Ireland family will ask feds to investigate shooting
The family of an unarmed man shot and killed by a Springfield police officer in February will ask the federal government to investigate the case.
Greene County prosecutors announced last week that they would not be filing state criminal charges against then-officer Andrew Bath for fatally shooting Michael Ireland on Feb. 17, so a lawyer for Ireland's father is drafting a letter to send to the Department of Justice asking for federal investigators to look at the case.
"I didn't really think it would turn out that way," said Steve Ireland, Michael's father. "I want the officer to be held accountable."
In addition to the request for a federal investigation, Ireland's lawyer Joshua Robert said the family is also reaching out to the City of Springfield in hopes of reaching a financial settlement. If that doesn't happen, Roberts said, the family will file a wrongful death lawsuit.
"In the state criminal court system, the opportunity to get justice has been foreclosed upon," Roberts said. "So we are left with trying to get justice in the civil arena."
In a letter to Police Chief Paul Williams, Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson released his decision Friday that the fatal shooting was justified.
According to Patterson's letter, Michael Ireland ran from police when they arrived to investigate suspicious activity on the 1900 block of West Division Street just after 10 p.m. on Feb. 17.
Bath pursued Ireland before, the letter says, the officer and Ireland came face-to-face at a gate.
The letter says Bath twice used a Taser on Ireland and then shot him.
Bath says Ireland did not comply with commands to stop reaching toward his waistband, and the officer fired the shot because he feared Ireland might be trying to retrieve a weapon from his waistband, according to the letter.
Roberts said the family is left wondering why Bath didn't continue using his Taser or why he didn't open the gate and handcuff Ireland. They are hoping the Department of Justice will have the same questions.
In addition to the criminal review by the prosecutors, Springfield police say they also did an internal investigation to determine if Bath violated any department policies during the shooting. Police Chief Paul Williams said policies and tactics are an internal matter and he would not release the results of the department's investigation.
Roberts said that sounds off to him.
"If you conduct your own investigation and then you draw a conclusion, and the evidence on which you rely, you choose not to make available, to me, the entire thing seems suspect," Roberts said.
Police Chief Paul Williams declined Thursday to comment on the specifics of the case, citing pending litigation.
Who was Michael Ireland?
Steve and Pennie Ireland said Michael was a man who loved camping, riding four-wheelers and spending time with his family.
"He loved his sisters dearly," Pennie said. "He liked to aggravate them. He would call them, talk to them, make time for them. He was a good big brother."
Pennie said Michael loved family get-togethers, and it has been tough celebrating birthdays and holidays without him.
"It's hard, and I don't think it will be easy ever," Pennie said. "We've missed some key moments recently."
Michael Ireland attended Hillcrest High School in Springfield but dropped out in ninth grade. His Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder made it tough to concentrate in school, Steve said.
Legal trouble then followed Ireland, 31, for much of his life. He spent time in prison on a conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle, but his family says he was never charged with any violent crimes.
Steve said his son was working to get his life together, but with a criminal record and no high school degree, jobs were hard to find.
Pennie said Michael's dream job would have been making music.
"He absolutely loved music," Pennie said. "He always had a dream that he would be a rapper. He liked rapping."
Where is Officer Bath?
Police said in early March that Bath had resigned from the police department prior to the shooting and that he had taken a job out of state.
The News-Leader reached Bath by phone on Thursday at a furniture store where he works in Alabama. Bath declined to comment on the case, citing his lawyer's instruction.
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