Autumn Steele Homicide,The Washington Post Oct.10,2015

Autumn Steele Homicide by Cop,Iowa public Information board

Public Information Board takes up Autumn Steele matter again
By ANDY HOFFMAN ahoffman@thehawkeye.com  Sep 16, 2015 Comments

The Iowa Public Information Board is expected to decide Thursday whether to move forward or dismiss complaints state and local law enforcement agencies violated Iowa’s open records law by refusing access to reports about the fatal Jan. 6 shooting of Autumn Steele outside her Burlington home.

Last month, the nine-member panel delayed its decision, asking parties on both sides of the dispute to file legal briefs on the issues facing the board.

The IPIB hearing is the result of two complaints, one filed by The Hawk Eye and another by Adam Klein, an Atlanta attorney representing Steele’s family, after Freedom of Information requests were denied by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Burlington Police Department and the Des Moines County Attorney’s office.

The FOI requests sought police reports, including police body-camera and dashboard videos, and other items involved in the DCI investigation of Steele’s death.

Charlie Smithson, executive director of the IPIB, initially recommended to the board in July to deny the complaints.

“Given the current language of Iowa Code, especially as interpreted by the courts, the information in question appears to be confidential,” Smithson wrote in his findings to the board. “The complaints are legally insufficient” to warrant further investigation by the board.

However, board members determined they needed more information before making a decision, including a review of videos of the shooting. After watching the videos in closed session last month, the board asked the parties for the legal briefs.

Those documents were filed last week and will be part of Thursday’s discussion.

“The decision for the IPIB Board on (Thursday) is whether to accept the complaints (which trigger attempts for informal resolution/additional investigation) or to dismiss the complaint,” said Charlie Smithson, IPIB executive director.

Steve Delaney, editor and publisher of The Hawk Eye, issued a statement Tuesday about the newspaper’s ongoing attempt to get law enforcement reports and police videos of the shooting.

“It’s unfortunate government has taken this misguided position on this particular matter, especially when you can pick up newspapers all across Iowa and see screenshots of police body-cam videos published on their pages,” he said. “And you also can go to media websites to view police body-cam videos. Government hasn’t articulated effectively why this case is so special that it needs to hide its contents from the public. That’s because it can’t.

“The public’s interest in this far outweighs government’s zealousness to keep official documentation of this tragedy cloaked in governmental secrecy. And when they take such drastic steps to keep information hidden from the public, it’s more reason to seek that information.”

Steele, 34, died after she was shot by Jesse Hill, a Burlington police officer, who was responding to a domestic disturbance about 10 a.m. Jan. 6 between Steele and her husband, Gabriel Steele, 35, at the couple’s 104 S. Garfield Ave. home.

As Hill left his squad car to break up the fight, he was attacked by the family dog. As he was trying to shoot the mixed-breed German shepherd, Hill apparently slipped on some snow or ice and shot Steele in the chest and arm. Her 4-year-old son was feet away.

After an investigation by the DCI, Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers issued a nine-page report clearing Hill of wrongdoing. He returned to work as a Burlington patrol officer a short time later.

The Hawk Eye then filed a Freedom of Information request seeking the reports Beavers used to arrive at her decision, including police body cam and dashboard videos related to the shooting.

In its brief filed last week with the IPIB, lawyers for the state argue the videos are exempt from Iowa’s public records law because it’s part of an investigative file — even though the investigation is closed.

The attorneys claim “peace officers’ investigative reports, and specific portions of electronic mail and telephone billing records of law enforcement agencies if that information is part of an ongoing investigation, except where disclosure is authorized elsewhere under (Iowa) Code, may be kept confidential.”

The state’s attorneys also claim DCI’s release of 12 seconds of Hill’s body cam recorded leading up to the shooting and Beavers’ report about the shooting were all they needed to provide to comply with Iowa law.

However, Michael Giudicessi, a Des Moines attorney representing the newspaper, said in his 33-page brief the state did not comply with the law. He said the state only releases information when it benefits the state.

