BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- If Officer Michael Partin had successfully jumped a 41-inch gap in the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge last Jan. 4, two of his fellow officers would have followed him in making the jump, they testified Thursday. But Officer Partin missed.
Instead of leaping from the bridge's concrete barrier to a sidewalk where an officer was struggling with a suspect, Officer Partin fell 94 feet into the Ohio River. His body was recovered May 18.
That suspect, Shawnta Robertson, now faces trial on a second-degree manslaughter charge in Kenton Circuit Court.
Kenton Commonwealth Attorney Don Buring contends that Mr. Robertson's conduct led to Officer Partin's death.
But Ken Lawson, Mr. Robertson's lawyer, says it was a mistake by Officer Partin, not his client's actions, that cost the officer his life.
Covington Police Officer Steve Sweeney testified Thursday that he last saw Officer Partin about 2:30 a.m. Jan. 4, as the 15-month Covington police officer "tried to go over the wall."
Officer Sweeney, who had himself "crossed the gap" between the bridge's roadway and its sidewalk seven years before, said he ran toward the side of the bridge, expecting to see Officer Partin on the sidewalk.
But when he looked over the wall, Officer Partin wasn't there. "I was right behind him," Officer Sweeney told the jury. "I was ready to go over, too."
The incident began when Kenton County Police Officer Brian Kane stopped Mr. Robertson's white Volvo at Fourth and Johnson streets on suspicion of drunken driving.
Mr. Robertson, 21, got out of the car, threw some marijuana to the ground and ran toward the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, with Officer Kane in pursuit, police said.
Officer Partin, who was working a traffic detail near Fifth and Main streets, and fellow Officers Sweeney and Cody Stanley -- both working a special detail in Covington's MainStrasse area -- each sped toward the bridge after learning of the pursuit.
Officer Stanley told the jury that he saw an officer later identified as Officer Partin get out of his car, walk to the back of his cruiser, then "head to the concrete barrier on the bridge and jump over (it)."
"I ran over to the wall and didn't see him," Officer Stanley said. "I'm yelling at Officer Sweeney to notify dispatch there's an officer in the water," he said.
Had he been the first officer on the scene, Officer Stanley testified he also "would have gone over" to the sidewalk to render assistance to Officer Kane.
Both officers testified under cross-examination that they didn't see anyone near Officer Partin, or witness the struggle between Officer Kane and Mr. Robertson, before Officer Partin leapt over the side of the bridge.
Sgt. Mike Jones, who was Officer Partin's supervisor the morning of Jan. 4, testified that the Covington Police Department has no formal policies regarding foot pursuits, or responses on the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge.
However, he said when an officer is pursuing someone on foot, other officers join in the chase in an attempt to quickly subdue the suspect before someone gets hurt.
In Mr. Robertson's taped statement to police, made 1 1/2 hours after Officer Partin fell, the defendant said that he had not seen Officer Partin on the bridge.
However, he was aware from police radio traffic that an officer had fallen into the water, and he repeatedly asked whether the officer was OK.
Under cross-examination, Detective Jim Coots said his written report listed Mr. Robertson as a witness, or someone who has knowledge of a case, rather than a suspect, because Mr. Robertson had not yet been charged with a crime.
PARTIN PAGE
