Officer Terrance Lavelle Smith Accused Child Rape

[WaTcHeR]

12.27.2006 - TUSCALOOSA — A Demopolis police officer has been fired after he was arrested and charged with three counts of rape, officials said Tuesday.

Demopolis Public Safety Director Jeff Manuel said Officer Terrance Lavelle Smith, 30, is accused of having sex with an underage female on three separate occasions.

One of the incidents that led to the charges is alleged to have happened while Smith was on duty, Manuel told The Tuscaloosa News in a story for today’s editions.

“He’s been a good officer and it was quite shocking, to be honest with you,” said Manuel, who has worked with Smith since 1999.

Manuel received a complaint alleging Smith’s misconduct and turned the investigation over to Marengo County Sheriff Jesse Langley.

“Based on the seriousness of the charges, I asked the sheriff’s department to investigate the criminal side of it while we investigated the internal aspect of it,” Manuel said.

Langley could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and jailers said they did not have access to the Marengo County Jail’s logbook Tuesday.

Smith’s attorney, Walter Griess of Eutaw, could not be reached for comment.

Manuel said Smith was released from jail on bail, but he did not have access to records that would indicate the amount.

“Allegedly, it was consenting, but because of the person’s age, it doesn’t matter,” Manuel said.

Manuel placed Smith on administrative leave Dec. 16 and fired him on Dec. 20.

An internal investigation revealed that Smith had violated the department’s policies and procedures, which played a role in the dismissal.

The policies and procedures that he violated are related to the crime he is accused of, Manuel said.

Smith, a patrolman, can appeal his firing to the city of Demopolis’ personnel committee. No other officers have been implicated in the criminal or internal investigations, Manuel said.

www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061227/rape.shtml

[WaTcHeR]

DEMOPOLIS - Police officer Terrence Lavelle Smith has been arrested by the Marengo County Sheriff's Department on three counts of rape.

Smith was charged with three counts of rape II after an investigation by the department compiled enough evidence to produce warrants for his arrest. The investigation centers on the relationship between Smith, 30, and a minor.

“Rape II involves a minor between the ages of 13 and 16,” said Marengo County Sheriff, Jesse Langley. “The first incident we have reported was in November. He was charged with three counts because the behavior is reported to have occurred on three separate occasions.”

Langley said that the alleged actions by Smith were all with the same minor. He said that Smith is currently being held in the Marengo County Jail.

“Smith's bond has been set at $20,000 for each of the three charges,” sad Langley.

He said that the investigation into Smith's actions is still ongoing. Demopolis Director of Public Safety Jeff Manuel referred the case to the county after receiving the initial compliant about Smith's actions.


“It was a compliant that I received that was forwarded to the sheriff's department at my request,” said Manuel. “They were then asked to assist.”

After receiving the compliant Manuel placed Smith on administrative leave and began an internal investigation in the police department over the alleged actions. He sent the criminal investigation out of office so that the two investigations would not overlap one another.

“The initial complaint was filed here, but we referred it to them,” said Detective Sgt. Tim Soronen. “We didn't want it to appear that we were doing the investigation on our own people. We always get someone else to do investigations involving members of our department.”

Soronen said that Smith as been member of the Demopolis Police Department since 1999. He said that the department's internal investigation only deals with Smith violating departmental policy and that their investigation is not a public matter.

“A criminal investigation cannot require someone to cooperate,” said Manuel. “An internal investigation can require cooperation. That is why they are being run separately.”

Manuel said that the incident allegedly occurred while the officer was on duty. He also said that he does not anticipate Smith returning to the department. If Smith is convicted of the charges, said Manuel, he will not return to the force.