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When backup arrived, they found the miscreant lying dead on a city street and the young police officer dazed at what he had just done. It took only seconds for one of the officers to retrieve an extra gun from his car and place it next to the body of the fugitive.
Is this unusual? We'll comment only on the practice of carrying an extra weapon. Yes, it's supposedly quite common and not frowned upon in many departments. These are handguns and usually untraceable. What about a long gun? According to not just Colbert County attorney and Democratic Party leader Billy Underwood, but our sources as well, this practice is also common in some departments.
We have no idea if the City of Muscle Shoals frowned upon this practice in the past or not. We certainly know the city has now classified Greg Scoggins' possession of a hunting rifle while on duty as being unauthorized.
Let's say we give former officer Scoggins a free pass on that one, how does Mr. Underwood plan to explain his client firing the fatal shot from his car? We also wonder how those who've contacted us to say Greg Scoggins killed the deer to feed his family now feel about the mighty hunter paying what must be an exorbitant fee to Underwood on the small chance he will get his job back.
Let's remember that Greg Scoggins didn't just commit several illegal acts while on duty, but also dragged a 19 year-old male into the crime. Scoggins reportedly contacted Muscle Shoals resident Casey Liles to meet him with a pickup truck to move the body to the Liles residence, a home in close proximity to Scoggins'. Now Liles may face charges of being an accessory to the crime.
We have had several conflicting reports on Liles' relationship to Scoggins and have previously reported that the youth was a family member. Specifically we have been told that Casey Liles is Greg Scoggins' nephew; however, several readers familiar with the situation have commented that there was no familial relationship.
If that should be the case, we certainly apologize for the error. After all, who would want to be related to Natty Dumbo?
*****
Our friend Mary Carton has been very busy, as usual. We admire both Mary's talent and her dedication to preserving Tuscumbia and Shoals history.
Shoalanda
Dear Shoalanda;
ReplyDeleteI would like to comment on some of the facts circulating in the Greg Scoggins case.
First, I would like to tell you I appreciated you coming to me some years ago about a problem that you had and it still haunts me about the injustice the court system reaped upon you in a particular county in our area. I have always been sad about the situation and hope the matter has rectified itself as of today.
My main concern is that Greg Scoggins’ punishment does not fit the crime. I appreciate your comment about the second weapon issue. I would point out to you, factually speaking, Officer Scoggins did not shoot the buck from a sitting position in the car and, if the video is what I think it is, it will show he was standing. It will also show there was in no way a shot fired in the direction of Second Street or Wilson Dam Road, but fired towards the woods.
Officer Scoggins’ conduct was not stellar. It is, however, a crime in which the punishment is overreaction. Officer Scoggins has over 12 years on the police force and there is not one demerit, complaint or discipline in his record.
As of today, I have received numerous calls from people who were down and needy that Scoggins helped and from individuals whom he arrested but have called and stated he was a gentleman and treated them with respect. One individual who assaulted Scoggins during an arrest called me to express admiration for the fact that Scoggins took a physical beating from him in trying to subdue him when he had too many drugs in his system. Scoggins, in this incident, did not taser him nor use a billy stick on him. He merely physically tried to keep him down and, in doing so, took some pretty decent licks to the head. He never pressed charges for assaulting a police officer; only for disorderly conduct.
Greg Scoggins is the type of man that, when he arrested people for DUI, he followed the book and did not put six or seven different charges upon the person for other vehicle offenses. Greg Scoggins is the type of man that, when he came to a house during a marital dispute, never took sides and tried to ease the situation. In fact, he gave money many times to one of the offending parties so that they could go to a hotel room to cool off.
Officer Scoggins is a human being who made a mistake in shooting this deer.
I will point out that something does need to be done about the population of deer on the TVA Reservation bordering Wilson Dam Road and Second Street. For the last 90 years, the only predator to deer have been moving vehicles on Wilson Dam Road and Second Street. It’s only a matter of time before a deer is hit at 40 mph and comes through the windshield and kills the occupants of the vehicle. While we cannot have a complete cure-all for this, there should be some relocation program or a way to keep them from multiplying like rabbits. This is a problem many metropolitan areas are having in the country right now.
I would also point out to the readers that there is a deer shooting house in the woods off Second Street on TVA property. I have seen it within the last few days and understand that some TVA employees occasionally harvest an animal in the dark of night. I’m not saying I condone it. I’m just relaying what I’ve witnessed.
There have been individuals at the City of Muscle Shoals who have been arrested for more serious crimes and not received the punishment Scoggins has. Shoalanda, look in the public records of Colbert and Lauderdale and you will see some individuals who work for the City, maybe police or fire department, who have received DUIs and not been terminated from their position. I posit that the more serious crime is to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated; not harvest a deer on federal property.
Thank you again for your comments in regards to this matter.
Billy Underwood
Mr. Underwood has offered some very intriguing and erudite comments. In the end, it will be up to the civil service board to decide the fate of Mr. Scoggins' career. Or, if taken further, a circuit court judge.
DeleteWe welcome such thoughtful comments on any issue at any time. Mr. Underwood is, as are all local attorneys and elected officials, welcome to publish a guest editorial here on any subject.
