Idaho County Sheriff Pulls Gun on Church Youth Group - Part 2

[smac97]

Last December: Idaho County Sheriff Pulls Gun on Church Youth Group:

Quote

To sum up:

• He chased after a church youth group with a gun.
• He pulled the youth group leader out of the car by her hair.
• He brandished the gun, pointed it at the youth group leader's face and threatened to shoot her.
• He subsequently seemed to blame his misconduct on "drunk Indians" who are "not good people" who have previously come to his door.
• He has previously publicly declared the majority of sexual assaults in Idaho are fabricated.

An update:

Quote

BINGHAM COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) – An Idaho Sheriff has pled guilty to aggravated assault after threatening a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Young Women’s group in early November.

Former Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland pointed a gun at a vehicle containing a church group of seven girls and their group leader after the girls had left a “thankful turkey” at his front door.

The group and their adult leader were said to have been leaving Thanksgiving thank-you notes at the homes of members in their congregation one night and went to leave a note at Rowland’s home. 

The group was reportedly able to drive away and call 911 after Rowland brandished his gun.

East Idaho News reports that the former Sheriff took a plea agreement in the case, in which the prosecution will dismiss a felony charge of aggravated battery as well as a misdemeanor charge for the exhibition of a firearm, according to Defense Attorney Dennis Wilkinson.

Rowland had been Sheriff of Bingham County since 2012 and was re-elected in 2020 for his third term. 

The former Sheriff agreed to probation and ten days of jail to be served during the course of that probation, Wilkson says.

Rowland is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Stephen Dunn on Oct. 25.

I'm not sure why he is a "former sheriff" if he was re-elected in 2020.

Anyway, aggravated assault is a felony in Idaho.

Thanks,

-Smac

[jkwilliams]

4 minutes ago, smac97 said:

Last December: Idaho County Sheriff Pulls Gun on Church Youth Group:

An update:

I'm not sure why he is a "former sheriff" if he was re-elected in 2020.

Anyway, aggravated assault is a felony in Idaho.

Thanks,

-Smac

Apparently he announced his retirement in July, effective August 1.
 

Quote

One day after Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland announced his retirement through his new defense attorney, a new trial date has been set.

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/07/new-trial-date-set-for-outgoing-bingham-county-sheriff-craig-rowland/

Edited August 24, 2022 by jkwilliams

[ksfisher]

20 minutes ago, smac97 said:

I'm not sure why he is a "former sheriff" if he was re-elected in 2020.

He's resigned.

https://idahodispatch.com/bingham-county-sheriff-craig-rowland-resigns/

Please accept this letter as notice that I am resigning as the Sheriff of Bingham County effective August 1, 2022. I’ve devoted thirty-six years of my life to law enforcement. It is an incredible honor to have been involved with professionals across the state dedicated to this very noble service. The men and women that serve Bingham County in this capacity are singularly dedicated to the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. I will miss the opportunity to be of continued service.

In considering resignation, I thought about what led me to this career. The feeling that I was part of something greater organized around worthy goals attracted me to this service. The feeling that I had a role protecting and serving the people in my community was a constant source of motivation during difficult times. I’ve experienced successes in law enforcement that will remain with me.

I’ve become a distraction. Bingham County must press forward with the work at hand, and I do not want to impede that push. Recent events have, at a minimum, focused on me as an individual.

Bingham County must focus on the mission and be dedicated to the business of protecting and serving its citizens.

It is with a great deal of gratitude to the people of Bingham County that I now offer my resignation. The opportunity to serve the county in this position will always be a source of great pride. Knowing that the Sheriff’s Office remains staffed by some of the finest law enforcement officers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with gives me confidence that the county remains in good health.

Sheriff Craig T. Rowland.

Edited August 24, 2022 by ksfisher

[Stargazer]

1 minute ago, ksfisher said:

He's resigned.

https://idahodispatch.com/bingham-county-sheriff-craig-rowland-resigns/

And good riddance.

[rpn]

My guess would be he waited until he fully qualified for retirement benefits and then resigned and the case proceeded.   Most retirement is affected by convictions during the service,  but not thereafter. 

