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Norman's Fate As Officer Uncertain Saturday, Apr 15, 2006 By Robin Mero The Morning News BENTONVILLE - Can Arkansas State Trooper Larry Norman still work as a police officer despite being indicted by a grand jury for misdemeanor negligent homicide? Yes and no. State law prohibits only felons from working as police officers. People convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery can't carry firearms under federal law, so they are excluded. But each department sets its own standards and many specify certain misdemeanors as "disqualifiers." Norman hasn't yet been charged, but Benton County Prosecutor Robin Green has promised to follow through with the indictment handed down by a grand jury Thursday. She plans to charge Norman with misdemeanor negligent homicide, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine. Norman fatally shot an unarmed, disabled man March 7, less than one minute after arriving at a spot along U.S. 412 west of Tontitown, where several officers thought they had surrounded a prison escapee they'd been hunting for two days. After Norman shot and killed Erin Hamley, 21, police realized they had the wrong man. Norman is to appear May 22 for arraignment. Benton County Circuit Judge Tom Keith was officially assigned the case on Friday. Norman has been with the state police six years, and remains relieved of duty - with pay - pending outcome of an internal investigation, spokesman Bill Sadler said. Within days, Director Col. Steve Dozier will empanel a Lethal Force Review Board, Sadler said, and begin the process of investigating whether Norman acted within the scope of Arkansas State Police policy when he fired his shotgun. When asked how likely it is Norman will work again in law enforcement, whether he is found innocent or guilty, Sadler responded, "It would be premature to state with any certainty what will or won't happen as the judicial, as well as administrative processes, continue. At this juncture, it is imperative that both processes be allowed to proceed unencumbered by hypothetical scenarios." The State Police's Web site lists several disqualifiers as part of its recruiting policy. They include: "Any felony conviction," and "Misdemeanor convictions involving crimes of domestic abuse, theft or moral turpitude." Moral turpitude is a gross violation of standards of moral conduct. Members of the state's Commission of Law Enforcement Standards and Training couldn't be reached Friday. The commission provides standards for employment and training of police officers in Arkansas. Norman also worked for the Fayetteville Police Department from 1988 to 1999, when he left to join the state police. Fayetteville Sgt. Shannon Gabbard has said Norman left the department in "good standing," and never shot a suspect during his tenure there. |