“Every law enforcement agency involved in this open records dispute has circled the squad cars in a collective effort to make sure that objective video depiction and other records evidencing what transpired on the morning Autumn Steele was shot can be seen only by those within government and to the exclusion of the very citizenry the police agencies involved are charged with serving and protecting,” he wrote.

He said the “release of the records requested ... is required and justified by Iowa law.”

“Recordings by the Iowa State Patrol and local police departments are routinely made and released, apparently without reservation when dissemination serves to promote the public image of law enforcement, to publicize the meritorious service of police officers, or to rebut charges of discrimination or official misconduct,” he said.

Klein urged the board to order the release of the files.

“This board’s hands are not tied,” he wrote. “The Iowa Legislature has granted this board the authority and the obligation to give voice to Autumn’s family, to the citizens of Burlington and to the people of Iowa by hearing this complaint.”

The meeting will start at 1 p.m. in the Wallace Office Building in Des Moines.


Andy Hoffman

https://www.facebook.com/events/1601374640121022/ We Will Close Mothers Day Weekend May 8th thru May 12th - Open again Wednesday May 13th

https://www.facebook.com/events/1601374640121022/

Autumn Steele "Just doing his Job" Jesse Hill shot and Killed Autumn Steele Jan.6th 2015,still no Evidence!

The Burlington newspaper the Hawk Eye published an editorial justifying the actions of shooter cop Jesse Hill.
They said he was just doing his job.

I called and spoke to Hawk Eye manager Dale Allison.
Predictably, he could not answer any of my questions .
He advised me to write a letter.
I did.
They didn't publish it- so here is it:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hawk Eye management revealed its true colors in the tragic editorial-- "Reassuring Words."

We now know the Hawk Eye management is a PR firm for the Burlington police department- and not an investigative news organization.

Autumn Steele was accidently shot dead by a cop who allegedly feared a dog- and you say he was just doing his job?

Really?

On what grounds do you base that opinion?

The Animal Review Board cleared the dog Sammy as not vicious and ACO Orth (a retired cop [!]) failed miserably to present any case at all.
Sammy was cleared.

Would that not indicate that Jesse Hill fired at a dog that was not aggressive?
Is this not evidence he overreacted?

There is no evidence to the contrary, except the testimony of the cop who killed Autumn Steele.
Do you really think he would incriminate himself?
Was this threat real-- or imagined?

The Hawk Eye has not published one word from BPD as to any corrective action taken since the Autumn Steele homicide occurred. That is reprehensible--an insult to the good people of Burlington.

There is a growing movement for police officers to receive additional training in dog encounters to prevent the atrocity that occurred in Burlington.
Texas, Idaho, Colorado, California and agencies across the country have initiated training.
It is a matter of officer safety and public safety.
In Colorado it is state law- Yes, mandatory training for all police officers- The Colorado Dog Protection Act.

But then we have Iowa and Burlington.
You have no laws or innovative training like this- and the terrible results are self-evident.

The Hawk Eye has not even considered the following questions—yet you tell us to just move along?

Had Hill previously signed off or passed any additional animal encounter training?

What non-lethal means did he attempt first?

Did he follow the department Use of Force Continuum to the letter?

Did he discharge a firearm safely so that no residents were in danger?

Yes, there were other issues on this call- we all know that.
An entirely different subject: Police ability to handle mental health issues and domestic problems.

But to fire a lethal weapon in that tense and crowded situation was reckless- and caused death.
If a citizen took that action- there would be charges.

There must be accountability for police officers.

There must be justice for Autumn Steele.

Tragic accident.
Yes.
Just doing his job?
Absolutely not.

Jeffrey Justice
Longmont, CO

Administrator
Dogs Shot by Police, Facebook page

Thank You Everyone! Sammy Saved! Alive & Well at his New Home in Columbus Ga.- Burlington Iowa Animal hearing board 5 person panel voted Sammy NOT VICIOUS. Less Then 48 hours Later ,County Attorney Amy Beavers gave her decision to not charge Cop Jesse Hill for killing my daughter Autumn Steele. Autumn was unarmed when Jesse Hill alledged her dog was attacking him,A bullet struck Autumn in her Arm,a,bullet struck Autumn in her chest. From the time Burlington Iowa Cop Jesse Hill arrived on the scene to the time Autumn was shot was within 59 seconds! In Report from County Attorney Amy Beavers,she ignored the description of Involuntary Manslaughter! Adam Klein ,my grandsons Attorney sent a press release out showing County Attorneys Ignorance of that in her Report ! The Family of Autumn Mae Waters Steele,will not rest!

