Wicomico County States Attorney Davis Ruark will be charged criminally for a loaded handgun while under the influence. Although Mr. Ruark had a permit to carry a weapon, you cannot be drinking and have a loaded weapon in your possession.
Worcester County States Attorney Joel Todd has charged Davis Ruark and the paperwork is at this very moment being processed by the Ocean City Police Department.
I ask, what ever happened to Brotherhood and professional courtesy? Joel Todd is desperate for attention after he totally screwed up the 4 dead baby case last summer and quite frankly this is despicable!
The handgun was buried in a console in the vehicle. There are two consoles and the gun was buried in the second console, underneath the top console. Mr. Ruark also offered the information about the handgun being in the vehicle. It's not as if the OC Police asked or even searched for it.
51 comments:
project exile hard time for gun crime seems to ring a bell. it will be interesting to see where this goes.
What an ASS (Todd). Is he bored or something? Looking for retribution are we? This is not needed. Ruark was a professional in his demeanor that night and should be treated as one. All the good work he's done and Mr. Joel Todd's going to do this? Up his.
I feel bad for Davis but he did ask that he not be given "Special Treatment" and the public has been assured he would receive none...he should NOT of been in possession of that gun while drinking...he broke the law...anyone else would have been charged accordingly for being in possession of that gun...Why should Davis NOT be charged for it? I do like Davis and think he was great at his job..but again he broke the law!
Should BPT or any of her team be shown "professional courtesy" if there are any laws found to be broken by anyone in that group? That would be a no.
You know, I hear you-I see your point- he might be a great guy,But right is right and wrong is wrong. Screw up-pay the piper and move on. No special treatment because of who you are. That is what is wrong with a good portion of our government today.
Nalagirl
Here comes the retrobution from that assshole Todd.I think any judge will see threw this BS.
Professional Courtesy? Are you kidding? Driving drunk with a loaded handgun. Yea. The man deserves a free pass.
Anon 4:17
I think you will find that this was OCPD's idea, and that Todd had nothing to do with it.
Do the crime, do the time!
No matter who you are!
We don't change the rules when a D.A. is charged w/ a crime!
The "Brotherhood" is why police officers from all different agencys including Easton, Cambridge, etc, can blow down Rt.50at 20-30 miles over the posted limit, sometimes with their children in carseats in the backseat.
The "Brotherhood" is why a MSP trooper from the Berlin barrack can with a couple friends ride sport bikes down Rt. 113 from Pocomoke to Berlin at triple digit speeds, get pulled over, flash his badge and away they go. I can name a name on that.
The "Brotherhood" is why a Corporal from the SPD can illegally park his personal vehicle on a street at a party, when asked about it, his blunt reply "because I can". I can name a name on that.
EXCELLENT work to Joel Todd for holding a criminal responsible for his actions.
I would respect the opinion of Sheriff Lewis. Would doing nothing about the loaded gun be considered a professional courtesy or dereliction of duty on the part of Worcester County law enforcement? Truly, I have no idea but would like to hear his assessment.
Joe, I respect the fact that Davis is a friend of yours and I can see you're allowing comments on both sides of the table here. Because you are doing so, I see your heart is in the right place but you know Davis broke the law. It looks like the end is near for Davis as a states attorney but perhaps it's the best thing for everyone?
There is no reason to charge Davis for the Handgun offense. It was not in his direct possession and it's not like he was walking around with the gun. It was inside the console of his vehicle. To the Brotherhood Comment- You don't have a clue what cops do everyday to keep you and your family safe. You may think you know a lot about it but until you walk a minute in their shoes keep your mouth shut. If you don't like the brotherhood go apply to become a cop, if your lucky get hired, spend the next 6 months of your life away from your family at the academy and maybe you'll graduate. Then go through 8 more weeks of more training, then put YOUR life on the line everyday for the citizens of this great state and then you re-evaluate what you think the Brotherhood really is.
UNBELIEVEABLE...are we really criticizing someone for actually doing their job of upholding the law??? (they were Elected to do this)
The person wrong here is clearly RUARK not Todd
Everyone defending Ruark needs to getb their heads out of their asses. I seriously can't believe anyone would stand up for drinking and driving. These negligent actions kill others, and prosecutor should know this better than anyone!