[smac97]

https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/former-idaho-sheriff-pens-letter-of-guilt-recounts-events-after-threatening-lds-church-group/

Quote

Former Idaho Sheriff pens letter of guilt, recounts events after threatening LDS Church group
by: Ryan Bittan
Posted: Aug 24, 2022 / 02:26 PM MDT
Updated: Aug 24, 2022 / 03:30 PM MDT

BINGHAM COUNTY, Idaho (ABC4) – A former Idaho Sheriff who recently pled guilty to aggravated assault after threatening a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Young Women’s group has written a letter of apology and responsibility regarding the incident, according to East Idaho News.

The letter, which was filed in court Monday morning, reads, “I accept full responsibility for the events of November 9, 2021. I made a series of decisions that will likely define my law enforcement legacy and will undoubtedly leave an impression on (the victims).”

In the letter, former Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland recounts the series of events that led him to be charged with multiple felonies.

“I took my dogs outside and observed people running across the lawn that I didn’t recognize,” Rowland says of the evening of November 9.

“It was dark and I couldn’t make any identification. I took the dogs back in my home. I heard a banging on the front door coupled with the screen door slamming. I opened the door. Affixed to the door was a cut-out turkey,” Rowland states.

Rowland says that at the time, the significance of the turkey “simply did not register” in his mind.

The former Sheriff says he retrieved his handgun and went outside, before noticing a white vehicle down the cul-de-sac. He flagged the vehicle down while armed with a gun.

Upon confronting the occupants of the vehicle, he says, “I observed a woman that I perceived was reaching into the center console. I grabbed her by the hair and pointed my weapon at her. I pulled her out of the vehicle at gunpoint.”

Rowland states that the woman “almost immediately identified herself” as the daughter of a long-time neighbor and friend of his.

“I have known her nearly her entire life,” Rowland says.
...

Rowland finishes the letter with an apology and admittance of guilt.

The former sheriff agreed to probation and ten days of jail to be served during the course of that probation, according to Defense Attorney Dennis Wilkinson.

He is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Stephen Dunn on Oct. 25.

So the hair-pulling thing may have been a heat-of-the-moment response to her possibly "reaching into the center console."  He seems to be explaining, not justifying or excusing, his action in pulling her out of the car.

This guy is taking "full responsibility" for his conduct.  Genuines props to him for that.  Would that the rest of us (me included) could be as candid and forthcoming when we make serious mistakes.

This guy lost the privilege of being a law enorcement officer.  That is appropriate.  The next step for us bystanders is, I think, to extend grace and forgiveness.  He only trespassed against us in an attenuated we're-all-part-of-society kind of way, and I assume and hope that he has sought forgiveness from the woman and girls against whom he really did trespass.  We need to encourage the sort of candor and humility that Mr. Rowland exhibits in the above letter.

Thanks,

-Smac

[The Nehor]

Figured it would be a weak slap on the wrist.

[smac97]

45 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

Figured it would be a weak slap on the wrist.

He lost his job.  He was publicly humiliated.  His decades of law enforcement work, likely putting himself in harm's way on any number of occasions, will forever be tainted by what he did that night.

The example has been set.  The point made.  Given his confession and apology acceptance of responsibility, (and that he is no longer in law enforcement), the likelihood of him repeating his error is very low.  Probation and a few days in jail seem appropriate.

Thanks,

-Smac

[mtomm]

1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

Figured it would be a weak slap on the wrist.

He hasn't been sentenced yet. Have to see what the judge decides. 

[pogi]

2 hours ago, smac97 said:

https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/former-idaho-sheriff-pens-letter-of-guilt-recounts-events-after-threatening-lds-church-group/

So the hair-pulling thing may have been a heat-of-the-moment response to her possibly "reaching into the center console."  He seems to be explaining, not justifying or excusing, his action in pulling her out of the car.

This guy is taking "full responsibility" for his conduct.  Genuines props to him for that.  Would that the rest of us (me included) could be as candid and forthcoming when we make serious mistakes.

