Eureka
police lieutenant, former chief plead not guilty
EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — The former
Eureka police chief and a lieutenant still on the force have pleaded not guilty
to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a mentally disturbed
woman.
Ex-chief David Douglas and Lt. Tony Zanotti
entered the pleas April 22 in Humboldt County Superior Court.
The charges stem from their role in
directing officers to storm 48-year-old Cheri Lyn Moore’s apartment in April
2006. Moore died in a hail of gunfire after the raiding officers say she
pointed a flare gun at them.
Neither Douglas nor Zanotti were at the scene
and are not accused of firing a shot.
Law enforcement groups have condemned the unusual charges as
unjustified second-guessing of commanders responding to an unpredictable and
potentially violent situation.