Warning signs should have prevented the murder of four police officers

Four Lakewood, WA police officers were murdered in a coffee shop while preparing to begin their shift. The suspect, Maurice Clemmons, walked in and allegedly shot all four officers and left. Police are currently searching for Clemmons.

When violent crimes of this nature occur locally, I normally check out the suspect’s criminal record. More often than not, there is a list of previous offenses with lengthy sentences that were never served. Unfortunately, this case is no different. Clemmons has a long criminal history in both Arkansas and Washington. Clemmons was recently released on bail for a pending charge of child rape, and he is also facing another 7 felony accounts. In addition to these charges, he had a lengthy criminal history in Arkansas. Here’s a summary:

In 1990, Clemmons, then 18, was sentenced in Arkansas to 60 years in prison for burglary and theft of property, according to a news account in Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Newspaper stories describe a series of disturbing incidents involving Clemmons while he was being tried in Arkansas on various charges.

During one trial, Clemmons was shackled in leg irons and seated next to a uniformed officer. The presiding judge ordered the extra security because he felt Clemmons had threatened him, court records show.

Another time, Clemmons hid a hinge in his sock, and was accused of intending to use it as a weapon. Yet another time, Clemmons took a lock from a holding cell, and threw it toward the bailiff. He missed and instead hit Clemmons’ mother, who had come to bring him street clothes, according to records and published reports.

On another occasion, Clemmons had reached for a guard’s pistol during transport to the courtroom.

When Clemmons received the 60-year sentence, he was already serving 48 years on five felony convictions and facing up to 95 more years on charges of robbery, theft of property and possessing a handgun on school property. Records from Clemmons’ sentencing described him as 5-foot-7 and 108 pounds. The crimes were committed when he was 17.

Clemmons served 11 years before being released.

Maurice Clemmons was sentenced to 48 years in prison, was released, then committed more crimes, which brought and additional 60 year sentence. That adds up to 108 years, but former Arkansas Governor and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee granted him clemency after just 11 years. If this isn’t enough, he allegedly rapes a child and assaults a police officer in Washington and is let out of jail. What’s wrong with the criminal justice system?

If Maurice Clemmons’ original sentence had been honored, countless people wouldn’t have been victimized. Those judges, parole boards, and officials failed miserably and ignored behavior which should have been obvious. This case is currently in the spotlight, but similar travesties are happening in every state. When will the justice system start placing more value on the lives of innocent citizens than the second chances of criminals?