2011.06.01
Will shooting case affect the Franklin County sheriff’s race?
Will Monday’s shooting case — in which authorities say an off-duty Franklin County deputy shot and killed his ex-wife, then shot and wounded a state trooper before being taken into custody — affect this fall’s sheriff’s race in Franklin County?
Not so much the shooting itself, as the Sheriff Ewell Hunt’s handling of the situation, specifically his decision not to put out a “be on the look-out” after Franklin County dispatch got a call that deputy Jonathan Agee had gotten into his patrol car with an assault rife and was going to Salem to kill his ex-wife. (You can read more about that here.)
Hunt, a Republican, faces a challenge from Billy Overton, who is running as an independent.
Hunt’s first term was marked with an investigation into his office and a misdemeanor charge of failure to maintain adequate records, which was dismissed in November.
And now this.
There’s already a lively discussion about the case taking place on columnist Dan Casey’s blog.
So what about the sheriff’s race this fall. How will this play? Thoughts, anyone?
“Hunt, a Republican”
Well no wonder Dan Casey is interested in this case.
Comment by Henry — June 1, 2011 @ 1:11 pm
#1 Hunt’s party affiliation wasn’t mentioned in the stories.
Would you argue this isn’t a story, Henry?
Comment by gdad — June 1, 2011 @ 2:36 pm
Will it have an effect? Absolutely. Hunt won a close, 4 way race four years ago, and has had all sorts of problems, ironically some of them involving Agee. Franklin County politics is still very much small-town, everyone knows everyone, retail politics.
Recognizing that this type of political analysis may seem cruel after such a personal tragedy, I still believe that a searing event like this puts Hunt into a very tenuous position.
Comment by gadfly — June 1, 2011 @ 2:41 pm
This is a terrible lack of judgement on his part.This guy is very shaky as it is,hopefully the people will elect a new Sheriff.
Comment by Jack Mcguire — June 1, 2011 @ 2:57 pm
If any party supports/endorses this guy for office in November or is affiliated in any way with him, it will be just another example of how out of touch poltical party bosses have become.
Comment by Rick — June 1, 2011 @ 3:14 pm
The poor decision making by Hunt should definitely cause the people of FC some concern. The media said he told the person in Salem he would handle it. Hunt was notified one of his personnel was off-duty, in a rage, grabbed an assault rifle, and was headed to confront his ex-wife. Hunt has displayed incompetence one time too many it appears.
Comment by Bella — June 1, 2011 @ 3:15 pm
“deputy Jonathan Agee had gotten into his patrol car with an assault rife ”
It was not an “assault rifle”. An assault rifle by definition is fully automatic (like a machine gun), and the search warrant makes clear it was a semi-automatic rifle. One bullet per trigger squeeze, same as any ordinary hunting rifle. I realize that’s what his wife called it during the 911 call, and no big deal that she didn’t use the correct term, but now every local media outlet has repeated that inaccuracy as fact.
I’m not trying to minimize the tragedy that has taken place, and I hope Ewell Hunt gets sued for everything he has and dies bankrupt…although this would in no way make up for her family’s tragic loss. However, in the days and weeks ahead I’m sure someone somewhere will be trying to use this to gain support for banning “assault weapons”, and having everyone thinking that this guy had a machine gun will play beautifully into that.
That said, Franklin County desperately needs a new sheriff, and this poor excuse of one should resign immediately.
Comment by VT Hokie — June 1, 2011 @ 5:40 pm
I’m having trouble taking the question posed in the OP seriously. Is there any way on earth it would NOT effect the stupid election? Best case scenario…Hunt’s a blithering incompetent. Worst case, he’s a criminal. Either way, I can’t imagine how he’d even be allowed to run again.
Comment by Kristen — June 1, 2011 @ 7:52 pm
Hindsight is always 20/20, but he should have known better than to make the decision he did. With the facts that were known by the sheriff in this case, I don’t see how foresight could possibly have been any less than 20/20. My heart aches for every one involved.
Comment by Straight Arrow — June 1, 2011 @ 7:53 pm
See:
http://tinyurl.com/3nbzxsr
Sheriff Hunt issues statement, timeline on Agee events
Comment by DaveH — June 1, 2011 @ 9:57 pm
Well, duh… I’m sure it will be completely overlooked.
Comment by Art Hill — June 3, 2011 @ 3:10 am
“I can’t imagine how he’d even be allowed to run again.”
The way local politics is,this guy may run and even win.
Comment by Jack Mcguire — June 3, 2011 @ 12:11 pm