Sammy still has Sutures after almost 2,months of being shot by Burlington Iowa Cop Jesse Hill,he will be treated by a local Vet in Columbus Ga.,we have yet to obtain his Medical Records from Allgood Vet. In Des Moines County Iowa ( Burlington)

Petition For Sammy~ Save Sammy

PRESS RELEASE
15 February 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dog of Police Shooting Victim Faces Death for a Second Time

On 6 January 2015 Autumn Steele of Burlington, Iowa was tragically shot and killed by Burlington Police Officer Jesse Hill. From initial accounts the family dog apparently startled Officer Hill, who fired his weapon twice, grazing the dog and hitting Autumn in the chest, resulting in her death. The investigation of this incident is complete and is currently sitting on the desk of Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers. Ms. Beavers is expected to make a final determination on the investigation's findings within three weeks.

On 15 January 2015 a complaint was filed with the Burlington Police Department alleging that the family dog, Sammy, is a concern to the safety of Burlington residents. This complaint centers on the perceived dog's actions during the time of the fatal shooting. An investigation of the complaint was conducted and referred to the Burlington, Iowa Animal Hearing Board for final adjudication. This public hearing is scheduled for 25 February 2015 at 6:30 PM, Burlington Iowa City Hall, 400 Washington St, Burlington, Iowa.

The Hearing Board will decide on two matters: Whether Sammy was provoked by the situation to defend his owners, and whether Sammy is determined to be a safety concern and should, therefore, be euthanized. If the board determines that Sammy is of a safety concern, and determines that Sammy should be euthanized, there is an alternative that needs to be considered.

Ms. Gina Waters-Colbert of Columbus, Georgia, and Autumn's mother, has agreed to accept ownership of Sammy. Ms. Waters-Colbert has five acres of open and penned property in Columbus, a number of animals, and a very animal friendly environment. She is a very successful businesswoman who has received recognition and awards for her community service and business acumen. Placing Sammy in Gina's ownership will commence the healing process for a family devastated by their loss and for a community ready to move forward. This alternative is a win-win solution for all parties concerned.

The below link to the petition site addresses Ms. Gina Waters-Colbert taking ownership of Sammy and moving Sammy to Columbus, Georgia if the Board determines that Sammy will be euthanized. Signatures collected on this petition will be sent to the Animal Hearing Board for their consideration.

https://www.change.org/p/vicky-atteberry-call-to-action-to-save-the-life-of-sammy-from-a-death-panel-in-iowa?recruiter=15624018&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-custom_msg&utm_content=ci_fb_share_title_text%3Acontrol

Additional details about the shooting to include video of local news eyewitness report can be found at the following websites below. Within these reports are links to other videos and news articles.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cop-kill-family-dog-kills-woman-instead-front-husband-4-year-old-son/#bx2j8XtjC43VIAvL.01
http://blog.puppycidedb.com/and-your-little-dog-too/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAtRxRo2oTU&app=desktop

http://tspr.org/post/dmc-attorney-decide-charges-fatal-shooting

Autumn Steele,her dog Sammy ~ Petition to Save Sammy from Death Sentence

To Everyone ~
Autumns husband Gabe and I have discussed Sammy over the last few weeks.
Gabe would Love to keep Sammy...if the powers that be permit this.
We have discussed maybe letting one of Gabes relatives keep Sammy ,who lives in Iowa.
We have discussed offering to completely remove Sammy from the State of Iowa and bring him here to Georgia.
All these things we want on the table along with this Petition for Sammy at the Feb.26th,2015 Hearing.

