Grieving mother Kim Staton has had to deal with the passing of her son and now an image appearing to see a smiling officer giving the thumbs up and posing with the body of her dead son has appeared. I can’t imagine how upsetting and tortuous this feels and completely understand why she now wants answers.
On 8th August, her son, 28-year-old Omar Rahman was found dead, it was ruled as an accidental drug overdose and Kim says she heard little from the police since.
Of course, this is distressing and now the picture has emerged questions need to be asked and answered.
Kim spoke to said Investigative Reporter Lauren Trager.:
“In your mind, is there any reasonable explanation for what that officer was doing?”
Kim answered no and:
“Because when they come to a call, they’re supposed to be there to help and protect, not doing what he was doing with thumbs up and a smirk on his face.”
News 4 wrote regarding the situation:
Staton’s attorney, Antonio Romanucci, agrees.
“It’s hideous. The implications of this photograph are just astronomical,” said Romanucci.
He believes something isn’t right.
“I have seen thousands and thousands of forensic photographs, I have never seen a staged photograph of an officer next to a deceased body,” Romanucci said.
Now, he wants a complete investigation by an agency other than the Co-op.
“Who was there that allowed this to go on? Was there any Sergeant involved? Those are the questions that need to be asked and that’s what needs to be found here,” Romanucci said.
Questions are now swirling, too, about how this photo got out. Staton says after News 4 got involved police told her their official crime scene camera had been missing for a time and that pictures were also gone.
“Had you not received that photograph we wouldn’t know this. We would never have known this,” said Romanucci.
News 4 wanted answers from the head of the North County Co-op. Chief Tim Swope refused to go on-camera, saying that they were conducting an internal and external investigation into “the totality” of the situation. The chief has declined News 4’s repeated offers to show him the photo.
This is so sad on so many levels. A grieving mother should not have to deal with these things and we really hope someone gets held accountable.
Read more on News 4 here and see the video report below.
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