This guy lost the privilege of being a law enorcement officer.  That is appropriate.  The next step for us bystanders is, I think, to extend grace and forgiveness.  He only trespassed against us in an attenuated we're-all-part-of-society kind of way, and I assume and hope that he has sought forgiveness from the woman and girls against whom he really did trespass.  We need to encourage the sort of candor and humility that Mr. Rowland exhibits in the above letter.

Thanks,

-Smac

I can only hope it is genuine.  

He is not taking "full responsibility", he is taking a plea deal in exchange for not taking responsibility for the felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge for the exhibition of a firearm.  

It is hard to know in plea deals, how genuine someone is.  He has worked in law enforcement long enough to know the system.  He knows that a show of contrite and genuine remorse equals a softer sentencing, generally speaking.   It is possible that he understood that his case had no chance in heck of winning a "not guilty" plea, so he instead chose to negotiate a deal to take partial responsibility for the charges and side-step other potential responsibility and consequences for his actions.  

Upon learning who the victim was, he offered no immediate apology (like any healthy person would do after what had been done) but instead ordered her to get out of here after traumatizing her and a bunch of children.   I do wonder that if there were no charges if he would have ever offered an apology or felt much if any remorse.  Why did it take over 9 months for an apology?  And why did that apology only come in the form of a letter to be included in court records and addressed to the judge?  Sounds like he is playing the system to me.   The letter makes it sound like this is the first time he has apologized.  It mentions no previous attempt to make restitution to the victims for what he did, which I am sure would have been included had he done anything previously, to prove remorse and influence mercy from the judge. 

Perhaps some anger management courses would be an appropriate part of sentencing.   He acknowledges that he "acted impulsively" that night.  If your impulse is to grab a gun and chase down a car because they placed a cut-out turkey on your door "without knowing who was in the car or what their intentions were"...  Yeah, impulse training in anger management might not be a bad idea. 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by pogi

[pogi]

46 minutes ago, mtomm said:

He hasn't been sentenced yet. Have to see what the judge decides. 

Exactly.  Hence the letter addressed to the judge, rather than the victims.  

[Calm]

3 hours ago, smac97 said:

https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/former-idaho-sheriff-pens-letter-of-guilt-recounts-events-after-threatening-lds-church-group/

So the hair-pulling thing may have been a heat-of-the-moment response to her possibly "reaching into the center console."  He seems to be explaining, not justifying or excusing, his action in pulling her out of the car.

This guy is taking "full responsibility" for his conduct.  Genuines props to him for that.  Would that the rest of us (me included) could be as candid and forthcoming when we make serious mistakes.

And where is his apology for blaming it on others to begin with?  I am not impressed with a months later apology that says nothing about doing anything to personally show the victims he was wrong or that his racist remarks that were not spoken in the heat of the moment were uncalled for.

The apology is a bare bones account removing all of the really inflammatory facts.  It is minimizing what he did. Perhaps it is the habit of making police reports, but there is no emotional recognition of the terror he caused, there is no recognition of the fact he was angry and yelling.  He does not mention the people he were threatening was not only his long time neighbour, but a car full of girls, they were just witnesses. There is no “Oh my gosh, I was a total jerk and idiot that night! I will never be able to take back what I did to all of them.”

It doesn’t read as that introspective or sincere to me.  It reads to me as the minimum of what his attorney advised him to say to lower his sentence.  Like I said above, maybe it is just habit, but maybe it is he isn’t really all that sorry about the harm he caused or recognizing he was totally irresponsible in his reaction. It doesn’t read as personal until the last few sentences. I would be wondering if I was reading a police report, a court document, or an actual apology if I was one of the victims. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Calm

[mtomm]

1 hour ago, pogi said:

Exactly.  Hence the letter addressed to the judge, rather than the victims.  

The victims are probably suing him personally.  And his first attorney probably made that happen because he was not a good attorney. 

[katherine the great]

Not impressed by that half hearted apology.  If that had been my daughter with a gun pointed in her face dragged out of the car by her hair by a man screaming and cussing, pointing a gun at the children in the van I would not be quite so forgiving so quickly. I don’t think justice would be served with probation. I know Idaho can do better than that (at least we do in Boise.) Jail time please. 

