Tuesday, December 23, 2014

More information sought in 2010 St. Augustine death: Florida Times-Union



More information sought in 2010 St. Augustine death
Mon, Dec 9, 2013 @ 4:37 pm

LETTERS FROM READERS

ST. AUGUSTINE DEATH
Seeking more information

I am glad to see the Times-Union recognize in recent articles that so many people are finally starting to ask for state authorities to look into the 2010 suspicious death of Michelle O’Connell, the girlfriend of a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office employee.

Citizens should be very concerned when a sheriff allows his agency to conduct its own investigation into the manner of death of a deputy’s girlfriend.

Now that other previously ignored facts surrounding her death are finally coming out and former sheriff’s office employees are talking about relevant information that had been suppressed for so long, one can only hope that the Times-Union will continue to keep providing better information to the public.

Let us read more about how the sheriff rewarded those members who conducted his original internal death investigation and punished or fired members who refused to go along.

This woman’s death cannot pass the smell test. She deserves better; the citizens of Florida deserve better.

State Attorney Brad King should have let a grand jury review all the facts and determine objectively whether O’Connell’s death was suicide, homicide or perhaps accidental death by another.

Gary Carmichael, retired FDLE supervisor, Green Cove Springs

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