The issue at hand for now,is Save Sammy from being Put to Death.
Enough has Been taken!
Its what is RIGHT!
We are ever Grateful to all of you ,for All your support ,for all the Love and for the kindness.
Autumns Family,woof woof

Autumn Steele ~ Puppycide Database Project Blog -Feb.9,2015

Autumn Steele Shot and Killed Jan.6th,2015 by Burlington Iowa patrolman Jesse Hill. The Patrolm

an was trying to shoot her dog Sammy

and did,1Bullet grazed Sammy,other Bullet killed Autumn Mae Steele.

County Attorney Amy Beavers Blocks Attorney General Investigation of Autumn Mae Steel Shooting
09 FEBRUARY 2015 on Autumn Mae Steele, Jesse Hill, Burlington Police Department, Burlington Iowa, Amy Beavers, Adam Klein
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has completed their investigation of Burlington police officer Jesse Hill's killing of Autumn Mae Steele and shooting of the Steele family dog, Sammy. The investigation includes physical evidence such as body and dash camera footage from Jesse Hill, crime scene evidence and interviews with Hill, the Steele family and neighbors who witnessed the killing. Based on Iowa's legal procedure for these types of investigations, the local county prosecutor has the ability to either proceed with handling the case herself, or passing the case along to the Iowa Attorney General's Office.


County Attorney Amy Beavers

In this case, the county prosecutor is Amy Beavers. On Friday, Beavers announced to local Burlington media that she has decided to handle the investigation herself. Beavers also added a few additional details to her announcement. Here is how local radio news station KBUR described those details:

"Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers said this(Fri) morning that she has spoken to a lawyer for the family of Autumn Steele and Atty. Adam Klein did not express any concerns about Beavers’ office further investigating the January 6th fatal shooting of the 34-year old Burlington woman by city patrolman Jesse Hill."

Local newspaper The Hawk Eye offers the following:

"Beavers said before making her decision to resolve the issue herself, she spoke with Klein, who she described as an attorney for Steele’s family. Beavers said Klein indicated he had no concerns about her making the decision on whether Hill’s actions were within the law without input from the attorney general’s of!ce. 'I talked to him about noon (Friday) and asked him if he had any concerns about me handling the decision myself,' she said. 'He said he didn’t. The only concerns he had was about the dog’s situation and when the documents (DCIreport) would be released.'”

These details are important; the day before this press release, Amy Beavers had told reporters from The Hawk Eye that she would:

"[...] talk to the victim’s husband, Gabriel Steele, before making a decision herself as to whether the shooting was justified or not [...] or asking the state Attorney General’s office to review the case first."

So if Beavers had spoken to Klein, and Klein was in fact an attorney for "the Steele family", then Beavers would have lived up to her promise to discuss the matter with the Steele family before deciding how to proceed.

The problem is that Adam J Klein does not represent "the Steele family", and took immediate and public umbrage to being described as such.


Attorney Adam J. Klein

Klein represents Steele's seven-year-old son Kai Schoff, one of Steele's sons. There are two other attornies representing various interests: one for Autumn Steele's mother, and a third lawyer for husband Gabriel Steele. Here is how Klein describes it:

"I am not 'a lawyer for the family of Autumn Steele,' nor did I ever claim to be. I represent her son Kai. Autumn’s husband and their son and Autumn’s mother are represented by other lawyers. She knew that, and she knew who they were and how to reach them. Her statement to the press that she spoke to a 'lawyer for the family' is a naked attempt to hide the fact that she broke her promise to discuss the matter with Autumn’s family members before coming to a decision."

Perhaps Beaver's oversight here could be forgiven. However, Klein feels there is more at work here than simply a misrepresentation of whose lawyer is whose.

"I in no way intended to convey to Ms. Beavers that I, or Autumn’s family, approved of her blocking the Attorney General’s investigation and handling this matter herself. When I hung up the phone this morning, I hadn’t decided yet. I don’t know Ms. Beavers, and I felt that she deserved the chance to review the evidence, make up her own mind, and tell me what she thought before I came to any conclusions about her judgment or her competence and whether the Attorney General would do a better job of investigating this case than she would."

