May 31, 2011 in Idaho

Officer in Ellington case placed on paid leave

Supreme Court cited his alleged perjury in ordering a new trial

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A veteran Idaho State Police corporal who testified in the murder trial of a North Idaho man was placed on administrative leave after the state Supreme Court threw out the conviction, citing the likelihood that the officer committed perjury.

Idaho State Police issued a news release today saying Cpl. Fred Rice was put on paid administrative leave after the Supreme Court determined that Rice’s testimony contradicted testimony on accident reconstruction he had given in other cases. An internal investigation is underway.

“The ISP regards this as a serious matter and full intends to complete a thorough investigation,” the news release said.

Rice, who has been employed with ISP since 1983, was a witness in the case of Jonathan Wade Ellington, of Hayden. Ellington was sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and 15 years each on two counts of aggravated battery charges for running over a woman.

The high court also cited prosecutorial misconduct when throwing out the conviction.

Seven comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  mrd on May 31 at 8:37 p.m.

  I am glad to see that ISP is investigating the officer, whether he committed a crime or not. It may put an end to the controversy.

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  Kivaari on May 31 at 8:47 p.m.

  Why would the cop lie? It never pays to go beyond the facts to get a conviction, just because you are sure of the guilt. Sometimes, the defendant is innocent. Sometimes they are guilty as hell and the state just doesn’t have enough to convict. Better to be honest. If this trooper is shown to have perjured himself, he will get a felony conviction and join Mark Furman in retirement. It disgraced the department, if he lied.

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  Liberty_Bell on May 31 at 9:45 p.m.

  The end!

  http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/31/1687994/police-chief-who-hid-zina-case.html

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  PlanB on May 31 at 10:31 p.m.

  Why would a cop lie? Seriously? To save their own ass, that’s why. And since getting fired or convicted of a crime is so rare, it’s the obvious first thing to do.

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  Liberty_Bell on May 31 at 10:57 p.m.

  And, One year in the State Penn.

  http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/idstat/Title18/T18CH54SECT18-5409.htm

• 

  Liberty_Bell on May 31 at 11:01 p.m.

  Or the Spokane model?

  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.72.020

• 

  straighttalk on June 01 at 1:58 p.m.

  Why is he on paid leave? That smells!