[ksfisher]

31 minutes ago, Calm said:

It doesn’t read as that introspective or sincere to me.  It reads to me as the minimum of what his attorney advised him to say to lower his sentence.  Like I said above, maybe it is just habit, but maybe it is he isn’t really all that sorry about the harm he caused or recognizing he was totally irresponsible in his reaction. It doesn’t read as personal until the last few sentences. I would be wondering if I was reading a police report, a court document, or an actual apology if I was one of the victims. 

This seems like more of a critique of the (former) sheriff as a writer than anything else.  I'm sure he could have found someone skilled in communication and marketing to make it sound very, very sincere and heartfelt.  Or maybe he just did his best with the writing skills that he has.

[katherine the great]

1 minute ago, ksfisher said:

This seems like more of a critique of the (former) sheriff as a writer than anything else.  I'm sure he could have found someone skilled in communication and marketing to make it sound very, very sincere and heartfelt.  Or maybe he just did his best with the writing skills that he has.

Lol! Are you serious? I would think a formerly upwardly mobile 63-year-old man is capable of saying what he means in a letter.

[ksfisher]

3 minutes ago, katherine the great said:

Lol! Are you serious? I would think a formerly upwardly mobile 63-year-old man is capable of saying what he means in a letter.

Yes, I am very serious.  You don't know how skilled a writer he is or what writing experience he has had.  Since he's a career law enforcement official I would assume he's spent a lot of time writing reports, which really don't train a person to express their emotions, do they? 

I hope that people don't judge me as harshly or doubt my sincerity based on my writing. 

[Calm]

13 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

This seems like more of a critique of the (former) sheriff as a writer than anything else.  I'm sure he could have found someone skilled in communication and marketing to make it sound very, very sincere and heartfelt.  Or maybe he just did his best with the writing skills that he has.

That is all we have to work with.  He was the one who chose the written form to make an apology.  It is on him to ensure it is meaningful if he wants it to be accepted.  Unless he has made another apology to the victims (which is possible), if he was not willing to take the extra effort to make it sound like it was more than just a business transaction to him, I think that shows making sure the written apology meant something to the victims and to the people who were concerned that their sheriff was not a man that could control himself or evaluate the actual risk during what was at most just a minor trespassing incident wasn’t that important to him.  I hope when they get to the sentencing, that there are victims’ statements so we can find out if he did anything else to express regret because if this is it, I don’t buy it, poor writer or not.  

[ksfisher]

2 minutes ago, Calm said:

That is all we have to work with.  He was the one who chose the written form to make an apology.  It is on him to ensure it is meaningful if he wants it to be accepted.  Unless he has made another apology to the victims (which is possible), if he was not willing to take the extra effort to make it sound like it was more than just a business transaction to him, I think that shows making sure the written apology meant something to the victims and to the people who were concerned that their sheriff was not a man that could control himself or evaluate the actual risk during what was at most just a minor trespassing incident wasn’t that important to him.  I hope when they get to the sentencing, that there are victims’ statements so we can find out if he did anything else to express regret because if this is it, I don’t buy it, poor writer or not.  

Well, I guess in the end no one here has "buy" anything as we have nothing to do with the matter.

Edited August 25, 2022 by ksfisher

[LoudmouthMormon]

6 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

Since he's a career law enforcement official I would assume he's spent a lot of time writing reports, which really don't train a person to express their emotions, do they?

https://www.how-to-become-a-police-officer.com/education/   From 2018 data:

Quote

30% to 50% of US police have a four-year bachelor’s degree–compared to 33% of US adults overall. 
...
An estimated 66% of police chiefs and sheriffs have at least a bachelor’s degree, and 33% of these have a master’s or law degree.

 

[ksfisher]

4 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

https://www.how-to-become-a-police-officer.com/education/   From 2018 data:

 

Does this guy have a master's or law degree?