Klein goes on to detail how Beavers told him that she had yet to review the evidence in the case during their conversation; yet, an little over an hour after they spoke, Beavers was giving a press conference describing how she had decided to handle the case herself, and that Klein and the Steele family had OK'd her decision. Here is how Klein voices his concerns:

"It never once occurred to me that Ms. Beavers would make this decision without even pretending to look at the evidence or reach out to the family. [...] The unopened boxes on Amy Beavers’ desk are the result of an extensive investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. DCI interviewed Ofc. Hill, spoke to witnesses, and visited the scene. They conducted forensics, pored over dispatch logs, and reviewed the autopsy findings. They watched footage from dash cams and body cams and probably a lot of other things. I don’t know exactly what they found, because right now, the only person who gets to look at that report, and evaluate the actual evidence, is Amy Beavers. Hers is the first set of hands into which DCI put that report because she is supposed to use it to make a well-informed decision about who can best move this case forward.

Apparently, she just can’t be bothered.

We deserve better than justice in about an hour. My client is seven-year-old boy who doesn’t have a mother anymore. Gabe Steele and his four-yearold son Gunner watched their wife and mother bleed to death before their eyes. This is not an easy case. Autumn Steele, her family, and the people of Iowa deserve a fair and thorough investigation into Ofc. Hill’s actions. By making this decision without reviewing any evidence, without consulting the family, in the time it takes to get a pair of discount eyeglasses, Ms. Beavers has made it clear that she will not provide one."

Adam Klein's entire press release is available for download on our website.

If Amy Beavers is so busy that she cannot spare the time to communicate with the family of the victim of her highest profile case, it seems strange that she would not ask the Attorney General's office for a bit of assistance. Beavers' reply?

"“This is what I was elected to do. It’s is my statutory duty to make decisions like this. I do not think I need the attorney general’s assistance.”

The PDB Project
The first nationwide database tracking police shootings of animals.

Want to talk? Reach out using our Contact Page.
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https://puppycidedb.com

Autumn Steele ~Petition to "Save Sammy" ~ Based on witness reports, the current understanding is that the Steele family dog Sammy was approaching Jesse Hill, and that Hill was attempting to kill Sammy when he missed and hit Autumn, instead. There is no explanation as to why Hill felt the imminent need to use a firearm as the first and only means of controlling Sammy, particularly given the fact that a 4-year-old child was right next to Autumn during the shooting. It is by providence alone that the two bullets Hill fired struck Autumn and Sammy and not the infant child in the line of fire. Following the shooting, police took Sammy into custody and has refused to return the dog to the Steele family, compounding the tragedy for those who survive Autumn. This month, on February 25th at 6:30 p.m., a hearing is scheduled before the Burlington, IA Animal Hearing Board to determine Sammy's fate. The hearing will be held at: " Burlington Iowa City Hall 400 Washington St Burlington, IA 52601 I am hoping by getting enough signatures and by bringing awareness to this tragedy we can save a life! Lets work together and get the attention of the Burlington Iowa Animal Hearing Board and let them know we want them to release "Sammy" the dog and let him go home to his family in Georgia. The family has suffered enough tragedy please help us save Sammy!

https://www.change.org/p/vicky-atteberry-call-to-action-to-save-the-life-of-sammy-from-a-death-panel-in-iowa

Please,copy and paste link to go to Petition for "Sammy".  #ReleaseTheBodyCam #ReleaseSammy #Save Sammy

Immediate Release - Law Office of Adam J. Klein,We Deserve Better than Justice in About an Hour :

 Amy Beavers Ignores Evidence, Blocks AG from Investigating Police Shooting.

We Deserve Better than Justice In About An Hour:
County Attorney Amy Beavers Blocks Attorney General from
Investigating Fatal Police Shooting Before Reviewing the Evidence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2015

Burlington, IA – I am the attorney representing Kai Schoff, a seven-year-old boy whose mother, Autumn Steele, was fatally shot at the hands of Burlington PD Officer Jesse Hill on January 6, 2015.

