TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Attorney For Suspected Cop-Shooter: Don't Rush To Judgment

ADVERTISEMENT

By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2009

Related Links

• Family Blames Officer

James Seay

ST. PETERSBURG - The attorney for the 18-year-old Gulfport man accused of trying to kill a St. Petersburg police officer Monday night is urging people to keep an open mind on the case until all the facts come out.

"The message is calm," said Attorney Dyril Flanagan, who is representing James Seay. "The message is getting to the truth and not rushing to judgment."

Since Seay was arrested on charges he shot a 41-year-old undercover officer after a gas station robbery, his family has been vocal in questioning the police department's tactics.

Among other things, they wondered why the undercover officers who suspected Seay and another teen were about to rob the station didn't stop them beforehand.

Flanagan attributed the family's remarks to the heat of the moment and, he said, they were reacting to what they were told.

Flanagan characterized the aftermath of the shooting as having racial overtones. Since the public learned he was representing Seay, Flanagan, who is black, has had some racial epithets thrown at him in emails.

Seay, who is also black, also has been subject to some racially charged remarks, Flanagan said. The officer who was shot is white.

Flanagan said Seay has never gotten into trouble before. "To the best of my knowledge, he has no criminal record, no juvenile record," Flanagan said.

Still, that might not help Seay if Seay is convicted of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, Flanagan said. His client could be looking at a sentence of 30 to 40 years to life.

Flanagan said his client was sorry for what had happened.

"The remorse is definitely there," Flanagan said.

The officer is recuperating at Bayfront Medical Center. The Tampa Tribune is not identifying him because he is an undercover officer.

Police Chief Chuck Harmon said this afternoon that he had visited the officer at Bayfront this morning.

"I'm very encouraged by his progress," Harmon said. "He said, 'Hi chief, how are you doing,' that kind of thing.''

Harmon said he was encouraged by Flanagan's remarks, and agreed with the attorney that a full investigation is warranted. But he chafed at the notion that somehow the officer was responsible for Monday night's sequence of events.

"To try to blame a police officer for the criminal conduct of a family member is atrocious," Harmon said. In response to criticism the undercover officer and a colleague could have prevented the shooting by preventing the robbery, Harmon said they don't operate that way.

In addition to the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, Seay was charged with armed robbery. The two other teens police say were with Seay also were charged with armed robbery and with the attempted murder of a police officer.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT