John was a great friend.
January 24, 2006
RUTH HOLLADAY
Leaf case should send signal to police
There is no rejoicing for the family of John Leaf, despite their decision last week to forgo a trial and accept
an unprecedented settlement of $950,000 from the city in the police shooting death of their loved one.
As "victories" go, this is a hollow one -- unless the community
understands that the loss of the 35-year-old stockbroker killed in
his home by a Marion County sheriff's deputy is bigger than one
man, one family.
"The Leaf family pursued this so that it does not happen to another
person," said John Prince, an assistant professor of English at Ball
State University and a brother-in-law of Leaf.
"This is not just about justice for John Leaf, but it is about
proactive justice. It sends a message that law enforcement officers
may not act in a cavalier manner as concerns the civil rights of
individual citizens."
Cavalier is too decent a word to describe what happened the night
of May 5, 2001, but then, the Leafs are decent people.
John Leaf -- fun-loving and well-liked, known for his generosity,
kindness and zest, say those who knew him -- had been drinking
in Broad Ripple. Rather than risk driving, he gave his keys to a
buddy, then took a taxi to his Northside apartment.
Once there, without his door key, he began the process of
breaking into his home. Neighbors heard sounds, came out and
talked to Leaf, who told them who he was and what he was doing.
Still, one neighbor called police -- not to report a burglary but so
that Leaf's ID could be verified.
The first officer to arrive was Andy Jacobs, a town marshal with the Meridian Hills police. Next, at 1:30 a.m.,
Deputy Ronald Shelnutt of the Marion County Sheriff's Department pulled up. Three minutes later, at 1:33
a.m., Leaf was dead.
The police version of events is that the officers entered the darkened apartment through an open patio door,
proceeding to the bedroom. Leaf then leaped out of bed and lunged at Shelnutt with a knife. Shelnutt fired
four times, hitting Leaf three times.
The Leaf family and their attorney, Steve Wagner, dispute that account at several levels. First, Leaf's bloodalcohol
content was 0.212, more than double the amount at which a person is legally considered to be
intoxicated in Indiana.
"We find it incredible that a man surrounded by two sober officers was able to suddenly sit up and pull a 15-
inch knife from behind his back, swivel around and come out of bed in one motion," said Wagner.
Leaf was shot first in the right shoulder, which would have forced him to drop any weapon. As for the knife, it
had no fingerprints on it, said Wagner.
"John Leaf was the innocent victim of police excessive force," said Prince.
Attorney Tony Overholt represented the Sheriff's Department and Shelnutt.
"First, this case was settled, it was not tried. So contrary to what Mr. Prince said, there has been no
determination that Deputy Shelnutt or the Marion County Sheriff's Department did anything inappropriate."
That is the sort of attitude the Leaf family will decry forever.
January 24, 2006
RUTH HOLLADAY
Leaf case should send signal to police
There is no rejoicing for the family of John Leaf, despite their decision last week to forgo a trial and accept
an unprecedented settlement of $950,000 from the city in the police shooting death of their loved one.
As "victories" go, this is a hollow one -- unless the community
understands that the loss of the 35-year-old stockbroker killed in
his home by a Marion County sheriff's deputy is bigger than one
man, one family.
"The Leaf family pursued this so that it does not happen to another
person," said John Prince, an assistant professor of English at Ball
State University and a brother-in-law of Leaf.
"This is not just about justice for John Leaf, but it is about
proactive justice. It sends a message that law enforcement officers
may not act in a cavalier manner as concerns the civil rights of
individual citizens."
Cavalier is too decent a word to describe what happened the night
of May 5, 2001, but then, the Leafs are decent people.
John Leaf -- fun-loving and well-liked, known for his generosity,
kindness and zest, say those who knew him -- had been drinking
in Broad Ripple. Rather than risk driving, he gave his keys to a
buddy, then took a taxi to his Northside apartment.
Once there, without his door key, he began the process of
breaking into his home. Neighbors heard sounds, came out and
talked to Leaf, who told them who he was and what he was doing.
Still, one neighbor called police -- not to report a burglary but so
that Leaf's ID could be verified.
The first officer to arrive was Andy Jacobs, a town marshal with the Meridian Hills police. Next, at 1:30 a.m.,
Deputy Ronald Shelnutt of the Marion County Sheriff's Department pulled up. Three minutes later, at 1:33
a.m., Leaf was dead.
The police version of events is that the officers entered the darkened apartment through an open patio door,
proceeding to the bedroom. Leaf then leaped out of bed and lunged at Shelnutt with a knife. Shelnutt fired
four times, hitting Leaf three times.
The Leaf family and their attorney, Steve Wagner, dispute that account at several levels. First, Leaf's bloodalcohol
content was 0.212, more than double the amount at which a person is legally considered to be
intoxicated in Indiana.
"We find it incredible that a man surrounded by two sober officers was able to suddenly sit up and pull a 15-
inch knife from behind his back, swivel around and come out of bed in one motion," said Wagner.
Leaf was shot first in the right shoulder, which would have forced him to drop any weapon. As for the knife, it
had no fingerprints on it, said Wagner.
"John Leaf was the innocent victim of police excessive force," said Prince.
Attorney Tony Overholt represented the Sheriff's Department and Shelnutt.
"First, this case was settled, it was not tried. So contrary to what Mr. Prince said, there has been no
determination that Deputy Shelnutt or the Marion County Sheriff's Department did anything inappropriate."
That is the sort of attitude the Leaf family will decry forever.
3 comments:
John Leaf was a great guy - heart and soul of a lion. I only wish I had more time with him - I still owe him for being such a great friend in time of need. God rest his soul. He is sorely missed. Cheers.
@Rusty-Such a nice comment! Its nice to see that he is still thought of! Thank you! Amanda Leaf
Amanda - I will always think of John, unfathomable to believe he left us 10 years ago; Cinco di Mayo is a somber day in my world. The last time I saw him, he gave me his Bears hat so that I would remember him through my travels as, after I moved from Indy to Italy, our paths rarely crossed. My 9 yr. old daughter now wears it knowing full well the story of the dear friend I lost, and she can't help but notice the tear that comes to my eye seeing her in it. I miss you, John, and I will always remember.
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