This morning, I learned from an article in The Hawk Eye that Iowa DCI had released a draft of its investigation into Autumn’s shooting to Amy Beavers, the Des Moines County Attorney. This evidence was provided to Ms. Beavers to allow her to decide whether to investigate Ofc. Hill’s actions herself or refer the matter to the Iowa Attorney General.

In the article, Ms. Beavers said that some of the evidence from the DCI investigation, including the transcript of its interview with Ofc. Hill, had not yet arrived. She also said that she wanted to discuss the matter with Autumn’s family before she made her decision.

I emailed Ms. Beavers this morning to introduce myself and to find out how far along she was in making her decision.

I spoke with Ms. Beavers around 11:00 this morning (Iowa time). She told me that she had just received a draft, but not the final DCI report, and that she had not reviewed it in detail. Neither had she reviewed any other of the evidence which had been submitted to her office; it had been sealed until the DCI report was released so that it could all be evaluated together.

Ms. Beavers said that she was leaning toward dealing with the case herself rather than involving the Attorney General, but had not yet decided what to do. She did not ask my opinion as to whether she should block the Attorney General’s investigation, and I did not offer it.

Ms. Beavers had also not yet spoken with Autumn’s family, as she promised in this morning’s paper to do. As I made clear to Ms. Beavers, I represent Autumn’s seven-year-old son Kai, but he was not the only victim Ofc. Hill left behind. Ms. Beavers had said that she planned on speaking with Autumn’s husband, Gabe Steele (father to their four-year-old son Gunner) and I gave her the contact information for the attorney representing Autumn’s mother, Gina Waters-Colbert.

Since Ms. Beavers had not yet had the chance to review the evidence, there was not much left to discuss; I briefly asked about a few collateral matters (such as the availability of evidence and an upcoming hearing involving the Steele’s dog) and ended the conversation.

What a prosecutor is supposed to do next is to carefully review all the evidence, speak with the victim’s family, and come to a decision about whether she or the Attorney General is better suited to further investigate this case. These are among the hardest decisions a prosecutor faces; she must carefully examine all the evidence, look within herself, and decide whether a fresh perspective might better serve the interests of justice.

In Ms. Beavers’ case, this arduous process took about an hour.

By 1:30, Ms. Beavers’ office announced to KBUR  that it had decided not to refer the case to the Iowa Attorney General and that she would handle the matter herself. Ms. Beavers also said that “she has spoken to a lawyer for the family of Autumn Steele…and Atty. Adam Klein did not express any concerns about Beavers’ office further investigating the January 6th fatal shooting of the 34-year old Burlington woman by city patrolman Jesse Hill.”

Ms. Beaver serially misrepresented our conversation.

First, I am not “a lawyer for the family of Autumn Steele,” nor did I ever claim to be. I represent her son Kai. Autumn’s husband and their son and Autumn’s mother are represented by other lawyers. She knew that, and she knew who they were and how to reach them. Her statement to the press that she spoke to a “lawyer for the family” is a naked attempt to hide the fact that she broke her promise to discuss the matter with Autumn’s family members before coming to a decision.

Second, I in no way intended to convey to Ms. Beavers that I, or Autumn’s family, approved of her blocking the Attorney General’s investigation and handling this matter herself. When I hung up the phone this morning, I hadn’t decided yet. I don’t know Ms. Beavers, and I felt that she deserved the chance to review the evidence, make up her own mind, and tell me what she thought before I came to any conclusions about her judgment or her competence and whether the Attorney General would do a better job of investigating this case than she would.

It never once occurred to me that Ms. Beavers would make this decision without even pretending to look at the evidence or reach out to the family.

Now I’ve decided. And yes, I have concerns.

The unopened boxes on Amy Beavers’ desk are the result of an extensive investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. DCI interviewed Ofc. Hill, spoke to witnesses, and visited the scene. They conducted forensics, pored over dispatch logs, and reviewed the autopsy findings. They watched footage from dash cams and body cams and probably a lot of other things. I don’t know exactly what they found, because right now, the only person who gets to look at that report, and evaluate the actual evidence, is Amy Beavers. Hers is the first set of hands into which DCI put that report because she is supposed to use it to make a well-informed decision about who can best move this case forward. Apparently, she just can’t be bothered.

