Pa. cop cleared in shooting death of mentally ill man

Pa. cop cleared in shooting death of man:

'via Blog this'


"Based on Heckler's statement at a news conference in his Doylestown office and on the investigation report, Marino had a history of mental illness. He lived with his sister, Amber Simione, who was away that weekend. She had told a neighbor that "Mike has not been taking his medication" and that the neighbor should call police if he saw "Mike acting strange."

About 4 p.m. that day, police responded to calls that Marino was blocking traffic, cursing, and threatening people near a convenience store at Clymer and East Park Avenues. It was a hot, dry day, with the temperature in the mid-80s, yet Marino was wearing long underwear, camouflage shorts, and a yellow plastic rain poncho.

Sgt. James Rothrock, who is trained in crisis-intervention techniques, and Officer Steven Graff found Marino outside the vacant EPC Sign building, which he had broken into earlier that day. Mumbauer soon joined them, while a motorcyclist watched nearby.

Marino was agitated, telling the officers, "I feel like I'm God. No, I know that I'm God." When they told him he had to go Grandview Hospital, he responded, "No, I'm not going, and I'm not afraid of you guys."

After Marino was handcuffed behind his back, he briefly calmed down, and Rothrock walked away, toward the motorcyclist.

"As [the motorcyclist] said, 'Everything was going along calm and normal - until it wasn't,' " Heckler said.

As Graff patted down Marino, Marino dropped to the ground, knocking the officer down an embankment. Then he kicked Mumbauer down a hill.

"I knew he was within a few feet of me and could easily jump for me and try to get my gun," Mumbauer said. "I knew he had gotten the upper hand and was still able to fight. I feared for our safety.""