Story Archive

Who’s Guilty?

Grant County, Ore., Sheriff Glenn Palmer calls himself a “constitutional sheriff,” committed to protecting the people from their government. He’s been accused of jeopardizing public safety by associating with militants — and now he’s been accused of backing a deputy who protected the suspects in a case. Jim Koitzsch, 57, reported gunfire — “I almost got hit,” he said — and Deputy Zach Mobley responded. Koitzsch pointed to one of the four homes along Terrance Road in John Day, Ore., as the source of the shooting: Mobley’s brother-in-law’s home. Mobley said he questioned his niece, who told him all the guns were in the safe, and he said he personally verified that the safe was locked. But a 66-year-old neighbor and her grandson told Mobley they’d heard gunshots. Mobley, after getting Palmer’s approval because Mobley’s relatives were involved, arrested Koitzsch, accusing him of making up the incident. Palmer later promoted Mobley, but the county’s insurer has paid Koitzsch a settlement and the district attorney has rebuked Palmer and Mobley. (AC/Portland Oregonian) ...A prosecutor committed to protecting the people from their government would have charged them instead — if the evidence is there.