[Calm]

27 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

Yes, I am very serious.  You don't know how skilled a writer he is or what writing experience he has had.  Since he's a career law enforcement official I would assume he's spent a lot of time writing reports, which really don't train a person to express their emotions, do they? 

I hope that people don't judge me as harshly or doubt my sincerity based on my writing. 

If all you did was write, then you should be judged on that imo because there is plenty of opportunity to do more and therefore it is your choice to depend solely on your writing.

And a flowery, well written letter can still be devoid of sincerity.  A willingness to open up, risk embarrassment or criticism for sounding tacky or whatever is more sincere in my view than perfectly phrased words.  We are talking about an apology for threatening to kill a harmless friend and a group of giggling girls.  He should be horrified at what he did and almost did.  His first reaction was an attempt to justify and dismiss it.  I don’t see all that much difference in this version.  Three or four personal  sentences tacked on to a police report barely expressing guilt is not much of an effort.  I would be more impressed with an “I’m sorry” Hallmark card he only signed as at least he took the time and went to the store and picked something out.

Context is everything though and if we learned he had done more on a personal level and this was pretty much just for the court being addressed to the judge, I would be thinking differently.  But based on what we have, not impressed.  That may be the reporter’s fault for not digging more, it might be his lawyer’s fault for telling him to shut up and do nothing to avoid issues with getting sued, but if so, that is idiocy imo, but not a lawyer.

I don’t think he deserves the benefit of the doubt given his initial attempt to blame it on others and his responsibility to those he was supposed to be protecting, not hurting.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Calm

[katherine the great]

21 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

Yes, I am very serious.  You don't know how skilled a writer he is or what writing experience he has had.  Since he's a career law enforcement official I would assume he's spent a lot of time writing reports, which really don't train a person to express their emotions, do they? 

I hope that people don't judge me as harshly or doubt my sincerity based on my writing. 

I don’t think that’s all he’s being judged on. I think maybe the F bombs, hair pulling  and gun pointing at young girls sort of put a backdrop behind him that other people would not see behind you. 😊

[pogi]

25 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

This seems like more of a critique of the (former) sheriff as a writer than anything else.  I'm sure he could have found someone skilled in communication and marketing to make it sound very, very sincere and heartfelt.  Or maybe he just did his best with the writing skills that he has.

The very first thing he mentions sorrow over is the effects on his "law enforcement legacy".   Is this really about the victims?

Most apology letters don't include a section entitled "factual basis" which comprises the bulk of the letter to explain what happened.  Ummm...they already know what happened.  They were there...looking down the barrel of your gun!   I find it interesting just how many "facts" he leaves out though.    Note that he is careful to include the "banging' on the door, "coupled with" the "slamming" of the screen door.  Ooh, a compounded terror of banging and slamming at his front door - how traumatic!  Only to be followed by a "cut-out turkey"?!!!  Oh the terror, the trauma!  He really expounds on why he was triggered, but leaves out much of the "factual basis" for why the girls must have been terrified.  He almost completely leaves out their experience.   Lets be careful to include the slamming and banging at his door, but neglect to include the yelling and cursing, etc.  at the victims.   It seems to be all about him, how he was affected, and his lost legacy.

The victim was dragged out of her car by the hair by a large screaming and cursing man with a gun pointed at her face.  He sums up that trauma of that victims experience by acknowledging that it will "leave an impression".  An "impression"?  Ya think!?  the victims are only noted in passing but he was careful to throw in an apology at the end to the...court.  

The most telling is who the letter is addressed to - "Judge Dunn".  

 

[Vanguard]

9 minutes ago, Calm said:

That is all we have to work with.  He was the one who chose the written form to make an apology.  It is on him to ensure it is meaningful if he wants it to be accepted.  

Well now that's the crux of it, right? But meaningful to whom? You? I understand your position that it isn't sufficient for you. Obviously, we don't know whether it is sufficient for those aggrieved and as you've stated later, we'll see how it plays out in court. And how can you ensure it will be meaningful to and accepted by the victims anyway? The fact is that the man made an apology (it came off as genuine to me) and the chips will fall as they may - yours or my personal, subjective lines for what constitutes meaningfulness notwithstanding.