Unfortunately, we really don’t know and the Mell & Lydia Taylor Investigation as well as the Marriya Wright Investigation did nothing to establish whether there is a widespread problem or not.
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/af2ab57a-7702-4421-a3e0-c5624053ee33
This is a copy of the Federal Indictment for the case the Taylors were involved in, some sharp folks may be able to figure out how I knew well in advance by reading this. 🙂
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/59d99817-c85d-4ca2-a3c7-3d9946c7a706
BACKGROUND:
Did I know? Yes, I knew long before anyone else did, as a matter of fact Mell Taylor knew I knew and before the stuff hit the fan started his own little investigation of me (I love it when folks do that!).
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/mar/22/bodybuilder-faces-federal-drug-charges/comments/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/may/20/shawn-vestal-questions-still-remain-about/comments/
After reading the Taylor IA case it becomes obvious why the SPD went to great lengths to keep me from getting a copy, and didn’t want it readily available to the Public. As I’ve mentioned time and again the best oversight of any law enforcement agency is an active, probing, and diligent media, something we haven’t had from the SR for a long time.
Anyone reading the sordid details documented in the IA Case would draw the conclusion that Lydia Prichard Taylor has NO BUSINESS being a cop nor did her husband. Obviously Mell Taylor was asked to resign by Frank Straub however some type of agreement was reached and he was allowed to retire, what the actual agreement included we don’t know and whether or not the agreement included Straub and Condon not to terminate his wife we also don’t know. A “Shut Down” agreement is common in law enforcement cases where the agency doesn’t want all of the important details to become public, and it basically amounts to shutting an investigation down using the excuse that the cop resigned or retired instead of conducting a full and complete investigation which when done almost always demonstrates poor leadership, and supervision. You will find a number of “Shut Down Cases” on the SPD website.
Mell Taylor letter to Straub:
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/d4d302a3-e001-4b4e-a618-4d88b68e960a
Lydia Taylor Agreement:
The widespread use of steroids by police officers has been known for a long, long time, and here are just a very few examples of what every Law Enforcement Leader or Chief of Police knows, or at least should know.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2015/01/portland_police_officer_resign.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20130612-arlington-officer-accused-of-buying-steroids-and-helping-supplier-spot-police-surveillance.ece
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1512&issue_id=62008
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/12/hundreds_of_nj_police_firefigh.html
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/crime-courts/2014-11-01/police-and-steroids-hard-control-hard-prove
So why did Frank Straub and Mayor Condon pull a “Shut Down” instead of continuing the Administrative Investigation in an effort to determine whether or not steroid use may be more wide-spread than just the Taylors? I suppose you would have to ask them, but take a good look at the timing of the Taylors case and what else was going on, including the Cotton/Straub cover-up. Take a good look at Lydia Taylor’s claim of discrimination. Review the facts I have reported earlier regarding Lydia Taylor being a key witness in the allegations made against Monique Cotton by other cops. Review the Taylors “Golden Boy”, “Golden Girl” status with Frank Straub, and draw your own conclusions. Apparently not even a cursory investigation into other relationships Brad Hollibaugh had with SPD folks was ever conducted, it’s there. Was there ever any training done of supervisors to identify steroid use which is SOP when situations like this come to light? With all of the media and academic research into the use of steroids by cops and allegations of excessive force, why the “Shut Down”?
There are many questions that arise from the Taylor IA case, but some of them just are beyond belief for me. I will address just SOME of the highlights.
This image of a portion of Lt. Justin Lundgren’s report should be a real cause for concern:
It is obvious from Lundgren’s report that prior to March 10th, 2014, and on that date, Tim Schwering the crony Straub hire and Director of IA was aware that the FBI “was interested in looking into the case to see if Det. Taylor was linked to the delivery of steroids, specifically to other members of the law enforcement community”. Given the volume the FBI had good reason for concern.
Unless there is something beyond the “Shut Down” SPD isn’t telling anyone about, that issue was never explored.
On March 4th, 2014 after receiving “the final piece of evidence” Lundgren presented the case to Prosecutor Jack Driscoll for review. Driscoll spent one hell of a lot of time reviewing the case, the case law, the statutes, and later that evening after his extensive review notified Lundgren there was no PC to charge Taylor at the State level.
Good Gosh Jack you know, I know, and anyone with any sense knows your office had no business making that call, especially given the circumstances and Wright’s involvement in the case!
This image shows the position The Department of Corrections took with respect to Garrity Compelled Statements and their employee Scott Wright, Marriya Wright’s husband. Without going over Garrity again it is not surprising that DOC took this position, who knows what Scott Wright might have opened up to. It was however a nice try on IA’s part (Should have talked to Eric first)
This is pretty much just a tidbit of what I see from the report. Keep in mind that I do have a PRR going with the Spokane Prosecutors Office for what they actually have.
Could the Taylors case be used in OUR defense of the Straub lawsuit? Hell yes! Will it be? Likely not because the ultimate decision on keeping Lydia Taylor and pursuing the issue the FBI was concerned about was with Mayor David Condon. If you read the IA Report I linked take note of who Lydia Taylor was supposed to report to when she was placed on Paid Administrative Leave. Another thing you might find interesting is Lydia Taylor’s letter to Straub claiming sexual discrimination, harassment, and racial bias the date was Feb. 19, 2014. Also notice the word “Agreement” is always in bold. Also note Lt. Lundgren’s letter demanding an investigation into Taylor’s complaints. Was there one?
On a side note:
For you IA guys that read this I see some things you need to clean up before one of these situations leads you to the witness stand. Having been on both sides they pop out at me. If you are interested, you know how to get ahold of me, if not I understand.
I REPORT YOU DECIDE!
Buffalo Brian Breen 