happened to you and the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office. You have made your deputies look so good in the eyes of the public. Sheriff Causey, if you take responsibility you should suspend yourself, be a man and do it.
TASER
So is this the way the black community thinks they are supposed to act with law enforcement? You will turn yourself in whenever fits your schedule. Sorry doesn't work that way, if you are wanted you should be apprehended whenever you are spotted. Period. You all want to act like animals, Good job Wilmington Police Department.
The article clearly states
The article clearly states that it was the New Hanover County Sheriff's Department. The Wilmington Police Department had nothing to do with what happened to this man. Before you go off and start writing comments about a news article, make sure you read it first.
he's white!
he's white!
where
did the black community come into all of this? The guy is white.
Why does some low thinking creetin raise a color issue which was not even present or an issue?
If you read
some of the national news items or even the Star News article, here are a couple of disquieting thoughts.
19 failed attempts to take him into custody.
On the last failed attempt, he barricaded himself in a house. Apparently the end of the attempt.
His was to turn himself in on 11/10.
His Dad is in the hospital and dies on 11/11. Per all of these national reports, he did contact the Sheriff's Department and an agreement was made to allow him to turn himself in after the funeral.
The funeral is held on 11/15.
He's taken into custody at the Funeral Home as he has his hands filled with his Dad's coffin.
They nearly drop the coffin; that would have been real nice.
He's booked on a $5,500 Bond. That bond amount hardly seems sufficient for all he is accused of.
He may well be released on bond now. Who knows.
But a $5,500 bond requires about $600 out of pocket to a bail bondsman.
Is that amount really going to keep him from taking off if he chooses to run? Hardly
There just seems to be an awful lot of conflicting issues. And the bond amount certainly does not communicate the suspect was a dangerous desperado.
Something just smells about this one.
Your logic has too many holes to be considered credible
You noted that there were 19 attempts to bring this criminal into custody so that the judicial process could begin. You also noted that he contacted the Sheriff's Department and arranged to turn himself in after his father's funeral. After 19 unsuccessful attempts, why on earth would the deputies have believed he really planned to turn himself in? Miss the appointment once...okay, maybe. Miss it twice...you're pushing your luck. Miss it 19 TIMES and you have proven your word is no good. Since he agreed to "turn himself in" - AGAIN - after the funeral, deputies had every right to anticipate that he would be at the funeral. HE put himself in that jackpot. He started us all down this road when he first engaged in activities that resulted in warrants for arrest. He further heightened his own plight by refusing to turn himself in on 19 ATTEMPTS. No one to blame but him for that.
You noted that his bond was $5000 and you state that it is not enough. Hmmm...wonder what would have happened had he turned himself in at the first opportuniy? Even after committing crimes and following them up with numerous attempts to evade and delay the justice process, the Sheriff's Department showed restraint by agreeing to a low bond figure.
You noted that the low bond amount would be little or no deterrent to prevent him from dodging and running away again. Can you really not see how that fact further justifies the actions of the deputies?
You are correct when you say that something just smells about this one. However, you are dead wrong on your assertion of what smells. This man shows complete and utter lack of respect for our nation's justice system by committing crimes and then evading what he's got coming to him. Therefore, he does not deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt.
Get Your Facts Correct
I quoted NATIONAL news reports; and I made that very clear.
The only comment which can be attributed to my brain is concerning the smell factor. And I DID NOT point where the smell was coming from.
The problem is he did not
The problem is he did not agree to turn himself in after the funeral. The only agreement that was made was he could turn himself in after his father had surgery which meant he was going to turn himself in on Monday. His family is saying he made an agreement to turn himself in after the funeral but no deputy has confirmed that yet. But like you said, after 19 attempts and an already broken promise, why should the Sheriff's office give him any breaks what so ever
The "Spin"
is already beginning.
Read the report on AOL News.
He was kneed in the back and hit with the tazer.
A deputy dropped his pistol.
The ex-wife does not even live in NC; she lives in another unnamed state.
His Father died on November 11. He had agreed to turn himslef in after the funeral.
Those are not my words or suppositions.
That's what is reported. They name witnesses who were there.
By no means am I defending this Gentleman.
