The Norman Transcript
Sat, May 17 2008
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Transcript Staff Writer
The disposition for the Noble police officers charged in the shooting death of a 5-year-old has been bumped up by about a month to today.
Robert Shawn Richardson and Paul Bradley Rogers waived their preliminary hearings March 6 and the disposition was scheduled for April 30.
This week, the disposition with District Judge Tom Lucas was moved to 4 p.m. today, "basically just to get it over with," said David Brockman, assistant district attorney.
No paperwork had been filed in Cleveland County District Court as of Thursday afternoon to announce the date change.
"It's kind of a last minute kind of thing," Brockman said.
Richardson and Rogers were charged with manslaughter in the death of 5-year-old Austin Haley. The officers had responded to an animal complaint call at a house in Noble Aug. 3 and shot at a snake in a birdhouse. Haley was fishing with his father and grandfather in a pond behind the house when he was shot in the head.
Brockman said earlier this month that a plea agreement for the officers may have been reached. He would not say Friday if the plea had been definitely agreed upon.
The parents of Austin Haley, Jack and Renee Haley, were told about the change of time for the disposition. The district attorney's office told them about the possible plea deal.
The agreement told to the Haleys includes putting the officers on probation, making them pay a $1,000 fine and giving them a two-year deferred sentence, the Haleys said. The crime would remain a felony and the officers would lose their CLEET certification, they said.
They spoke out against the agreement earlier this month, saying they want the officers to spend at least 30 days in jail. The district attorney's office hasn't responded to their request, Jack Haley said Thursday.
"They weren't receptive to change at all, and we weren't happy about that," he said.
Haley said he and his wife plan to speak at the disposition. He said he has invited other family and community members to speak before the judge.
Julianna Parker 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com
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