I’ve been reporting and writing news articles off and on for nearly 20 years, and I’ll be perfectly honest with you: This may well be the strangest story I have ever signed my byline to.
Travel with me for a moment to Bakersfield, California, where the local district attorney has decided not to prosecute a cop who was caught tickling the dead body of a suspect who had been shot by authorities.
Senior Officer Aaron Stringer arrived at a crime scene last November and saw the deceased body of a man,?Ramiro James Villegas, who had led police on a high speed car chase and was shot dead when he allegedly reached for his waistband. No weapon was ever found on the suspect.
And then the story gets downright creepy, because after the body of Mr. Villegas had been transported to Kern Medical Center,?multiple officers complained they witnessed Stringer touching the corpse in a highly unprofessional way. Specifically, Officer Stringer?touched the bottom of Villegas? feet and remarked, ?Tickle, tickle.?
But wait, it gets even stranger, as an officer trainee,?Lindy DeGeare, told investigators Stringer also turned the dead man’s head and then watched as it returned to its original position. Stringer then told DeGeare that he:
“Loves playing with dead bodies.”
Feel free to join with me now as we jointly intone a loud and hearty, “Ewwww! Gross!”
You might think that such an action by an officer of the law would warrant some kind of discipline or legal action. But, of course, you’d be wrong.?Assistant District Attorney Scott Spielman said he reviewed the report of Officer Stringer’s actions and didn’t press charges because the law states that a body ?shall not be disturbed or moved from the position or place of death? without the permission of the coroner. But because the body had already been moved to the hospital, the law did not apply in this case.
The family of the dead man, however, feels Stringer should at least be fired, even if no charges are brought against him.?Sarina Gonzalez, the sister of?Ramiro James Villegas, remarked:
?It’s disturbing.?It’s sickening. It’s hurtful. It’s not okay. It’s not okay.?
Not unless you happen to be Officer Aaron Stringer, and then, as long as you have a good excuse, like loving to play with dead bodies, it’s perfectly cool.?Kind of like the body you’re tickling.
