Posted: April 13, 2014 - 12:05am
By PATTY O'CONNELL
St. Augustine
My daughter, Michelle O’Connell, was found shot dead Sept. 2, 2010, in her deputy-boyfriend’s home. He told his co-workers she did this. Deputy Jeremy Banks’ co-workers failed to investigate. They only took his side. No investigation was possible for Michelle. The public needs to know that no one in the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Department or State Attorney’s Office ever asked our family what happened. Why?
No one from The St. Augustine Record has ever interviewed us, even after the New York Times and PBS/Frontline stories in November of 2013. Why?
Sheriff Shoar admitted to major mistakes, but claimed to The Record, in a story Dec. 12, 2013, that he “got it right.” How?
The sheriff investigated his deputy, a conflict of interest. “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). The FDLE should have been called immediately. Our family told the Sheriff’s Office that Michelle told us and her friends that she was a victim of domestic violence. The sheriff did not investigate. The sheriff and the prosecutors rushed to conclude (the shooting) was a suicide — without evidence. The sheriff’s national accreditation must be reviewed by the Council on Law Enforcement Accreditation this week and be suspended, revoked or placed on probation.
Jeremy Banks was allowed to read the investigation before his formal interview, and treated like a brother, not a suspect. Why? Two respected crime scene experts determined it was a homicide, and three determined it was not suicide, but no charges were filed. Why?
Deputies did not canvass the neighborhood. Why?
The cut and bruise on Michelle’s eyelid was the result of violence, yet we were told that a gun discharged forward (not backward), that Michelle used her non-dominant left hand to grasp the gun upside down, with no hand injury, and that the shell casings ejected on the wrong side — all physical impossibilities. Why?
Two witnesses heard an argument, a scream and a shot, another scream a second shot. Sheriff Shoar knowingly lied to the Justice Department about them, and the deputy claimed there were no raised voices.
One medical examiner thrice changed his mind; another barely looked at the file. Lt. Bradley callously said my Michelle busted every tooth in her head. He wouldn’t let me see any photos. I held firm; this made him angry. He showed some photos to me but not all. Why?
After claiming it was a suicide, Sheriff Shoar would not look me in the eye, and he wouldn’t look Michelle’s daughter Alexis in the eye either. Why?
Sheriff Shoar bragged about paying for Michelle’s funeral. Why?
The only person currently under investigation is FDLE Agent Rusty R. Rogers, who suspected sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Banks in Michelle’s death. Why?
Michelle asked to go to the Holocaust Museum when she was 15 years old. She asked how could people not speak out against great evil. Michelle’s long-time day-care boss had just promoted her to full time, with full benefits. Michelle also cared for Alzheimer’s patients. Michelle loved life. She loved her daughter. Everyone knows she did not commit suicide.
Michelle’s heroes were John and Robert Kennedy. RFK said, “It is not enough to allow dissent, we must demand it, for there is too much to dissent from.”
There must be an FBI and federal grand jury investigation of Michelle’s death and possible civil rights violations, cover ups, collusion and other crimes by local law enforcement. “We shall know the truth, and the truth will make ye free” (John 8:32).
I am grateful for the public support for this. CNN and NBC are also preparing stories.
Our family is thinking about a “Michelle O’Connell House,” a safe place for victims of the national epidemic of officer-involved domestic violence.
Comments (2)2848 POINTS View Profile
Clara Waldhari 04/13/14 - 09:35 am 73THANK YOU, PATTY O'CONNELL,
for coming forth to represent your daughter Michelle. I am so very sorry for her death. My prayers are with you, Alexis, and your family.
I cannot account for the obvious malfunctions of David Shoar's department nor his willingness to play such a role in this cover-up. Both enabling it and continuing it. The blue line has gone too far.
Rest assured, you have the support of many of us who believe Michelle's death was a homicide. Not a suicide.
This coming week's NBC Dateline look at Michelle's death and all that surrounded it will once again bring her case into national view, as well as the ineptitude and use of diversionary tactics by Sheriff David Shoar..
There are those of us who believe your daughter was the victim, not Jeremy Banks. We hope the truth prevails. That a federal grand jury will convene and look at ALL the evidence without the bias of local LE.
We mourn Michelle's tragic loss.
JUSTICE FOR MICHELLE O'CONNELL
[Posted at 7:38 a.m. Edited to fix typos.[
Clara Waldhari 04/13/14 - 07:15 am 63Note to Jim Sutton, Editorial Pg Editor
Dear Jim,
The column by Patty O'Connell was placed at the bottom of the op-ed page.
This particular column deserved to be placed on the ed page, directly under the political cartoon.
Robert Reich's column should have joined Kathleen Parker's on the op-ed page.
That is the very least the O'Connell family deserved. Michelle, too.
Such placement also would have made the entire ed page LOCAL.
Thank you.
Clara Waldhari
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