Police mum on shooting

Cite threats to officers involved in killing motorist

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

By BETHANY RODGERS

Staff writer

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Warren

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County police continue to withhold the names of the two officers who shot and killed a Pisgah man earlier this month, telling the president of the county NAACP on Wednesday that they have received threats against the involved agency members.

The officers, who are on administrative leave, are under constant protection, the president of the Charles County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People learned during the conversation with Sheriff Rex W. Coffey.

William Braxton, the NAACP president, said he understands the security measures.

"There are a lot of concerns for both the families of the officers and for the family of the victim," he said. "We just have to wait for the process to carry itself out."

In an interview, Coffey said police won't disclose the officers' names until the agency feels they are no longer at risk. The sheriff's office isn't trying to be evasive by withholding the names and other details about the shooting, he added.

"Whatever you do in darkness is going to come out into the light," he said.

According to Coffey, investigators have submitted evidence for forensic analysis and have paid to expedite the process, but it might still take several months to complete. At that point, the forensics will go to an outside agency for review.

"We couldn't be more serious about how we deal with this loss of life," he added.

Braxton said as of Thursday, he was satisfied with the sheriff's office's investigation of the shooting, especially since he learned an outside agency will also be looking over the case.

But many questions about the incident remain, including the number of times Cornelius Warren was shot and the exact sequence of events leading up to the Oct. 2 shooting. Coffey (D) said the autopsy report has not been completed, so he couldn't say how many bullets hit Warren, 44, according to Braxton.

Until the case is presented to a grand jury, Braxton said he doesn't want to take a position on the incident.

Warren was fatally shot during a traffic stop near his home in Pisgah. Police pulled Warren over for speeding, but reportedly found marijuana in his Chevrolet Tahoe. When Warren got back into his car and tried to flee, a struggle with the officers began, according to police.

Warren tried to grab for an officer's unholstered gun, police allege, and two officers fired on him.

Braxton said he is concerned about how the second officer got a clear shot at Warren when the first officer was struggling with the Pisgah man. However, he said he is willing to wait for more details to emerge after the investigation develops further and hopes for an update from Coffey during the next week.

Warren's family has hired an attorney, but his brother, Sherwin Warren, wouldn't disclose the identity of their legal representative.

Sherwin Warren said to his knowledge, the sheriff's office hasn't discussed the shooting with his family since the day of the incident.

According to Coffey, although sheriff's officers were scheduled to meet with the Warrens on Thursday, the family canceled for reasons unknown to him.

brodgers@somdnews.com

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