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State attorney says shooting justified
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Thursday, May 15, 2008 |
PINELLAS COUNTY – Two Pinellas County deputies who shot and killed an armed suspect at the St. Petersburg Courthouse on May 7 have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Pasco and Pinellas County State Attorney Bernie McCabe released his findings on May 15 after concluding an investigation into courthouse shooting.
“As a result of our investigation I have determined that Deputies B.J. Lyons and Marvin Glover were in the performance of their legal duties when Glenn Powell entered the courthouse armed with a loaded firearm and fired at them. Both Deputy Lyons and Deputy Glover feared that Powell was about to inflict great bodily harm or death to themselves or others when they shot and killed Powell,” McCabe wrote in this three-page report.
The shooting occurred just after 1 p.m. on May 7. The report sheds some light on what happened prior.
According to the report, Glenn Lee Powell, 30, was in the process of getting a divorce from his wife of six years. The petition for dissolution of marriage had been filed by the wife in Pinellas County on March 27.
Powell was served with the summons for the divorce on April 7. His response to the petition was due on May 7.
Virginia Powell, Glenn’s mother, told detectives that she and her son had visited an attorney in Hillsborough County on the morning of May 7 for assistance with preparing the paperwork for the response to the petition. The mother suggested that they go to the St. Petersburg Courthouse and file the response after the meeting with the attorney was done.
“Powell indicated to his mother she could not go with him,” the report said. “When asked why Powell told her she would find out later. Concerned, the mother asked if he was going to do anything stupid; Powell replied he was not and that she shouldn’t worry about it.”
Powell got to the courthouse about 12:15 p.m., the report said, and shortly before 1 p.m. he headed toward the west entrance. He was wearing a pack on his back and a pouch on his side.
Outside the entrance, he asked Uniquewa Burrowes and her mother Cassandra Grady where to go to file the papers. Grady told him to go into the entrance of the courthouse lobby.
Grady and Burrowes said Powell appeared to be angry and gave them a strange look as he walked away. Grady said she saw the butt of a gun sticking out of the bottom of Powell’s backpack.
According to the report, “Powell walked briskly towards the courthouse lobby. Grady and Burrowes were behind and as they approached the door, Grady heard gunshots and saw what she felt were muzzle flashes through the tinted entrance doors. She and her daughter fled to safety, warning other approaching patrons on the way.”
Lyons and Glover were working security at the entrance. When Powell entered the lobby, Glover asked him to place his bags on the conveyor belt to the x-ray machine. The report said that Powell ignored the request and kept walking toward the pass-through where the metal detectors are located.
“Deputy Lyons who was closest to the metal detectors immediately moved to confront Powell,” the report said. “As he did he observed Powell pull a firearm from his right side. Deputy Lyons yelled ‘gun’ to alert Deputy Glover as he (Lyons) quickly drew his weapon and fired a Powell.”
Powell’s gun was pointed at Lyons when he fired. The bullet struck the radio microphone on the deputy’s shoulder, which caused a minor abrasion to Lyon’s shoulder.
Glover also fired several rounds at Powell, who fell to the ground where he died. Pinellas County Sheriff’s investigators determined that Powell had fired two shots. Lyons fired six shots and Glover fired five times.
“Fortunately no employees or civilians in the area were struck by gun fire,” the report said.
An autopsy found that Powell had been shot six times: Two shots to the center right chest that struck the heart and liver; one shot to the abdomen; one shot to the right groin area; one shot to the lower right groin area; and one shot to the middle right lower back.
“Although Powell’s motive was unclear one can safety come to the conclusion that he had malevolent intentions,” the report said.
Investigators found 61 live FMJ rounds, an additional fully loaded clip (10 rounds) for his 45 caliper P220 Sig Sauer pistol and a loading assist device used to quickly reload empty clip in Powell’s pouch. His backpack contained a gas mask with two 3M filters attached. Attached to the inside of the mask was a pair of prescription eyeglasses as well as a tinted insert. An 18-inch Khukuri knife and sheath also were found in the backpack.
The report concluded that the “death of Glen Powell was as a result of being shot by Deputies Lyons and Glover and was justifiable homicide pursuant to Florida Statute 776.012.”
“In closing, I feel compelled to commend both Deputy Lyons and Deputy Glover on their rapid response, placing their lives in danger to prevent what could have been a tragic incident of immeasurable proportions for the patrons and employees of the St. Petersburg Courthouse,” McCabe said.
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Article published on Thursday, May 15, 2008
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