We deserve better than justice in about an hour.

My client is seven-year-old boy who doesn’t have a mother anymore. Gabe Steele and his four-year-old son Gunner watched their wife and mother bleed to death before their eyes. This is not an easy case. Autumn Steele, her family, and the people of Iowa deserve a fair and thorough investigation into Ofc. Hill’s actions. By making this decision without reviewing any evidence, without consulting the family, in the time it takes to get a pair of discount eyeglasses, Ms. Beavers has made it clear that she will not provide one.

This morning I was willing to reserve judgment as to whether Ms. Beavers had the judgment, competence, and integrity to fairly and thoroughly investigate Ofc. Hill’s actions. Now I am certain that she does not.

Adam Klein
Attorney at Law
Law Offices of Adam J. Klein, LLC

###
Full text available at: https://db.tt/TCkoyvlU

Contact:
Adam Klein
6 Concourse Parkway, Suite 2920
Atlanta, GA 30360
aklein@adamkleinlaw.com
(404) 429-7981  CELL
(770) 408-1258  OFFICE
(404) 475-3091  FAX

http://youtu.be/YAtRxRo2oTU The neighbor Ed Ranck who was an eyewitness the day Autumn Steele was shot and killed,described Autumns dog "Sammy" as "Playful"

Feb.6th article in newspaper today~ The word "Playful" is nowhere in article or in press release! See video link posted and the word Playful said by Eyewitness.  "Police shooting investigation now in hands of county attorney Beavers wants to meet with slain woman's husband. By ANDY HOFFMAN ahoffman@thehawkeye.com A report on the investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation into a fatal police shooting in Burlington last month now is in the hands of the Des Moines County Attorney's Office. County Attorney Amy Beavers said Thursday she has received a "draft DCI case report but it is still awaiting a transcript of Officer (Jesse) Hill's interview" regarding the fatal shooting Jan. 6 of Autumn Steele. Steele, 34, was shot by Burlington Police Officer Hill outside her residence at 104 S. Garfield Ave. during a confrontation with her husband, Gabriel Steele, 35. Beavers said she asked DCI agents to contact Steele because "I would like to introduce myself to him and explain to him where we are in the investigation." She said she doesn't know when, or if, a meeting with Steele might occur. Beavers also said she cannot say when a final decision will be made on whether the shooting of Steele was justified or violated Iowa law or police department protocol. Beavers has two options concerning the DCI investigation. She either can make the decision herself or she can ask the Iowa Attorney General's office to review the DCI report before making her final decision. "I haven't decided whether I am going to ask the attorney general office's to review the DCI report," she said. "If I make the decision myself, it will probably be done in the next 30 days. If I ask the attorney general's office (to review the case), I don't know when the final decision will be made." Beavers also said she does not know if evidence in the case, including video and audio from body or dashboard cameras, will be released to the public. "At the end of the investigation, all evidence will become property of the Burlington Police Department," she said. "It will be up to them to decide what they will release." Steele died from a gunshot wound to the chest during a domestic disturbance with her husband in the mid¬morning hours of Jan. 6 on the sidewalk outside the couple's residence. The 31¬year¬old Hill, who has been on the police department since August 2013, has remained on paid administrative leave since the incident. A witness to the shooting said it appeared Hill was trying to thwart an attack by Steele's dog, a German shepherd mix, during the altercation between Steele and her husband. Ed Ranck, who lives across the street from the Steele residence and saw the shooting, said, "There is no belief in my mind the officer was shooting at the woman. "It appeared he was shooting at the dog when (the officer) fell to the ground," Ranck said. "It's my belief the woman was shot accidentally. The dog startled the officer. The officer began shooting at the dog. The officer was still shooting when he fell down in the snow." Steele was pronounced dead at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. She was shot in the chest in front of the couple's 4¬year¬old son after officers were sent to the area to investigate a domestic dispute. Hill suffered dog bites in the incident and was taken to GRMC for treatment of minor wounds and laterreleased. The dog has been impounded at the Des Moines County Humane Society since the day of the shooting. A hearing has been set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 before Burlington's animal hearing board to determine if Sammy, the German shepherd mix, is vicious and should be euthanized. Maj. Dennis Kramer, who oversees the animal control office for the Burlington Police Department, said Gabriel Steele has been notified of the Feb. 25 hearing. "We are following city ordinance concerning dog bites," he said recently. "The dog attacked a person (Hill), off its property, on the sidewalk. Therefore, our animal control officer (Tim Ourth) was notified." Kramer said due to information Ourth gathered, the hearing will be necessary. "There is a (history by the dog) of aggression toward postal carriers and other (police) officers," he said. A spokesman in the clerk's office at Burlington City Hall, said Thursday there is no record the Steeles purchased a dog license as required by city ordinance."