But here come the Plaintiff Attorneys. Here come the lawsuits.
get real
are yall not getting this. THE COPS HAD BEEN LOOKING THIS GUY FOR THREE MONTHS. IF HE HAD BEEN THAT DANGERIOUS THE COP SHOULD OF GOT HIM BY NOW. IF HE WAS THAT MUCH OF A THREAT HE COULD OF DONE A LOT OF DAMGE IN THREE MONTH.the promble is the cops are ashamed that the couldnt catch this guy. and had to show off how bad they are. one day maybe they will learn that their brain is a better weapon.
No, YOU need to get real
It isn't just about the level of his crimes. By committing the crimes in the first place, he demonstrated a complete lack of respect for our nation's justice system. He exacerbated that by dodging arrest 19 TIMES.
Maybe you are comfortable with the knowledge that people who commit crimes and then repeatedly dodge the justice system roam the very streets we live on.
I'm not.
I say catch him and any others like him by whatever means necessary.
Boo-hoo... Criminal Rights---NONE!
Did he deserve to be tased? YES---why should a cop have to "wrestle" a person to arrest them. This is the real world, not a wresting match.
It was unfortunate that mourners had to witness this arrest and disruption to the funeral---however, the cops didn't randomly pick a funeral to disrupt. THIS MAN WAS WANTED AND HE 'BROUGHT' THE COPS THERE.
Thats good another donkey
Thats good another donkey off the streets. NHCSO is doing a great job at catching these criminals. Maybe he will have time to think about what he did in JAIL...
at the funeral
Now lets see what the Mayor and other local officials say about this. Wilmington has made the national news again, and again it's because of the sheriff's dept. Go onto AOL news and see what the nation is saying about Sheriff Taylor and Barney.. This is a disgrace to Wilmington the way the sheriffs dept handled it.. It will be great for tourism too.. Now, say your sorry and that's going to make it all better... stop saying sorry and train you deputies....
is this
a City related issue or NHC?
wow
wow...
you can tell who is LEC and who is not posting comments.. Citizens=Cops Always Wrong... Cops=Always Justified... Both groups need to calm down and have a little bit of common sense.. The deputies should have had active survalience on the perp suspect the end of the funeral and as the suspect was leaving,after he said his peace, then arrested him... by force if necessary...
Come on guys... While he had a casket in his hands of his father? Lack of training wpd -0 ...lack of training county - 23 .. County looses.... Trophy for a real lec goes to WPD!
Why not
Why don't we just do away with all Law enforcement in New Hanover County, and let the criminals run the county ( because you all are not far from it)
Way to go NHCS!!! You just
Way to go NHCS!!! You just got ripped by CNN Headline News. I hope you are proud of yourselves!
What is wrong with society
What is wrong with society when people have more respect for a criminal than for for the people that are hired to protect them. Everyone is crying how disrespectful the police officers were being but has anyone even thought about how disrespectful this idiot is towards the law? Come on people, how is it that you have such a complete lack of respect for the first people you call when you have or get into trouble? I have big concerns when society worries more about the rights of a criminal than the rights of the victims of the crimes they committed. As for any lawsuits that may come from this, I hope any judge that may be called upon will use more common sense than the idiot we as a society paid to say that you can beat someone half to death and take their property and it's OK as long as you are not harmed when it's time for you to pay for that crime. Then again, how can you expect common sense from people with authority when society will act like this. Why not get rid of the justice system if we don't allow justice to happen. This is INSANE!!
Why is everyone upset with
Why is everyone upset with the law officers. They have a job to do. The man should have turned himself in as he promised or at least asked for additional time because of his father's death. All of you who seem to be angry undoubtly have some law enforcement issues or some type of skeleton in your closet. I applaud the law officers for the excellent job they do. The next time you need an officer think of how you have slaundered them in your comments.
Lt. Price NHSO - remember him?
Anyone recognize the name Lt. Price as one of the 5 sheriff department deputies that was listed as one of the ones involved in the tasering incident? That is the same guy that was in charge of the SWAT operation that caused the "accidental" death of Peyton Strickland and cost us taxpayers $2.45 million.
Someone needs to check his blood for steroids, this guy seems out of control.
Get Real
Lt Price had nothing to do with this incident. The only reason he is getting in trouble is because he is the Division Commander and is overall in charge of the ERT unit because they fall under the Patrol Division. He wasn't there and had nothing to do with the planning of this. The same can be said for the Lt MacNeish who is in charge of the ERT team
Lt Price Is a walking time
Lt Price Is a walking time bomb just ticking away - someday he is going to explode. He is an angry man...not the kind of person that needs to carry a gun!
