Opinion ID: 1304744
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: events of september 5, 1992

Text: Joseph testified that Baldwin started getting paranoid at the University of Nebraska-Omaha football game, so Joseph and Baldwin set out to visit the home of a mutual friend. As Joseph and Baldwin drove along Interstate 480, Baldwin told Joseph that he missed his mother and opened the car door. Joseph held Baldwin by the shirt and pulled the car over to the shoulder of the Interstate. Baldwin jumped from the car while it was still moving and lay on the highway in the middle of the traffic lane. Joseph managed to get Baldwin back into the automobile and exited the Interstate. However, Baldwin dashed from the car when Joseph stopped at a traffic light in Omaha. Joseph pursued Baldwin but could not keep up. Joseph then called the 911 emergency dispatch service (radio dispatch) and informed the operator that Baldwin was running around, needed help, and had had problems in the past. Baldwin testified that he was hearing voices on September 5, 1992, and felt a need to get out of Omaha and back to New Jersey or to Africa. At 11:22 p.m., a caller to radio dispatch reported a disturbance at the Stage II Lounge, mentioned Baldwin's name, and told the operator that assistance was needed right away. Two minutes later, an operator for radio dispatch broadcast an A-Adam disturbance at the Stage II Lounge. The term A-Adam in such a broadcast is used to alert patrol officers that a mentally ill person is involved. Omaha police officers Peggy Lynn Truckenbrod and Anna Doyle responded to the A-Adam call. Truckenbrod and Doyle, who were riding in the same patrol car that night, had both received instruction concerning the policies and procedures of the Omaha Police Division (Division) for dealing with mentally ill persons. Those policies and procedures include admonishments to avoid creating unnecessary ill will, to be polite and respectful, to refrain from being in a hurry, and to establish a relationship of concern and understanding. Similarly, both officers had received instructions concerning the Division's policy on the use of force. That policy authorizes officers to fire their weapons in order to protect the police officer or others from what is reasonably believed to be an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm. At the Stage II Lounge, Truckenbrod and Doyle learned that Baldwin was the cause of the disturbance. Truckenbrod had heard of Baldwin and the Lincoln assault prior to that evening, but did not know specific details about that event. Around 11:37 p.m., Truckenbrod and Doyle discovered that Baldwin had discarded his clothes and was running around naked. About that time, Truckenbrod requested that radio dispatch send a backup car specifically because she knew the A-Adam party was Baldwin. Radio dispatch complied by instructing Omaha police officer Thomas Muller to assist Truckenbrod and Doyleof which information both Truckenbrod and Doyle were aware prior to encountering Baldwin. While searching for Baldwin, Truckenbrod informed Doyle that Baldwin had assaulted a female in Lincoln, that it took quite a few police officers to subdue Baldwin in Lincoln, and that Baldwin had been treated for mental illness. Doyle became concerned about subduing Baldwin because of his size and strength. Truckenbrod and Doyle, however, did not discuss any plan regarding how to handle the situation once they located Baldwin. At approximately 11:44 p.m., Truckenbrod and Doyle found Baldwin and informed radio dispatch that Baldwin was trying to jump through the plate glass door of a house. Truckenbrod became concerned for the safety of spectators in the nearby area and believed that she and Doyle would have to subdue Baldwin by force. As Truckenbrod and Doyle pulled up to the area at 11:45:25 p.m., Doyle exited the patrol car, and Truckenbrod followed without waiting for backup to arrive or ascertaining the estimated time of arrival of such backup. Doyle said to Baldwin, Omaha Police. Come down off the landing. Baldwin stopped hurling himself at the door and obeyed Doyle. Truckenbrod described Baldwin as calm and not agitated at that point. Truckenbrod approached Baldwin and said, Police, you're under arrest! Without asking Baldwin any questions about his medical condition or his behavior, Truckenbrod urged Baldwin to step against a nearby wall. Baldwin obeyed, and Doyle told him to put his hands on the wall. From behind Baldwin, Truckenbrod placed her left hand on Baldwin's shoulder and reached for her handcuffs with her right hand while instructing Baldwin to bring his left hand back. Baldwin did not respond. Doyle told Baldwin to bring his hand back, and Truckenbrod started to reach for Baldwin's left hand with her left hand. At that point, Baldwin turned and pushed both officers away. The officers stumbled, and they wound up struggling with Baldwin on the ground. As they wrestled with Baldwin, the officers radioed for help at 11:45:41 and 11:45:46 p.m. Truckenbrod felt Baldwin trying to grab her gun with his hand. Truckenbrod said that she kept her hand over her holster to keep Baldwin from getting a hold of the weapon and that Baldwin's hand was over her hand. When Doyle heard Truckenbrod screaming that Baldwin had Truckenbrod's gun, Doyle placed her gun below Baldwin's left ear and said, Let go of the gun or I'll shoot. Baldwin did not respond. When Truckenbrod exclaimed, His hand's on the trigger, Doyle fired one shot from her 9-mm Baretta gun into Baldwin's left side, just below his left armpit. At that moment, Baldwin ceased struggling and Muller, the backup officer, arrived. The gunshot wound left Baldwin permanently paralyzed from the chest down.