I agree that the officer broke the law. I agree that he should be punished. I also believe this whole thing has been blown out of proportion. I don't think he deserves all the negative comments I have read here and other places. The fines and loss of his job should be punishment enough. He doesn't need to be publicly vilified.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a comment from Sarah Scoggins, we presume a relative of Greg. In this comment she has used some names of individuals not connected with this blog (one we've never even heard of). Please remember, for your comments to be published, they must not be libelous. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFirst thanks for the kind comments. I appreciate it very much.
ReplyDeleteSecondly I have a cousin who lives in the neighborhood south of 2nd St. A year ago he opened the door of his car to get in and a bullet narrowly missed him and went into the back door of the car shattering the window and embedded in the back seat. It was a was a rather large hole and would have done a lot of damage if it had hit him or his wife. I would venture to guess it from hunting. Any deer removal needs to be done with a bow and arrow as the bullet will travel up to a mile or more with any misses.
Wait a minute, SHOALANDA won't publish LIBELOUS comments? How about THIS blog post? Has Casey Liles been CHARGED? How many other posts on this blog has used names under the broad banner of your "sources"? You might want to keep Billy Underwood on RETAINER!
ReplyDeleteOur information comes directly from two government agencies. No libel involved.
DeleteYour "information" could be more accurately defined as "gossip" as is most of the deflamatory remarks posted on this blog about those who may or may not be associated with a crime. And since you have no problem with posting such "information" and using actual names of people BEFORE an actual charge is placed, a very good or perhaps even mediocre attorney COULD make the case this is indeed libel. Lawyers are lining up Shoalanda, you aren't quite as "slick" as you think you are or have been lead to believe.
DeleteYour "information" is usually little more than "gossip" and even if your "sources" are governmental agencies the public posting of someone's name as associated with a crime BEFORE a person is actually charged IS libel. You may seriously consider consulting an attorney Shoalanda, this has gone on long enough and there are lots of your victims who have had enough of this type of harassment in print. Lawyers ARE lining up!
DeleteWe stand by our information as the truth. While I can't name my sources, I trust them. It makes no difference if the young man is charged or not, he did what we stated. If I were the young man's parent, I would have a serious talk with him concerning the companions he keeps.
DeleteNo, the public posting of a name of someone not charged is not libel. Libel in Alabama involves three things, and one of them is that the information must be untrue. And if you're wondering, one of the other two is that the person who made the statement knows it's untrue. Yes, we believe the Alabama Department of Conservation, but if they should be proved to be in error, we issue a retraction.
DeleteThank you the avenger. My comment was no different than any of Shoalanda's but my comments were not posted. Maybe I should start my own blog about people telling nothing but hearsay and lies and see how many people get offended. But I have better things to do!!
ReplyDeleteYes, Ms. Scoggins, your comment listed at least two names as I recall--one I have not heard of, the other a friend of ours. I can assure you there are no individuals with those names writing here. Therefore your current comment is a prevarication; however, we will publish it. Feel free to start your own blog--everyone else does.
DeleteWe'll add a comment by our friend Trader: Don't like my story of a poacher killing a deer? I'll buy you a box of Kleenex.
@ Sarah,
DeleteI started a blog
It's fun
And no one can censor you.
And an excellent, well written, humorous blog it is:
Deleteshoalsinquirer.blogspot.com
Shoalanda, I really think you need to check your sources. Mr. Liles has NOT and will NOT be charged. You really need to get your FACTS straight! I think you should really consider theavenger's comments.
ReplyDeleteWhether Mr. Liles is charged or not, he assisted in the crime, did he not? He drove the truck to pick up the animal, did he not? He took it to his house, did he not?
DeleteHmmm.....did he?? Were you there? You stated he was charged when in FACT he was NOT. It appears that some of your statements are indeed libelous.
ReplyDeleteYes, he did. Please show us where we said he has been charged? No libelous statements anywhere in our blog.
DeletePaula, at one time at least some criminals were ashamed of their crimes. It seems that day is long past.
Are you saying Mr. Scoggins is not ashamed? Do you know what he is feeling?? I think not. You are posting pure speculation. I suppose you have never made any mistakes in your life, huh?? Never done anything you're ashamed of?? Of course you have...if you are human that is. Of course Mr. Scoggins bad decision has been made public and people like you want yo be judge and jury. He is unable to hide behind a cloak of anonymity. Let the system do their job to decide his punishment.
ReplyDeleteIf someone is caught driving under the influence and an officer gives them the option of calling a ride instead of being taken to jail, does the other driver assist in a crime?
ReplyDeleteIf a man robs a jewelry store, exits and hands the swag to a neighbor he's called, who then takes it to his own home, is the neighbor not an accomplice after the fact?
DeleteIsn't that analogy more to the point?
No, considering the deer was not stolen property, but a possible hazard to the divers on 2nd St. & Wilson Dam Rd.
DeletePat Lewis, if an officer allows a person free from DUI charge, then that officer is an accessory of the crime!
ReplyDeleteShoalanda, since you have so much inside information, are you aware that Trooper Billy Slappey's dad hit a buck on Wilson Dam Road near the Second Street intersection 10 days ago and caused a 4-car pile up?
ReplyDelete