Man Shot 10 Times During Drug Raid ,His Death is 'Undetermined'

[SirBlazinBowl]

At a Friday morning inquest, a Fulton County Coroner's jury ruled that the manner of David L. Green's death, who was shot 10 times by police during a drug raid, is undetermined.

"The jury has five options to choose from. Besides homicide, there is suicide, accidental, natural and undetermined. They chose the 'undetermined' (option) because by the definition of the words, more than one of the options could have applied," said Fulton County Coroner Steve Hines.

Green, 47, was pronounced dead at 9:08 a.m. June 23 at 27368 E. Birds Corner Road, rural Glasford, about three hours after he was shot by three Illinois State Police troopers, Hines said.

An autopsy determined the cause of death to be gunshot wounds to the abdomen, and toxicology tests found marijuana in Green's system.

The troopers, members of the Illinois State Police Tactical Response Team, arrived at Green's residence around 6 a.m. to execute a search warrant obtained by the West Central Illinois Task Force, a drug investigation unit that includes state, county and local police officers.


The raid allegedly uncovered evidence that Green and another resident there, Daniel Matheny, 32, were cultivating large amounts of marijuana. Matheny owned the property, and Green was renting a building from him there.

Matheny currently faces charges at the Fulton County Courthouse of unlawful production of cannabis sativa plants, a Class 4 felony. He is free on bond, with a court hearing set for Sept. 14, court records say.

Hines said that a State Police investigator testified at the inquest and gave jurors an account of the events that led to Green's death.

Troopers entered the residence and encountered Green on the second floor. They ordered Green to halt, but he grabbed a long gun and a handgun and retreated to "a small cubby hole sort of area in the wall," Hines said.

The troopers threw a small explosive designed to distract or annoy, in order to flush Green out of the hole. Green then threw the long gun away and came out of the hole, armed with a loaded handgun, Hines said.

"They ordered him to drop his weapon, but he pointed the gun at the officers, stating he was going to kill them. The officers felt their lives were in danger and opened fire," Hines said.



The shooting remains under investigation by the Fulton County State's Attorney's Office and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation. The names of the officers who shot Green have not been released.

Hines said his part in the investigation is complete, and he has given his reports to the Fulton County State's Attorney.

Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl (420Times.com)
Source: Pekin Times
Copyright: 2005 Pekin Times
Contact: jolar@pekintimes.com
Website: http://www.pekintimes.com/
Author: Jared L. Olar