Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 5, 2006 10:46:59 GMT -5
04/05/2006 - An Eaton County sergeant is arrested, charged and is out on bail. Eaton County Sergeant Jeff Lutz was arraigned on four charges, all pointing to the allegation that he shot himself while on duty. As Eaton County Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Lutz walked into the courtroom, his suit jacket hid his handcuffs. Lutz is now on the opposite side of a job he's done for more than a decade.
Jeff Sauter, Eaton County Prosecutor: "I think there's a general concern there. I mean, he had a public trust as an officer and he's betrayed that trust."
Charges brought against Lutz allege that he shot him self while on duty, then staged the event giving a false description of a black male as a suspect, and although nobody is sure why, Lutz's attorney says the reasons go much deeper than racial lines.
Mike Hocking, Attorney: "If someone want to site this as a race case, I think they're missing the point."
Attorney Mike Hocking says Jeff Lutz has been involved in two other shootings the past ten years and is going through a divorce. Because of the stress, Hocking says Lutz sought help 8 weeks ago and then again this past weekend when he checked into the community mental health facility. Hocking says Lutz planned to turn himself in, but the Michigan State Police arrested him as soon as he left the treatment facility.
Jeff Sauter: "Unfortunately it didn't happen as quickly as it should have and in terms of voluntary surrender. There was a warrant out for his arrest."
But Lutz posted bond. For now he's a free man, with some restrictions. The court took away his weapons and ordered him no contact with his wife. His preliminary exam is set for the end of the month.
When Sergeant Lutz claimed he was shot, it launched a large scale manhunt two weeks ago, one that came with a price. The Eaton County Sheriff's Department says it spent $12,500 on the search. That money went to overtime pay and detective work, and Michigan State Police say the search cost them more than $2,000.
Money spent on flying two helicopters for four hours--
and paying out 9 hours of overtime.
Jeff Sauter, Eaton County Prosecutor: "I think there's a general concern there. I mean, he had a public trust as an officer and he's betrayed that trust."
Charges brought against Lutz allege that he shot him self while on duty, then staged the event giving a false description of a black male as a suspect, and although nobody is sure why, Lutz's attorney says the reasons go much deeper than racial lines.
Mike Hocking, Attorney: "If someone want to site this as a race case, I think they're missing the point."
Attorney Mike Hocking says Jeff Lutz has been involved in two other shootings the past ten years and is going through a divorce. Because of the stress, Hocking says Lutz sought help 8 weeks ago and then again this past weekend when he checked into the community mental health facility. Hocking says Lutz planned to turn himself in, but the Michigan State Police arrested him as soon as he left the treatment facility.
Jeff Sauter: "Unfortunately it didn't happen as quickly as it should have and in terms of voluntary surrender. There was a warrant out for his arrest."
But Lutz posted bond. For now he's a free man, with some restrictions. The court took away his weapons and ordered him no contact with his wife. His preliminary exam is set for the end of the month.
When Sergeant Lutz claimed he was shot, it launched a large scale manhunt two weeks ago, one that came with a price. The Eaton County Sheriff's Department says it spent $12,500 on the search. That money went to overtime pay and detective work, and Michigan State Police say the search cost them more than $2,000.
Money spent on flying two helicopters for four hours--
and paying out 9 hours of overtime.