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"Sammy" News shared ~ The puppycidedb project article

"And Your Little Dog, Too"
05 FEBRUARY 2015 on Puppycide, Autumn Mae Steele, Jesse Hill, Burlington Police Department, Burlington Iowa, Burlington Animal Control Office, Burlington Animal Hearing Board
The Burlington IA Police Department already killed Autumn Steele in front of her husband and 4-year-old son. Why are they trying to kill her grieving family's dog Sammy?
In a previous post, we shared the awful story of how Burlington Iowa Police Department officer Jesse Hill shot and killed Autumn Mae Steele. Details remain of the incident scarce because the agency in charge of the investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety, and more specifically Special Agent Rick Rahn, have refused to share the copious physical evidence available surrounding the shooting. Jesse Hill was wearing a body camera, and his police cruiser's dash camera was also operational. Not only have police refused to hand over those video tapes to the media, they have yet to even mention the footage in public.

Based on witness reports, the current understanding is that the Steele family dog Sammy was approaching Jesse Hill, and that Hill was attempting to kill Sammy when he missed and hit Autumn, instead. There is no explanation as to why Hill felt the imminent need to use a firearm as the first and only means of controlling Sammy, particularly given the fact that a 4-year-old child was right next to Autumn during the shooting. It is by providence alone that the two bullets Hill fired struck Autumn and Sammy and not the infant child in the line of fire.

Following the shooting, police took Sammy into custody and has refused to return the dog to the Steele family, compounding the tragedy for those who survive Autumn. This month, on February 25th at 6:30 p.m., a hearing is scheduled before the Burlington, IA Animal Hearing Board to determine Sammy's fate. The hearing will be held at:

Burlington Iowa City Hall
400 Washington St
Burlington, IA 52601

The current membership of the Burlington Animal Hearing Board is as follows:

Vicki Atteberry - (319) 754-1956
Mark Cameron - [contact info unavailable]
Amiee Egan - Burlington Auditorium & Port Booking Coordinator
Heath Hillyard - (319) 7528355

The Animal Control Office is overseen by Burlington PD Major Dennis Kramer. He can be reached at 319-753-8355 or via email kramerd@burlingtoniowa.org.

Readers can find the Burlington Animal Control Center on Facebook.

As the Animal Control Office is overseen by the Burlington Police Department, this hearing is being performed entirely at their behest. The hearing will determine whether Sammy meets the criteria as a "dangerous dog", the consequences of which could include euthanizing Sammy. Why would the Burlington Police seek to compound their purposeless killing of Autumn Steele by killing the family dog as well? Why are investigators with-holding the videotape of Jesse Hill's shooting of Autumn Mae Steele and Sammy?

*Note: what is known,"Sammy" was shot and survived. The paper served to family on Jan.15th,2015 stated that "Sammy" would be held at "Burlington Humane Society Animal Shelter". I think he is being held at," Des Moines County Humane Society" ... are shelters one in the same? My Grandson who witnessed his Mother being killed is 3 years old. * Looked up in pdf document for board members of "Burlington animal control hearing board members" ,members,of,board stated in article by puppycidedb are those members. Gina