I mean, he probably saved lives by illegally shooting that deer. We should send him a whole box of cookies for his heroic act.


http://timesdaily.com/stories/Former-officer-plans-to-appeal-,200639

MUSCLE SHOALS � A Tuscumbia attorney, representing former Muscle Shoals police officer Greg Scoggins, who was fired for shooting and killing a deer on federal property while on duty, said his client plans to appeal the termination.

Billy Underwood said Monday he has sent a letter to Muscle Shoals Police Chief Robert Evans and Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford informing them of his client�s decision to appeal the termination.

Evans said Scoggins, who had been with the department since December 2001, was terminated Thursday.

Scoggins had been on administrative leave with pay since the incident took place Dec. 23.

According to Muscle Shoals policy, Scoggins has three business days to appeal his termination directly to Bradford. If the mayor upholds the termination, Scoggins can appeal to the city�s Civil Service Board.

Officials said Scoggins is accused of shooting and killing the deer on Tennessee Valley Authority property that fronts Second Street.

TVA officials said the incident was turned over to the Alabama Department of Conservation.

Department of Conservation authorities filed warrants last week against Scoggins, 47, of Muscle Shoals. Reports indicate he was charged with reckless endangerment, hunting without a permit and hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle.

All three charges are misdemeanors. Reckless endangerment is punishable by a year in jail and a fine if convicted, while the other two charges are punishable by fines.

Scoggins was terminated because of conduct detrimental to the image of the city, having a personal weapon in a patrol car and endangering the welfare of citizens, officials said.

In his appeal letter to Evans and Bradford, Underwood said it was interesting they mentioned the possession of firearms as a reason for termination.

�Being an attorney for over 30 years, I find it is common for police officers to carry a second gun, which is not their issued sidearm,� Underwood wrote. �I have also seen many police officers that carry their AR-15s in the trunk of their squad car.�

Reports indicate Scoggins is accused of bringing his own rifle with him to work that morning and using it to shoot the deer.

Officials said he was actually shooting toward Second Street and the city�s wastewater treatment plant.

Underwood said there had been many wrecks on Second Street involving deer.

�This probably would be a good opportunity to do something to keep someone from being killed by a deer crossing Second Street into the city limits from the

TVA Reservation. It�s a hazard that may have grave consequences,� Underwood wrote in the letter.

Underwood also pointed out in the appeal letter that in Scoggins� career with the Muscle Shoals Police Department there are �no reprimands, complaints, or incidents worthy of censure� in his record.

�He has an immaculate record. He should not receive the draconian punishment of dismissal,� Underwood said.

Wow! What flipping idiots. I never see deer hit on Second St. That DA knew exactly why he was bringing his personal rifle to work with him. Underwood is a member of my gym and he's also a class A butthole!

Id like to see a p3ic of the buck ????

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he's got a point. Maybe we should give citations of merit to night hunters killing deer instead of arresting them????

So the officer just shot the deer for no reason other than personal gratification? In no way was he operating in his official line of duty while on duty? Correct?

Yes, correct.

He took his rifle to work in his patrol car. That is the way I understand it. I'm sure this deer was seen every day over there as there is no hunting allowed on the TVA Reservation. Not unusual to see big bucks there just standing by the road.

Well he deserved what he got! The officer to.

The lawyer always wins......

There is another bigger deer there, not that it matters. Everyone in town has seen these deer multiple times. The guys in the tower of the sewer treatment plant watched him shoot the deer from the patrol car. Then he left and came back in his personal truck with friends.

I have never seen a deer hit on that section of 2nd st. It is right across from the treatment plant and a neighborhood.

Do not ask me who decided to build a neighborhood on top of a swamp and borders a sewer plant.

He is just another jackass that refuses to take responsibility for his actions. Regardless of his "spotless" record, he has no business being employed by any law enforcement agency.

I'm sure he called his supervisor before he made the shot and told him he was going to take care of the safety hazard.

Dude should just man up, and take his medicine.

"License and registration, sir."

"Scoggins ... oh yeah, you're that cop who poaches deer at night on TVA property!"

"License and registration, sir."

"Sure you don't want to see my Q-Beam? It's a good one. Oh, yeah! You guys have giant Q-Beam style lights on your patrol cars! NO WONDER you can shoot deer at night while being a cop!"

*sigh*

"To Protect and Serve don't say nothing about integrity and honesty, so I guess poaching deer at night with your personal rifle on TVA property is OK. You were jus' protectin' and servin' the public by knockin' out that big ol' buck. Here's my license and registration."

Nevermind. Have a good evening.

"Thanks. Good luck between midnight and 4 a.m.!"

After killing a huge buck at night and being caught the night hunter says to the arresting officer "I was making a citizens arrest and when the buck wouldn't cooperate and became violent I busted a cap in his azz."

I thought someone caught it on video?

I honestly can't see even trying to use a "public service" defense due to the precedent it would set for every nighttime jacklighter in the state.

"The Muscle Shoals cop got off on that, your honor. My client was just performing a great public service by removing those two deer in that sharp curve in the road so no one would hit them or swerve off the road."

*sigh*

If you want to fight for your job, fine. Say the penalty is too excessive or whatever. But don't try to present some silly argument that a nighttime deer was killed to protect the public. That's just asinine.

Mayor upholds termination. Officer can appeal again:

http://www.waaytv.com/news/local/mayor-u...19bb30f31a.html

The defense some lawyers use has nothing to do with morals or common sense. Their job is to defend and some will use anything at their disposal to achieve that. It's asinine but sometimes it actually works. If it works then they have achieved their goal despite how off the moral compass is.

If he was worried about the deer causing an accident why didnt he just pull over and turn his lights on until the deer left? Thats what the local PD and Sheriffs do here in Crenshaw county, its standard practice in front my house almost every night. Thats a truly asinine defense and the lawyer should be charged for contempt just for wasting the courts time.

I was wondering where this exactly was, the other buck is much bigger they say

yea the houses/swamp thing hasn't made sense to me either

Also, if he was doing his duty by protecting the public, why did he feel the need to go home and get his personal truck, and friends, to load up the deer? If he was so interested in doing his duty shouldn't he have just called the City Street Department and had the carcas removed? If it had been a hit dog would he of got his truck and friends?