WFCN –
In February, the trial will commence for the four Miami-Dade police officers accused in connection with a shootout that resulted in the tragic deaths of a carjacked UPS truck driver and an innocent bystander caught in traffic.
In June, Jose Mateo, aged 32, Rodolfo Mirabal, aged 39, Richard Santiesteban, aged 33, and Leslie Lee, aged 57, were formally accused of manslaughter. Each of the four officers submitted a written plea of not guilty and opted out of attending the court session.
During a Monday morning court hearing, Judge Ernest Kollra from Broward Circuit Court scheduled a trial for February 17th. In the audience were members of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association and a police officer from Miami-Dade.
Chuck Morton, the prosecutor, announced his intention to provide defense lawyers with a vast amount of evidence in the case, totaling a terabyte and approximately 6,000 pages. He also mentioned his belief that the trial would span three to four weeks, provided that all four men are tried simultaneously.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Broward State Attorney’s Office kept silent for many years regarding the case. In 2021, the FDLE concluded its inquiry and handed over the results to the prosecutors.
Discover more: Which Miami-Dade officers have been charged in the exchange of gunfire that resulted in the death of a UPS driver?
According to the personnel files, only Mateo and Mirabal are still part of the team.
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During the shootout, Mateo and Mirabal were members of the Priority Response Team, established to address urgent incidents throughout the county following the tragic 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
According to records, Lee, who reportedly served on the Special Response Team similar to SWAT, retired at the conclusion of 2021.
In June, before the charges were brought, Santiesteban, the fourth officer, was dismissed from his position. He belonged to the Robbery Intervention Detail Unit, a team dedicated to covert operations aimed at apprehending individuals believed to be involved in criminal activities.
The reasons behind Santiesteban’s dismissal remain unclear, but according to Miami-Dade civil court documents, his former spouse alleged he had committed acts of domestic violence.
The upcoming court session for the case has been scheduled for November 6th.
On December 5, 2019, a fierce shootout took place at a busy intersection on Miramar Parkway and Flamingo Road, involving over a dozen law enforcement officers from at least three different agencies. The intense confrontation was broadcast live by television news helicopters.
In the morning, a pair of individuals successfully executed a robbery at a jewelry store in Coral Gables and seized control of a UPS delivery vehicle. The series of incidents sparked a fast-paced pursuit on the highway, culminating in a shootout that resulted in the deaths of two innocent individuals along with the robbery suspects Lamar Alexander and Ronnie Jerome Hill.
Rick Cutshaw, a 70-year-old individual, lost his life during the confrontation between law enforcement officers and criminals in the traffic of Miramar on Thursday. He hailed from Pembroke Pines and served as a delegate for the union.
Frank Ordoñez, a UPS driver and father of two young children, aged 27, and Rick Cutshaw, a 70-year-old local union worker, tragically lost their lives due to a barrage of bullets.
Discover further details: Miami-Dade law enforcement officials face charges following a gun battle that resulted in the deaths of a UPS driver and a bystander in Broward County.
Steadman Stahl, the leader of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, highlighted Broward’s decision to prosecute an officer for not intervening during the tragic 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. He mentioned that now they are “pursuing officers for their involvement.”
Expressing deep sorrow, he mentioned that the officers were in a state of despair and promised to stand by them during the extensive procedure.
Stahl expressed empathy for the sorrow and distress experienced by the families, yet he believes their anger is misdirected, as he shared with the press. The focus of their anger should be directed towards the villains who have taken their loved ones.
That person is the reason we have reached this point. The abductors have brought us to this place, currently standing in the courtroom, seeking to accuse someone for a situation that the officers could not influence.
Joe Merino, Ordoñez’s stepfather, expressed to the Miami Herald that his family’s sole desire is for someone to be held responsible for his passing.