HELENA - Jurors have sided with a review board's ruling that a Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Deputy who shot and got rid of a man in May was validated in using lethal force.
When he cautioned and subsequently shot and eliminated 62-year old Doug Harper, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Replacement Matthew Reighard paid attention intently to a recording made on May 29th.
"Are you Doug Harper? Put your hands up," screamed Replacement Matthew Reighard on a patrol video. "Get your hand off the gun. Get your hand off the weapon. Get your hands ...".
Shots rang out; it took just 66 seconds for the entire conflict.
The video from his patrol car was played prior to a coroner's jury that was charged with figuring out if Replacement Reighard followed the law when he shot at Harper several times.
"Exactly what was the basis of your shooting the gun at Mr. Harper?" asked County Lawyer agent Jeremy Gersovitz.
"The immediate risk and danger I was in from potentially being shot," indicated Deputy Reighard.
The warrant for Harper's arrest included officer safety measures stating he was suicidal and had a weapon.
When he cautioned and subsequently shot and eliminated 62-year old Doug Harper, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Replacement Matthew Reighard paid attention intently to a recording made on May 29th.
"Are you Doug Harper? Put your hands up," screamed Replacement Matthew Reighard on a patrol video. "Get your hand off the gun. Get your hand off the weapon. Get your hands ...".
Shots rang out; it took just 66 seconds for the entire conflict.
The video from his patrol car was played prior to a coroner's jury that was charged with figuring out if Replacement Reighard followed the law when he shot at Harper several times.
"Exactly what was the basis of your shooting the gun at Mr. Harper?" asked County Lawyer agent Jeremy Gersovitz.
"The immediate risk and danger I was in from potentially being shot," indicated Deputy Reighard.
The warrant for Harper's arrest included officer safety measures stating he was suicidal and had a weapon.
Harper was wanted on a warrant in Musselshell County for arson charges; he was accused of burning his sweetheart's house down in Roundup.
The relative he was staying with in Helena, Shawna Treib, described him as her "Uncle Doug," and she stated he was not himself and that he was just taking half his medication.
"He was very agitated, frightened and I just knew something bad was going on with him," indicated Treib.
Treib was the one who called authorities anonymously, however she didn't think the circumstance would end so tragically.
"I figured he would be in jail that night. Safe and sound. And I 'd know that he 'd have food and everything was good and I never anticipated him to be killed ever," stated Treib.
Numerous police officials indicated that Reighard acted according to the Constitution and Montana State law and training.
"We do not have to in fact wait until we are under the bead of gun prior to we defend ourselves," affirmed the Montana Law Enforcement Academy administrator.
Reighard was placed on administrative leave and revived after a testimonial board found he acted accordingly, and on Tuesday, the jury concurred that decision.
The investigation revealed that there was no bullet in the chamber of Harper's weapon - something that Reighard would never ever have understood.
The relative he was staying with in Helena, Shawna Treib, described him as her "Uncle Doug," and she stated he was not himself and that he was just taking half his medication.
"He was very agitated, frightened and I just knew something bad was going on with him," indicated Treib.
Treib was the one who called authorities anonymously, however she didn't think the circumstance would end so tragically.
"I figured he would be in jail that night. Safe and sound. And I 'd know that he 'd have food and everything was good and I never anticipated him to be killed ever," stated Treib.
Numerous police officials indicated that Reighard acted according to the Constitution and Montana State law and training.
"We do not have to in fact wait until we are under the bead of gun prior to we defend ourselves," affirmed the Montana Law Enforcement Academy administrator.
Reighard was placed on administrative leave and revived after a testimonial board found he acted accordingly, and on Tuesday, the jury concurred that decision.
The investigation revealed that there was no bullet in the chamber of Harper's weapon - something that Reighard would never ever have understood.
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