David Goss being sued by deputy who shot him

By Michael Roberts Mon., Jul. 30 2012 at 6:26 AM

David Goss.

David Goss is a sod farmer who a judge recently described as a "pillar of his community." Unfortunately for Goss, this compliment was delivered in the context of said judge sentencing him to four years behind bars for a confrontation with an El Paso County deputy. And now that same deputy, Jeffrey Schulz, is suing for injuries he received in the incident, even though the person who ended up with a bullet in him was Goss.

According to KKTV, Schulz responded to a call at Goss's home on June 16, 2011 after a report about a woman on his property. But when Schulz tried to quiz Goss about the situation, he allegedly became argumentative.

Before long, Schulz maintains, the confrontation escalated from verbal to physical -- so much so that after returning to his vehicle, the deputy shot Goss with a stun gun.

Apparently, Goss wasn't stunned enough: He is said to have physically removed the Taser's barbs, in addition to grabbing Schulz's radio and using it to bring him to the ground. Then, Goss was accused of going after the officer's gun. During the subsequent struggle, the pistol fired several times, with one shot striking Goss in the abdomen. He recovered.

Schulz was cleared in the shooting, while Goss was put on trial and eventually convicted of second-degree assault on a peace officer, disarming a peace officer and several other charges.

At the sentencing in May, Schulz talked about how he'd suffered as a result of the dust-up. The Gazette notes that he was tearful when he described nerve damage that would never heal, and which prevented him from jogging, riding horses or lifting his son. And that's not to mention the emotional distress. The paper quotes him as telling Goss, "You caused me more pain than you can imagine. I have no pity for what will happen to you. I can't forgive you even though I know that I should."

Despite this impassioned speech, the aforementioned judge gave Goss the minimum jolt he could -- four years, as opposed to a possible twelve.

Did this sentence inspire the suit? Hard to say. But Schulz is pursuing it even though the onetime community pillar at the other end of it is currently in jail.

Tags:

assault on a peace officer, David Goss, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Jeffrey Schulz, lawsuit

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observantreader

1 Like

Perhaps the real problem here is that the Deputy recieves some of the worst short-term disability coverage possible, and zero coverage for long term disability. Apparently whoever has the control decided that being a Sheriff's Deputy isn't a hazardous job and should not have adequate medical coverage as one of the benefits these men and women recieve in return for their service to the county.

So instead of suing the county for putting him in a hazardous job and then not offering medical coverage when he encounters one of the hazards- he decides to sue this guy.

I have admiration for people who knowingly put themselves in harm's way. But should I cry a river for a man who knowingly took a hazardous job, knowing that his medical coverage for said job would be minimal at best? Nope. This guy could bring the lack of medical coverage for cops to the media's attention, but instead he's just a petulant whiner.

michael.roberts moderator editortopcommenter

@observantreader Very interesting viewpoint, Observant. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

DonkeyHotay topcommenter

"disarming a peace officer" ... the metaphorical castration.

RobertChase topcommenter

1 Like

End the special status of police before the Law now -- officers are not supercitizens; they deserve the same protections under Law as every other person!

P.S. Michael, what is entirely missing from this article is the perspective of David Goss; you do not quote from testimony for the defense nor have you interviewed him.

DonkeyHotay topcommenter

3 Like

@RobertChase

Cops must be held to a HIGHER STANDARD to justify all their special privileges and status -- therefore Criminal Cops must be given TWICE the prison sentence that an ordinary citizen would receive for the same crime.

RobertChase topcommenter

@DonkeyHotay Not at all an unreasonable position, but in light of society's progressive cession of ever more authority and discretion to police and granting of special protections to them, as well as the difficulty of recruiting people of moderate intelligence without brutal control fantasies to be police, not exactly a realistic one.

RobertChase topcommenter

@DonkeyHotay Changing the political reality in which we live requires far more effort than fulminating online, which is all you seem to do. I cannot claim to have changed any law, but I am out there in public militating for progress.