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NY fugitive kills state trooper: Ralph "Bucky" Phillips


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NY fugitive kills state trooper: Ralph "Bucky" Phillips
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Elysium
Environmental Bloodhound
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Land of ice and snow
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2006-09-04, 18:07

Brief synopsis:
Ralph "Bucky" Phillips, a career criminal that has spent nearly half his life in jail, escaped from the Erie County correctional facility while serving a 90 day sentence for a parole violation this past April. Since then he has been on the run traveling throughout the rural portions of western New York and Pennsylvania by stealing cars and breaking into hunting camps. He is the prime suspect in a June shooting of a state trooper outside of Elmira, NY. He is also believed to be behind the shooting death of a trooper at a stakeout outside the home of his ex-girlfriend over this past weekend.

Tragic enough as this is, the whole manhunt has been exacerbated by friends and relatives continuing to hide this guy. Recently police arrested six local people including his daughter and the ex-girlfriend and have been charged with harboring Phillips. The state also stepped in and removed his children from the girlfriend's custody for a week.
Some comments regarding the actions taken against his family and friends:
  • A provocative gesture to force Phillips to realize the harm he is doing to his family and friends? Yes, and necessay to send a message to others that may be tempted to continue to harbor him.
  • A gesture that should be used to explain away his actions as voiced by friends and family as seen here? Definitely not. These people committed a crime and were being held accountable for it. That is no basis for justification for shooting and killing a trooper. Ever heard of protecting the children from the sins/crimes of the parent?
  • Police still hope to bring him in alive. Considering that Phillips may have escalated the situation, it seems more likely that it will end with a shootout and suicide by cop. A sticky situation. While I would understand the police killing him, it would undoubtedly give a man who once left a note threatening to "to splatter pig meat all over Chautauqua County" exactly what he wants.
  • And what about this:
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by State Police Major Michael Manning
    <snip>it will be on the heads of Phillips' friends and family members who have helped him elude capture.
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace
    Those who have assisted him have blood on their hands.
    If Phillips was found guilty of the subsequent shootings, burglaries, and thefts committed since his escape and several people were found guilty of harboring him during his time on the run, then shouldn't it then be possible to charge them as accessories to his crimes?
Final Thoughts:
I think what probably bothers me the most is that this guy was serving a 90 day sentence for a parole violation. Since then he has become wanted for a string of robberies, auto theft, two shooting incidents, and now the death of an officer. Well, that and the fact that people will probably continue to defend and/or shelter him. Hopefully, now that he has shown he is capable of a cold, calculated murder it will open people's eyes to the kind of person he really is and realize the danger that he poses to the general public. Here's to hoping that he is caught soon and that he and those who have aided him get what they deserve.

Formerly known as cynical_rock
censeo tentatio victum
There is no snooze button on a cat.
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xionja
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2006-09-04, 20:51

Yeah, he had 4 days till he was going to be released when he escaped, pretty funny. Take that combined with his skills at not being caught yet, he's got no common sense, but he's fairly sharp in practical manners.

I have been stopped at so many roadblocks the way they are searching for this guy, its serious, at least the guns they have at the roadstops are. The only question I really have is, why hasn't he gone to a reservation yet? He's indian, and alot of reservations up here have a history of housing criminals, which is to his benefit. He'll be a billy the kid legend maybe.

Cheers Bucky . . .
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