By Davy V.
In 1975, when he was a Rochester, NY Police officer, Michael Leach murdered Denise Hawkins, an African-American woman running from her abusive boyfriend.
Leach, the son of former Rochester, NY Police Chief Delmar Leach, stated that Hawkins had a knife in her hand.
Cleared in the November 11, 1975 shooting, Leach went on to continue his career with the RPD, rising to rank of Captain before retiring in 2001.
Most recently, Leach was working as a police officer for the Perry, NY Police department.
On Saturday July 21, 2012 Leach shot and killed his own son at the Clark’s Beach Hotel in Old Forge, NY.
New York State Police say that Michael Leach, 59 mistook his son, Matthew Leach, 37, for an intruder, before shooting him once in the back.
According to New York State Police, Michael Leach, now a part time Perry, NY Police officer, shot and killed his son with his .45 caliber Glock handgun, when his son entered the motel room they both shared.
The Leach’s were part of a motorcycle group that stays at the Clark’s Beach motel every couple of years.
Dan Rivet, owner of the motel said “For some reason, nobody knows why, his father whether he was having a nightmare or whatever he had his service revolver apparently in his room next to his bedside and he thought he was an intruder and shot him once in the back.”
Wednesday morning, in Herkimer, NY County Court, an indictment charging Leach, 59 with a second-degree murder charge was unsealed.
The indictment specifically accuses Leach of intentionally killing his son.
Leach is also facing a weapons charge for using his police issued service revolver.
I guess in a way it is ironic, that 37 years ago, just as Matthew Leach was being born, his father, a young, overzealous, trigger happy cop shot and killed an innocent woman who was actually running for help, and now Michael Leach, overreacts, is trigger happy, and shoots his own son in the back, killing him.
Sadly, the Rochester, NY Police department taught Michael Leach well.
They taught him to shoot to kill.
I believe there is more to this story.
I’m not sure this was an accident.
Leach has been suspended from the Perry, NY Police department.
He is being held in the Herkimer County Jail on $200,000 bail.
Click link below to read my original story:
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Know your target and what is beyond is the 4th rule of gun safety. People being taught about firearms for the first time ever learn this within the first five minutes.
Of course if this was murder and not a mistake, then the loss of his son is likely not going to be any hardship on him. But spending time in a county jail will be.
I hope the state has something good. Who knows, maybe he woke up and saw a figure in the room and shot or maybe he was shitfaced. Should be interesting at the pre-lim in April. I say they’ll cut a deal, no jail time if he cops to negligent homicide.
NO Common Sense, you always have to put in your “two-cents”. Most of the people that visit this website don’t give a shit about your opinion because you are never wrong and mainly because your a worthless COP!
Commons probably right about the deal.
It is an excellent example of the problem of everyone wanting a gun all the time…and trying to solve every problem with a gun.
Last I checked…only one guy was able to fix dead.
when cops are arrested there should be no bail held until trial. if convicted they should get auto life in solitary confinement no chance for parole. if caught for merder they should be allotted a speedy trial if convicted put to death .
@Steve…I cannot agree with that with the auto life deal. One of the premises behind copblock is badges do not grant extra rights. However the reverse is also true…a badge doesn’t grant less rights. While an officer using his/her badge to violate others rights is especially hideous, they should do the exact same amount of time for the crime you or I would do. Now I do think that there should be some sort of charge for violating the oath they took and that charge should be a flat rate for each violation that cannot be plead down. Caught stealing on or off duty, same charge…Theft plus violation of your oath. Plead theft out to probation, but the violation charge cannot be plead out…Do the time no if’s and’s or but’s about it.
While in a police uniform or displaying a badge or claiming to be police, you temporarily give up some rights in exchange for power. You serve the public, but have the power over an individual that is harming the public. Like rock paper scissors; criminal tries to harm the public, cop controls the criminal, the public controls the cop.
If we got back to our public servant roots, the position wouldn’t be as seductive. If engaging in criminal activity while wielding the power the public gave you, that’s a greater offense. Greater punishment would also serve as greater deterrent.
Sadly, the system is so far gone that you have to push the reset button for things to work again. And pushing the reset button in terms of sheeple regarding police as an elevated class isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight.
Those who really are on top have done a fantastic job at making sure all us underlings fight among ourselves, arguing over who dominates who, what rules apply where, etc.