Mr. Todd hires one of Davis' Asst. State's Attorneys. She lasts a month and returns to work for Davis. Mr. Todd's former Deputy State's Attorney (who worked for Davis some seven or eight years ago) resigned her position with Mr. Todd and began as an ASA for DAVIS LAST WEEK again. HMMMM.... The last five people who have left Mr. Todd's office within the last two years have been FEMALES. Mr. Todd may have his own legal problems coming.
I love it.....you are all barking up the wrong tree. Todd has nothing, absolutley nothing, to do with the recent charges. He charges nobody...the police charge people and the State's Attorney prosecutes them. It's basic information that is obviously above most here. A special prosecutor will be assigned the case, no doubt, and Todd will steer far clear of anything to do with it.
Let me get this straight from you people. Cops can blatantly disobey the laws that they are sworn to uphold? Is that what I'm hearing? You people are friggin crazy. Professional courtesy? For what? They guy drives drunk with a loaded handgun. If I did the same I'd be locked up and would expect to be. Just because you carry a badge gives you no right speed, drive drunk or break other laws. You put your pants on just like every other average citizen. You're not supermen.
No Boss Hogg politics on this case!
Maybe they will throw out the weapons charge with a plea deal of some sort.
Driving drunk was wrong but we can't have unarmed law enforcement people on the streets either.
If the pistol was not on his person AND he told them about it...
Non-issue...
Dropping one charge for another... SOP done every day... anyone who has been on jury duty or spent time waiting in a courtroom will tell you that.
Heck if he had a pound of cocaine and was busted in Pocomoke they would have let him walk in exchange for the drugs... It happens all the time here in Russville.
Under Public Safety Article, Title 5, Subtitle 3
Annotated Code of Maryland
5-314.
(a) A person who holds a permit may not wear, carry, or transport a handgun while the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.
Well it's a big issue to MSP licensing.
§ 5-314. Carrying, wearing, or transporting handgun while under influence of alcohol or drugs.
(a) Prohibited.- A person who holds a permit may not wear, carry, or transport a handgun while the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
(b) Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.
It will look good on A&E TV when Joel is on there again.
Todd has made a lot of stupid career decisions. The first that will always come to mind is Chrisy "I enjoy killing my own babies" Freeman. Ruark chose to drive while drinking knowing that he had a loaded gun in his possession. Todd needs to grow a pair and protect the people. Ruark may not be a bad guy, but he may be a bad guy while drunk. Even if Ruark pleas out the gun charge, at least Todd will show OC that he can still do his job.
Spare me from the brotherhood BS, this isn't a playground.For those who fail to see why Davis Ruark must resign, these questions: Will these charges in any way compromise any prosecution by Davis Ruark or his assistants? Will the outcome of this in any way be a factor in the decision affecting the next department head, elected official, teacher, police officer, or employee charged? Since when does the depth to which one burys an item determine possession?
This is also the Joel Todd who let a well known Worcester County woman, Joan Buchanan, get away with stealing over 250k dollars from people all over the tri county area through her travel agency. He said she did nothing criminal and these people who were already out thousands of dollars hire an attorney and sue her civilally. Give me a break, this shows his character and he obviously desperate.
This is beginning to feel like a slow death. They are going to make Davis Ruark resign one way or the other it sounds like to me.Just when you think things are cooling down BAM! they hit you with something else. Hopefully this will be the end of it but we will wait and see. Good Luck Davis.
The last thing Joel Todd wanted was this mess dumped in his lap. Don't blame it on him.
OCPD - this is hyprocritical, how many times do you see drunk OCPD cops at seacrets...oh wait seacrets gives how much $ a year to OCPD, wonder why they sit out side all the time and overlook the assaults by the bouncers, maybe because they drink there, and they don't have guns in the car, in the console, underneath something else. Please ... police yourself before you do others.
Let me get this right...professional courtesy, my ass...the idiot knew the law, had a gun when he was hammered and we think this is OK? Hell no!
What is next...teacher has sex with a student and because they are assigned to their room, it is "Professional Courtesy". Give be a friggin break!
Oh and btw...is there anything about this idiot being allowed to carry a gun in a county vehicle?
I respect the job that Davis has done in the past but I cannot see anything but bad things from this if he was permitted to stay in office. If I was ever caught doing something like this, I guess that I can just say..."well he got away with it".
Nothing else but resignation will due. Mr. Vincent, the job is all yours in my book. Good luck!
Joe:
With your connection with Sheriff Lewis, would you please ask him how he would of handled this situation?
I would be surprised if it was handled any different that it was by OCPD. Let's not blame them for doing their job.