I agree
It's really to bad that Lt. Price is not a Detective but a glorified warrant service person. I don't believe he has ever ivestigated a major crime in his career. It is also really to bad that he has criminals in his family as well. That being one of Wilmington's first "Gang Lords" who died in 1996 and then that one's brother being a thief who loves breaking into houses and stealing from unsuspecting people. It's amazing that when he is looking for other people's relatives he's right on top of things but when it's his relatives he doesn't look that hard. Again I think this whole thing is Sid's fault! You wait and see we'll be sued over this and they will settle out of court again and it will cost the taxpayers a lot of money! Oh well it's only money! You all voted for KING SID didn't you? And just one more comment Sid won't run again he'll hand it off before that time to the PR MAN!
STUPID!!!
Ticking time bomb huh? Wow how stupid is the general public? Do you think he does not have people above him giving him orders?
He is a good christian man who treats everyone with respect. If you think otherwise, then you must have been on the wrong side of the law. I can think of a concerned mom who may need to check her child since he may be her problem!
As far as everyone else is concerned...who cares what you think! Next time you need the police, just handle it yourself...I am sure you can do a much better job or so you think!
GREAT JOB NHCSO!! Keep up the good work and keep the bad guys off our streets!
Wow, we desperately need new leadership
Our Sheriff's department is in dire need of new leadership. How many more embarrissing screw-ups can we as county tax payers afford to pay for?
HOLD THE PHONE
Ok, they arrested a guy at his father's funeral and all I hear is "all he did is threaten to kill his ex-wife." If that isn't enough for you, how about the fact he is wanted in Maryland for false imprisonment, kidnapping, and assault?
...but apparently he isn't a bad guy, right?
LISTEN
This guy got what he deserved. He communicated a threat to KILL SOMEONE! He evaded police on NUMEROUS occasions telling them he would turn himself in. NOW had this guy left the funeral...went and KILLED the person he threatened...YOU GUYS would be cryin and moanin about how the cops didn't do anything to get this guy. FUNERAL OR NOT...it was the MOST OPERTUNE place to arrest someone who said he was going to kill someone!
SHEESH the cops in this town just can't get a break...darned if you do, darned if you don't...course if this was any of YOU he had threatened...your tone most certainly would be different.
Disrespect for the family
Once again the Sheriffs Department embarrasses itself with poor judgment.
Yes this guy should have been arrested but not at that moment. They should have kept him under surveillance and waited until he left the cemetery. The family of the deceased, while suffering the loss of a loved one will forever have this memory attached to what should have been a somber, respectful time.
I don't believe Sid Causey is sorry for anything. His actions have been nothing but self
aggrandizing and cocky. I hope the deaths of Peyton Strickland and Gary Rumur haunt him till the day he dies but I doubt they will.
if you have a phone, you have a lawyer
Definitely good opportunity for family members to sue for compentsatory/punitive damages for material failure to perform official duties (ala willful failure to maintain public order, there are multiple statutes that specifically protect funeral processions in most jurisdictions), definitely get an out-of-court settlement. This is easy money, a layup.
When's this sherrif's re-election?
Dear duty experts
Think about this. Suppose the deputies realized that he had "made them," and feared that he was about to vanish again between the funeral home and the cemetery. Might they have intentionally moved in early because that forced their hand?
I worked a case many, many years ago, where the wife of a fugitive on a federal warrant became deathly ill and was hospitalized. We suspected that he'd try to visit her, so we requested two local detectives to back us up and we staked out the lobby of the hospital. The plan *WAS* to arrest him on his way out, after he visited her.
The very first day on stake-out he walked into the lobby, pegged my bigfoot-sized partner instantaneously, and bolted for the door. One of the local guys and I hit him at the same time, subdued him, cuffed him, and put him in the car.
He never got to see his wife because it was obvious that escape was more important to him. Had he simply surrendered when he saw us and asked us to take him upstairs to see her, we would have done it. Instead we had to roll around the lobby floor with him and I got the joyous duty of walking into his wife's room and announcing, "We just arrested your husband in the lobby but he brought this bag for you."
The moral is that you can't treat criminals the same way that you would treat a decent human being. They will use any sign of kindness or sympathy to take advantage of you.
The ONLY thing disturbing about this story is the fact that they attempted to arrest him at home, he barricaded himself in his house, and THEY WALKED AWAY???
