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Maurice Clemmons: “Watch the News.”

By Carmen D. on Monday, November 30th, 2009, 10:43 am Comments

Maurice Clemmons, alleged assassin, child rapist and repeatedly convicted felon is still on the loose as of now. Clemmons ambush murder of four police officers starting the day at a coffee shop, is one of those street level crimes that tears at the thin fabric of human decency in which most of us seek comfort. Maurice Clemmons apparently went hunting for police officers to kill. And Clemmons is alleged to have told acquaintances as much. He reportedly said to them, “Watch the the news tomorrow. I’m going to kill some cops.”

Why didn’t anyone say anything?

My deepest sympathies go out to the officers’ loved ones and colleagues. I hope we can all agree on that.

My heart sank when Clemmons picture came up. It’s not that the crime would be any more or less horrendous had he not been black, but I know that for many, Clemmons skin color will cloud the debate and discussion about crime and punishment that is a sure thing in the week ahead. And knowing the Northwest as I do, I’m also concerned that some average, law abiding, person of color may be attacked by racist knuckleheads hellbent on exacting some kind of “payback”. I hope I’m wrong about that.

But here we are, and before Clemmons has even been captured, or killed trying to evade capture, the news bite Q&A is all about ‘why “this” has happened?’

It’s not a new story. Repeat offender, unable to function in society, on the street and committing crimes. But for rumored Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, the infamous (but effective) “Willie Horton” ads must be playing over and over in his head right about now. Because 9 years ago, then Governor of Arkansas, Michael Huckabee, commuted a lengthy prison sentence that Maurice Clemmons was serving for burglary and other crimes. Prosecutors were against it.

“This is the day I’ve been dreading for a long time,” Larry Jegley, prosecuting attorney for Arkansas’ Pulaski County said tonight when informed that Clemmons was being sought for questioning in connection with the killings.

Huckabee, as governor of Arkansas in 2000, commuted a 95- year prison sentence for Maurice Clemmons. Huckabee cited Clemmons’ youth – he was 17 when he was convicted in 1989 of aggravated robbery – in commuting the sentence, the Associated Press reported. Clemmons was then paroled.

“If you pardon someone and they do something, it’s bad news,” said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist. “It can come back to haunt you.”

Huckabee, in a statement on his Web site, said that if Clemmons is found to be responsible for the shooting, “it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system.” Source: Huckabee’s Link to Shooting Suspect Could Be Political Setback, Bloomberg

Epic failures. My hunch is that Clemmons mental health is an issue here as well. There is no excuse for Clemmons behavior, but I do advocate putting as much money into mental health care as we do incarceration. It might save our nation some tragedy.

  • nwblackman
    Thank you Melissa. Local talk radio in Seattle ran interviews with Washington Department of Corrections officials blaming budget cuts as the reason access to mental health services have been reduced or eliminated to the state's growing inmate population.

    More people are stepping forward warning that the medical/mental health services denied to Maurice Clemmons is not unusual. Corrections officials in every state should take this opportunity to speak out. The real story of Maurice Clemmons may change from ranting over "lucky breaks", to questions about "care denied".
  • Melissa
    I've been paying so much attention to what the mainstream media has said about this man that I had to realize that I had to seek more information about this guy than what the media was saying. So I did research and found out that this man was let out of prison on parole in 2004 after being sent back for violation, it was understood that he spoke to the parole board and plainly stated he wasn't ready to return to the outside world. Whether this was due to him being institutionalized mentally or due to mental health reasons its not clear. He did not have any problems with the law until 2009, up until than, he had started 2 businesses, as well as owned 5 homes that he built and he was married. There was obviously a mental breakdown/issues that were lying dormant. I also learned he had been analyzed by several psychiatrists by the state basically in order to say he was competent to stand trial.. These officers deaths could have been prevented if someone would have cared enough to seek help for this man. Also, most of the new charges are alleged, including the one about child rape.

    America made this young man into a monster by seeking incarceration instead of rehabilitation and mental health.. There are alot more Maurice Clemmons' out there that are waiting to attack after they have served lengthy prison sentences.
  • nwblackman
    The story continues. Maurice Clemmons was able to avoid police for two days, despite being wounded in the stomach, due to the assistance of family and friends. Six people have been arrested for criminal assistance.

    Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer vows to continue the investigation until everyone who helped Clemmons is taken into custody.
  • This story seems oddly reminiscent to the sub-plot of 'LA Confidential' - I'm really curious to see how all the dots connect on this one.
  • nwblackman
    The news that four officers were murdered left me stunned. But the first detail of the murderer repeated in all the news reports was "black man" instead of the usual African-American. While my heart goes out to the families of the slain officers, my first concern was a selfish one because I'm a black man living 30 miles north of Tacoma, Washington.

    "Please don't let Maurice Clemmons look like me, ohhh pleease!".

    First photo I saw of Clemmons on TV - it was like I was looking into a mirror!!!
  • Not Maurice
    NWBlackman, you look like him? So Sorry.
  • Seattlesympathizer
    "And knowing the Northwest as I do, I’m also concerned that some average, law abiding, person of color may be attacked by racist knuckleheads hellbent on exacting some kind of “payback”. I hope I’m wrong about that."

    I wonder what would happen if some crazed white guy walked into a coffee shop and shot 4 black police officers? You might think he was a racist. Yet... a Black guy does it to 4 white guys and there's not even a thought that it was an act of racism or bigotry - instead you think whitey is going to go beat up some black folk. Give me a break!!!!

    Racism is a 2 way street. You can't drive on it and yell at the people going the other way.
  • Seattlesympathizer, having spent time as an investigative reporter with white supremacists in the Northwest, I know exactly what I'm talking about.

    Further, if Clemmons' earlier crimes had been against white people then I would definitely consider the color of skin a more important factor in these killings than police officer blue. That's not what I'm seeing. If you know otherwise, please send me a link. Thanks.
  • Thomas
    Yes, it is a very sad tragety that those officiers died such a horrific death. It is true there should have been something we all could of done as a society to help poeple with these mental issues. I hope we all learn from this, by working together is the only way we can make our communities safe for each othier. We must not turn our heads when the problems dont effect us directly. These killings, robbery and many other crime happen all the time in our inner city community unnotice.
  • justice
    sympathyzer you are right.
    This was not a race thing, it was a cop thing. He did not spray bullets all over the place, he aimed and fired at his target. Had there been a black officer there with them he probably would have been killed also. We should be blasting Huckabee for getting involved in a situation he did not belong in and releasing a maniac. On top of that Huck says that if he is found guilty then it would be a failure of the justice system. Man up and apologize, take responsibility
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