Dr.: Wrong to a point. We surrender many of our rights. We don’t get “extra”.
@dan
“Greater punishment = great deterant”
That’s another facet repeatedly proven false – please see capital punishment.
t, you DO get extra. For starters, try immunity!! You surrender NOTHING. LEOs playing the selfless public servant schtick is really laughable, and the rest of us mundanes who must suffer all your power-tripping garbage have seen far, far too many examples every damn day of your privildged status to buy your poor-me BS for one second.
You are very, very misinformed. “Qualified immunity” doesn’t exisit if the officer do something illegal. Now that doesn’t mean something YOU think is wrong. Qualified immunity is designed to shells officers and the government in general, from “frivilous ” lawsuits that come up from things like you being arrested but then found not quilt or having charges dismissed. In a situation like that…the officers PC to arrest was sound, but there may not be enough evidence for a conviction. This is.a very frequent occurrence. Why should you then be allowed to sue the officer for doing what was legal for him to do? If however, should I event information or lie, there is no immunity there and there shouldn’t be.
This is another reason why I say that the misguided mantra of “never talk to the police” is so wrong. As I’ve explained… If I get called to a scene and there is evidence that a crime occurred, and I’ve got one party telling what happened and that you did it, but you decide to “exercise” your right to remain silent, you’re gonna end up arrested. Now at trial, there may not be enough evidence to convict, but my PC to arrest was still good and I will be immune from any claims of false arrest. You would have been much better served talking and explaining what happened and avoiding the arrest all together. Now I don’t know if that’s what you are referring to when you talk about immunity. But that’s how it works. Its more about the PC then it is about what happens afterward ( although not entirely).
Jim should move to Canada.
@t
its amszing, its almost like the phyiscally don’t want to understand how police work actually works. You’ve explainted immunity and PC what? 5 times. They still don’t understand.
HMMMMMM………..
POSSIBLY HE MADE A MISTAKE. MOST DAD’s DON’T SHOOT THEIR SON’S. STILL SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR SOMETHING. LORD KNOWS HE HAS TO LIVE WITH THE FACT HE KILLED HIS OWN………..
Chris, CS is not a cop. He works for a book publisher in the PNW.
I want a Glock revolver. I didn’t even know they made such a thing. I carry a 17 or a 23 every day, but I think a Glock revolver would be cool to have. The revolver is so new to Glock’s product line that it isn’t even on their website yet.
Convicted child molester gets life sentence — James Scharfschwerdt is former Vero Beach cop accused of molesting several boys
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2013-02-05/convicted-child-molester-gets-life-sentence#.URRIL_IwjTq
common, people dont get it because they know the reports are filled with lies to fill the holes and get a conviction.
@t luckily if you had it your way only the cops could “solve problems with guns,” and, of course, their tasers. but to a more relevant point, you are blogging on a site that states that “badges do not grant extra rights.” just drop in on injusticeeverywhere.com and see how much more “rights” cops have to a fair trial and sentencing than everyone else.
point of fact, a government cannot give someone rights, it can only take them.
Right, and I have too surrender mine.
I’ve seen that site. But just like this one and others….don’t believe everything you see on the internet. Heck, look at this site. Just about everything some people post is fabrication. Look at the stuff Davy V. posts. Other than the names, he has nearly no facts. But its on LJ e so it must be true right? No.
As for guns and tasers. I don’t really want to use either. Neither had to shoot anyone. Tased and sprayed and fought train loads. I’d much rather there be no need for any force, a return to “Mayberry”. But unfortunately, many have the same ideas that float around here the “resist resist resist” idea. Well, if that’s what you want. I’d prefer if you didn’t, but I’ll still take care of my business.
Karma is pretty harsh at times.
@t, something illegal, like say shooting your own son? Common said himself he’d probably get a deal because he’s a cop.
This is a very sad case. I just don’t understand how a cop wakes up and shoots his son in the back? You don’t say anything? No stop who goes there? No don’t move I have a gun? Just bang and you kill your son, that is a hard one to live with unless it was intentional. Which I hope it wasn’t. I tried to look more into the killing in 1975 but couldn’t find any more information. I wanted to know whether or not she had a knife and why he felt it important to shot her. Just sad all around.