It's just piling on. Ruark is going to have to resign one way or the other. His professional credibility and the moral and legal gravitas necessary for him to do his job effectively is essentially crippled at this point.
He's damaged goods and will have to be dumped over the side. A sad ending to an otherwise solid career.
Sounds like this needs to be given to a more impartial party to handle. Joel Todd has a lot to prove and respect to get back.
Anon 4:42
Come on. If you have a personal issue with Joel Todd that is understandable. However, to bring his son into this is uncalled for. I personally feel that you have crossed the line by making disparaging comments about someone child. No matter what you may or may not have done in life, it does not give anyone carte blanche to attack your children. I'm not trying to be the "blog police". I'm just asking that you focus your frustration and comments on the intended party and leave their family out of it.
sJoe, please tell me what your defination of Professional Courtesy is.
Does it mean that Worchester County/Ocean City should have ignored the charges against Mr. Ruark because he was a fellow States Attorney.
If they had done either and you found out you would have been all over them like a duck on a June Bug.
As I said earlier this was no mistake, as Mr Ruark would like us to believe. This was a stupid, illegial act, by a man so drunk he could not make a good decesion.
If he was to drunk to not know he should not be driving why should we believe he could/would not make a bad decesion about the gun.
u damn right that he wanted this mess. He was aching to get back at Davis (who by the way is a much better Prosecutor than Todd)
the really sad thing here is, some very good troopers, deputies and policemen & women are getting trashed for the actions of a few. let us not forget the very valiant job that most of our law enforcement people do day in and out. as for "special" treatment?
HELL NO. if any other law enforcement officer was caught in the same deal as ruark, they'd crucify them, and we all know it.
i say he should get the same treatment as anyone else. and i don't give a damn who's friend he is, joe! BULLSH!T!!!!!!
Davis broke the law and he is accepting responsibility for it. All I can say is don't kick the man while he is down, you wouldn't want it done to you or your family. All any of us can do once we're over the anger and feelings of being let down is pray for his recovery and his well being. Don't let your anger from the enormous thefts in the county be displaced. We're all angry right now with the way things are going in the city and the county.
Godspeed Davis
My, how God works in mysterious ways....
It's time to pay the piper!!!
Davis Ruark and the office he represents IS crooked and trying to operate "above the law"....
Did you know that Davis Ruark knowingly used an INCOMPLETE lab report to present to the grand jury to get an indictment against my son-in-law, all to pacify a sick, evil, demented human being (which by the way is ILLEGAL!!!)...for the accident he was involved in - in which my son died? And cost me not only MORE stress, heartache and pain, but also my son's ENTIRE life insurance policy money... And for what... to have the charges dropped after all that heartache and pain and money because it was a bogus charge, because they HAD NO LEGITIMATE REASON TO CHARGE HIM BUT DID IT ANYHOW!! Lab reports, tests, accident reports and STATE TROOPER'S testimony ALL showed that the accident was NOT my son-in-laws fault, yet Ruark obtained an indictment through half-truths and misleading information...
I have had NO DOUBT in my mind that he does this on a regular basis.... and that countless other families have suffered unnecessarily because of him. Think for a moment what would have happened if I didn't have that GOD GIVEN money at that time... my son-in-law would have sat in jail for MONTHS until the TRUTH CAME OUT and the charges HAD to be dropped. Just THINK about that... how JUST would that have been? As IF my son-in-law hasn't suffered enough, knowing the accident HE was involved in is what cost my son, his best friend and BROTHER, his life....EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ANYTHING and it was NOT his fault!!!
To think that Ruark NO DOUBT abuses his "POWER" on a regular basis, And to think, and now I KNOW that Ruark and HIS minions do this on a regular basis. Well, the gavel is going to be dropped.... and I sincerely hope this man loses his job, his career and whatever else God sees fit to take from him to show him that what he has been doing to people's lives and families all along is WRONG!!!!
I'm sure HE will never understand the irony in the situation that HE has put himself in, but I certainly do. He should at least be thankful, as I know I am, that no one died because of his stupidity and irresponsibility, because if anyone DID die, it MOST CERTAINLY WOULD have been HIS FAULT!!!! I just pray that he is NOT allowed to use his "power" to weed his way out of this one or in his own words..."PUT IT BEHIND" him because HE seriously needs a WAKE UP CALL!!!!!!!! AND NEEDS TO RESIGN! AND NOT BE ALLOWED TO PRACTICE LAW... HE ABUSES THE PRIVILEGE AND HAS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ACTIONS!
