This is very sad and the only thing I can say is remember it when he is up for election. Most likely Megs knew the deputy.
Welcome to the world of good old boys. Robert----- Original Message ----- From: "Allison and Chip Orange" <acorange@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 8:45 PM Subject: [tabi] article from today's Democrat
bkblpp@xxxxxxxxx sent you this article. Here's the article Chip was referring to, I think. Tallahassee Democrat 08/17/2010, Page A01 Meggs: No criminal charges in fatal crash By Amanda Curcio State Attorney Willie Meggs said Monday he does not plan to file criminal charges against Melanie F. Humphries for her involvement in a fatal car crash. Humphries, 30, the wife of a deputy with the Leon County Sheriff's Office,was the driver in a May 2 twovehicle crash that killed 13-year-old DarrielleCopeland, a student at Florida High. Humphries was cited for careless driving and failure to stop at a traffic signal. LCSO investigated the crash and sent a 176-page report to Meggs' office on July 1."Accidents happen all the time. All of us speed, all of us run red lights,"Meggs said. "Gross negligence is required to prosecute vehicular homicide. This case didn't rise to that level."Frankie Fudge, Darrielle's mother, is frustrated that Humphries isn't facingmore serious charges. She said she intends to file a civil claim. "Accidents happen all the time?" Fudge said. "Do people always go 21 (mph) over the speed limit, drive through a red light and kill somebody?"Meggs acknowledged that Fudge's loss is tragic, but said if further chargeswere brought against Humphries, See WRECK, PAGE 2 / NEWS Meggs they would have been dismissed. "If I made the charge, it would not have been in good faith, legally or morally," he said. "(Humphries) being a deputy's wife was not a factor in the decision." Humphries was traveling north on Capital Circle Southeast about 2 p.m. when she hit a red Lincoln sedan turning left on Shumard Oaks Boulevard, according to LCSO Sgt. Lonnie Seay.Fudge was driving the Lincoln. Fudge, Darrielle and her 15-year-old brother,Darryl Copeland, were sent to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. Darrielle later died. According to Florida law, two charges may be filed when a person dies as a result of a crash: manslaughter, which requires culpable negligence, and vehicular homicide, which requires recklessness, said George R. Dekle, a Suwannee County prosecutor and teacher at the University of Florida's law school. Dekle said that state attorneys face difficult decisions, such as determining the potential criminal act in connection with a crash, on a daily basis. "It becomes especially problematic when either a victim or a potential defendant has some sort of special status, such as being related to alawenforcement officer, that can give rise to accusations of favoritism," hesaid. "Fear of criticism is a poor reason for filing charges against someone." According to LCSO's Traffic Homicide investigative report filed July 1,Humphries sustained a speed of 66 mph, in excess of Capital Circle's 45-mphspeed limit, several seconds prior to the collision. She drove through a red light, violating the Lincoln's right of way and causing the crash. There were also no pre-crash skid marks from Humphries'car, a Chevrolet Tahoe, which would indicate an attempt to stop for the redlight, Seay said.Check out the TABI resource web page at http://acorange.home.comcast.net/TABIand please make suggestions for new material.if you'd like to unsubscribe you can do so through the freelists.org web interface, or by sending an email to the address tabi-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject.
Check out the TABI resource web page at http://acorange.home.comcast.net/TABI and please make suggestions for new material. if you'd like to unsubscribe you can do so through the freelists.org web interface, or by sending an email to the address tabi-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject.
