On Saturday, June 28 at 8:30PM come and join the celebration of the short life of Leah Freeman. A candlelight vigil will be held at the corner of Hwy 42 and N Adams Street across from Safeway. This marks the 8th anniversary of her murder at the age of 15. Her murder is still unsolved to this day and friends and family want to keep her memory alive and urge the public to help in solving this horrible crime.

Don’t miss it!

In a loving tribute, many of Leah Freeman’s high school friends found voice today at Leah’s forum. Cory Courtright, Leah’s mom is one strong woman and there is no doubt her daughter knows how hard she is fighting to bring her killer to justice. For today, though, it was so tender to hear these fond remembrances and celebration of a beautiful young woman named Leah Freeman.

You are loved, Leah, and sorely missed.

This comment by BetteJo deserves highlighting here. No one I know is anti-police, no one. The motivations vary but everyone I know supports police accountability, everyone, except evidently some police wives and some officers themselves. What logical reason would police officers have for not wanting to be accountable to the public they serve and pay their salary?

BetteJo’s well thought out comment touches on items I have written about before. She also addresses the need to bring public pressure to bear on the powers that be to not sweep the Leah Freeman murder under the rug. If the county and city are not going to work this case then give it to another agency that will.

I posted this over at the world forum:

You know it isnt such a hard concept to think that it is possible to support the police while asking for accountability at the same time. Those videos are disgusting displays of human beings at their worst! Yes the police in Coquille are just doing their job…maybe the job that they are being directed to do is the problem then?

To the CPD personally I have defended members of your force such as Officer Bryant because I believe you to be good people. Even though I support you, I also expect that you be accountable for your actions the same as the next person. I posted some very disturbing images on magixs site because I think that people need to be reminded that there are some pretty bad “apples” out there as far as law enforcement goes. Yes magix and Kay can get very harsh in their criticism of the CPD but I have taken the time to try and get to know and I have a better understanding of why they get so upset. It is important for the citzens of this community to know and understand their rights. It is the basis for our whole government. There is nothing wrong with individuals getting involved and moving for change when they see a need for it. This has made magix, CCC and Kay targets because they are not just accepting what they are told at face value. They are seeking for explanations and justifications. It is their rights as tax paying citzens. I think you will find that there are alot more people in this town that think the way they do but they are not as vocal, nor do they want to be in the spotlight.

I find it really disturbing that the biggest crime that we have had perpetrated in this community the murder of a teenage girl has been mishandled so badly. It is not the fault of the officers on the force at this time. They were not there during the initial investigation. The chief yes he was. However the more research I do the more I find fault in how the case was handled at all levels. Here are the questions that I feel Cory deserves to have answered:

1. Why has the DA been so quiet about this case?
2. Why has the DA refused to bring in outside agencys to help in the investigation
3. Why has the City Manager not applied more pressure for the case to be solved?
4. Why has the Chief of police not pushed for more help.
5. Why has the Coos County Sherriffs office been virtually non-existent in this case when Leah’s body was found outside city limits in the county’s jurisdiction?
6. Why have the County elected officials not pushed for something to happen here?

These are fundamental problems with this case. Do they have anything to do with the CPD you bet they do.

Former Sheriff Mike Cook blames the citizenry for failing to solve the Leah Freeman murder in a comment posted below this World article. Several people have been taking him to task for whitewashing the failures of the police investigation. He wants to make Cory Courtright, Leah’s mom understand

Pretty damn pathetic!

Cory Courtright, mother of murder victim Leah Freeman is traveling to Portland this week to meet with the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children (POMC). POMC publishes a national newsletter and will feature Leah’s story to help maintain media interest and attract the assistance of Cold Case Files and Nancy Grace. Personally, I have never seen either of these programs but do understand that they have, by virtue of dogged investigation and intense media exposure, helped solve many cold cases.

Twenty five years ago, I lost my brother, only 20 years old at the time, to suicide. Each year on the anniversary of his birth and again on the anniversary of his death I always awaken thinking of him. This is an odd thing as I am not even consciously aware of the date most of the time. It is an odd nagging sensation, like a grain of sand in my shoe and I always remember him most especially on these days. August 3rd was the anniversary of the day Leah’s body was found and it hit Cory pretty hard. I believe the lack of resolution prevents Cory from obtaining any peace, if any can be had, over the loss of her daughter.

This case can be resolved and for the sake of Leah’s family it is time to bring that to pass. To that end I am interviewing Cory and writing an article that will be published this month across the nation and we will establish an online tip line shortly.

Regarding the recent civil uprising in Coquille, City Manager Terence O’Connor advised the city council that ‘staff‘ had reviewed all audio recordings of various traffic stops and had concluded that every officer acted professionally. Staff have been identified as Chief Reaves, Sargeant Smith and O’Connor himself. Other non traffic related complaints continue unaddressed leaving those complainants in the same state of frustration as before. The seeming impossibility of having a complaint impartially addressed and acted upon in Coquille adds fuel to the ‘foxes in the hen house’ metaphor so often applied to City Hall.

Coquille PD officers may be exemplary, superb even ‘world class’ traffic cops but they have failed Leah Freeman and her mother Cory Courtright. After years of inaction and stony silence from Chief Reaves, Cory has marked the seventh anniversary of her daughter’s murder by taking her concerns and questions to the city council and to the media. Local newspapers and television stations have featured Leah’s story and Cory’s frustration with local law enforcement.

As a result of this publicity she has been contacted by the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children and her story will be featured in an upcoming newsletter. Cory has published the copies of the search warrants and other documents released to her in Leah’s case here. After reviewing these documents many questions immediately come to my mind as the mother of two young daughters.

1) How much combined homicide experience existed within the ranks of the Coquille PD when Leah went missing? Did Coquille PD reach out to other local experienced homicide investigators within the area and if so, how long did they wait before they did so?

2) Leah went missing June 28 and CPD did not appear to begin aggressively searching for Leah for eight days. Search warrants are dated July 13 and July 28, weeks after she went missing. Why did they wait so long to secure evidence?

3) A shirt matching the description of one worn by Leah when she disappeared was seen at a residence by the police and left because it was a ‘mens’ shirt. Later when the officer decided to pick it up afterall, it was gone. Why wasn’t all possible evidence secured immediately?

4) The FBI will reinvestigate the case if asked to by the Coos County District Attorney or the Coquille Police Department. Why won’t these two agencies make this request?

Cory has published another open letter to the Coquille City Council and Police Department in this week’s Sentinel. To date her questions have been cruelly ignored by city management. Coquille PD has failed Leah and Cory. They have failed me and my family and most recently appear to have failed those whose cars were vandalized.

The original officer in Leah’s case has moved on, the consequences of his actions or inaction borne entirely by Leah and her family and Cory’s complaints, questions and concerns go unanswered. The adverse relationship between Chief Reaves and many citizens of Coquille leaves many feeling like Cory, that they must take their issues to the media or the US Attorney. Coquille needs a citizen review board.

Concerned citizen went on a police ride along, Saturday with the Coquille Police Department. Also, Cory Courtright has the Leah Freeman website back up and running, be sure and visit it.

The Coquille Valley Sentinel reports that the traffic violation complaints against CPD have been reviewed by ’staff’ and they have been completely exonerated of any wrongdoing. The many other non-traffic related complaints appear to remain unvisited by ’staff’ and are thus still unanswered.

An email from a concerned citizen advised me that he went to City Hall and inquired as to who ’staff’ were and was advised ’staff’ was City Manager O’Connor and Chief Reaves. Perhaps this is appropriate for traffic violations but an impartial investigation from a citizen review board would be sensible for the more serious allegations.