"Everyone can master a grief but he that hath it." William Shakespeare
Didn't OCPD get blasted for going easy on DE Rep. Adkins when he was caught driving drunk last summer? Maybe they're making sure they don't make the same mistake again.
I just do not understand.
The Blog owner wants to bash the cops and the prosecutor for placing the handgun charges.
A few of the poster s want to blast the cops for charging Davis. My God, did you want them to look the other way? The Press and the People would have crucified them.
A few of the posters are happy with the cops, but hate the prosecutor for advising the cops (at THEIR request) what the appropriate charge would be.
Some posters are mad at the prosecutor for trying to "get back" at Davis--for WHAT?
Most of the posters applaud the cops and the prosecutor. I applaud the cops, but the prosecutor really had no hand in this, good or bad, according to the Ocean City Cops' Press Person, all the prosecutor did was give tell them which section of the law to use. Since the prosecutors are friends I would imagine that there will have to be a special outside prosecutor to actually make all the decisions in this case to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
Man there is some serious ignorance and hatred of the cops out there.
Kudos to Christinas comment. How right she is!
Being a "come here", not a "from here", I have fought
the good ole boy system for the past 30 yrs. And this fiasco with Ruark and the County is definately a good ole boy way of living and protecting them in the system. I feel sorry that she had to go through all of that with Ruark in the court system . If that would have been me, I would have packed up and left this crazy county behind! Not always that easy though.
I believe Ruark should step down instead of take a vacation for 30 days! How many other criminals get to take a 30 day holiday right after being charged!
these well, lets not kick mr. ruark while he's down, but lets let lewis rot in prison asap attitude is a little hypocritical...dontcha think?
OCPD IS GREAT. DAVIS TALKS ABOUT RAY LEWIS AS BEING SO BAD WELL LOOK AT THIS SH** HEAD. HE DRANK AN DROVE COULD OF KILLED ANYBODY THEN HE HAD A LOADED 45 IN HIS CAR, AND SPEEDING. WHAT WAS THIS DUDE THINKING. YEAH RAY MAY HAVE BOUGHT STOLEN ITEMS BUT THIS DUDE PUT SOMEONE'S LIFE ENDANGER. TO TOP IT OFF HE WAS USING TAXPAYERS MONEY TO DO ALL THIS IN A COUNTY CAR. WELL PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
K.P.
Davis thinks we all still have faith in him as long as he doesn't prosecute DUI cases. We don't have faith in him to obey the law, plain and simple.
The "Brotherhood" isnt about covering for them when they break the law!!
Joel Todd ignored all calls from the Press. IF he had nothing to do with it, he would have taken those calls.
Maryland Law is very clear on the handgun issue:
§ 5-314. Carrying, wearing, or transporting handgun while under influence of alcohol or drugs.
(a) Prohibited.- A person who holds a permit may not wear, carry, or transport a handgun while the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
(b) Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.
[An. Code 1957, CR § 4-207; 2003, ch. 5, § 2.]
A blood alcohol content of .15 is clearly under the influence under Maryland Law.
Maybe he (Todd) could not take calls from the press becasue he was presenting cases to the Grand Jury on Monday.
Well, let's hope TODD is a little more HONEST and forthcoming with complete reports and information when presenting cases to the grand jury in Worcester Co.... cause this county blatantly witholds information in order to get indictments opn innocent people... don't believe me... I have the court documents to prove it!!!Let's hope that other families in Worcester Co. aren't subjected to the abuse families in Wicomico Co. get from the state's attorney's office...
That is exactly the kind of incidious behavior that brings people to this point in their lives... "TIME TO PAY THE PIPER!!"
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we set out to deceive!!!!
Davis's antics in drinking and driving are not unknown; he's been consuming mass quantities for quite a while and doesn't seem to give a damn. For the sake of your family, Davis needs to give himself a break and relieve himself of the albatross of his position as he tries to sort this mess out. Davis has a long history of issues stemming from his teen age years to the present; his attitude is both chemically altered much of the time; hopefully, he will take enough time away from the shield to find himself. (although I hear the Florida facility that he's going to is quite nice this time of year).
I think Todd should release the 911 Call that led to all of this; we'll see if it's the close associate of Davis' who lives in Ocean Pines and was primary running partner until Davis stepped out with the ladies.
Post a Comment