That, plus the fact that the deputies were immediately offered up for sacrifice tells me that NHCSD is gun-shy and scared from the Strickland incident. That's not good. We can't have a sheriff's department frozen into impotence because of PR concerns and an isolated mistake by a single deputy.
Why am I not suprised by
Why am I not suprised by this article?...I know its ignorant to stereotype a whole profession of people, but then again I see and hear things like this happening way too much. I think serious changes need to come to our law enforcement. Poor guy at his Dad's funeral.
"Poor guy" at his Dad's
"Poor guy" at his Dad's funeral? He was wanted for threatening to kill his ex-wife. He is also wanted in another state for kidnapping and assault. He is a dangerous, violent person. I'd say he lost his right to do things free people do, like attending funerals.
You have got to be kidding
You have got to be kidding me. He was at a funeral. Show some respect! He didnt actually kill anyone. He made a verbal threat. What difference would it have made for the pigs to wait an extra 15 min or so. Other than the guy gets to respectfully say his good byes to his father, NONE! How can cops expect respect if they give none.
WOW! So much hostility in
WOW! So much hostility in your writing. I suspect you've been arrested before. Non the less - the THREAT of a violent crime is serious business - just read the news, somewhere, someone, always turns up dead from a THREAT. Get your head out of the sand and look through your hatred - to the matter at hand. Yes, the law could have waited a few minutes to get the bad guy, but he was clearly trouble and they had to take this nut into custody.
You must be one of them.A
You must be one of them.A PO-Po that is. Have respect for others...because theres a place down below for people like you.
Tell ya what, if someone
Tell ya what, if someone threatens to kill you, we'll take our good ole' sweet time arresting the person threating you. Since you don't think something like that important. Sounds like someone's bitter for getting caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing.
All due respect,
A cop
all due respect
are you telling me that from august to november is what you call quick. if it was so important why did it take such skilled officers so long to get this guy. if it could wait 3 months would a few more minutes sound like you took your sweet time. if the officers had been realy interested in this guy i would of hoped they would had caught him a lot earlier. if this is speed work, and someone theatens me. i think i will buy gun.
taser
he should be glad that they didnt use guns there sure have been a lot of "justified" deaths since sid took charge
Yep and you are just as
Yep and you are just as disrespectful to the damn pigs that arrested him
Arrest
Although domestic violence is a horrible thing this man was being arrested for something he said not an action. If I am wrong and he touched his wife he should have been arrested a long time ago. It sounds like a typical police over reaction.
AMEN!!
AMEN!!
Terroristic Threats
Well, freedom of speech only goes so far... when someone says something that causes another person to fear for their lives or safety, that is a crime... and don't we all keep saying to stop these things from happening BEFORE someone gets murdered? Well, I think that is exactly what these officers were doing. Sure, they handled it badly, but they apologized...
Yep...some apology....no
Yep...some apology....no apology is good enough considering what they have done...this act was just down right rude and disrespectful
to add to this
to add to this comment...this man [and his family] went through all of this drama for a threat...a verbal threat...what about all of the letters and threats this country had gotten before the Twin Towers were hit....the government ignored all of those threats....but this law inforcement agency couldn't wait 20 more minutes to arrest this guy...he was in open area...had his father's casket in his hands and they tasered him...plain rude and disrespectful...they were there, they had their sights on him...there was no cause for the miscomunication from the Sheriff's office...they need to go back to the academy and learn to do their job correctly and law enforcement officials need to stop taking their athority for granted....this is how all of the cops are getting killed....they are pushing their authority when it is not needed...they are being stupid with their authority and handling manners in ways they don't have to....their stupidity is what is getting all of these officers killed in the line of duty....and stupidity is what is getting our troops killed over in Iraq....all of this authority is being taken over that thin line we call justice.
What about the warrants he
What about the warrants he has out of state for kidnapping and assault....is that enough for you?
somewhere
someone on this article noted he barricaded himself in a house when they tried to take him into custody. What did the officers do then? Did they just leave?
What about out of state warrents? Typically there has to be a hearing before one can be extradited to another state.
Has that occurred?
Believe me I am in no way defending this guy. But, anyone who thinks this will not result in lawsuits against the Sheriff's Department and the county, needs to think again.
Yeah, he's a great guy
Isn't everyone who gets their own web page on the NC Department of Corrections website?
He was resisting arrest and trying to fight with the deputies. Should they have let him beat them up?