DRUMMONDS – Richard Lawrence “Ricky” Rose, 22, deputy sheriff, died Tuesday at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis of a gunshot wound. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. today at Munford Funeral Home with burial in Helen Crigger Cemetery. Rose leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Rose Jr. of Drummonds; a brother, Michael Rose of Memphis and his grandmother, Mrs. Willie Mae Brashier of Millington.
[The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 1 Dec 1988; Pg 72]
Deputy Fatally Shoots Self
Office death called ‘bizarre’ accident
By Jerry Markon
Dyersburg, Tenn., Bureau
COVINGTON, Tenn. – A 22-year-old Tipton County sheriff’s deputy died Tuesday after shooting himself in the head while cleaning his revolver in what lawmen are calling “a terrible, bizarre accident.”
Ricky Rose, a narcotics officer who lived in Drummonds, died at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis at 10:20 a.m. of a single gunshot wound. He had worked at the department for just more than a year.
Tipton County Sheriff Wayne Baskins said Rose accidentally shot himself in the head in his office at the Criminal Justice Center Monday night. He refused to comment further.
Paul G. Summers, district attorney general for Tipton County, said the deputy was talking on the telephone when he shot himself with 230-caliber automatic pistol at 6 p.m. Monday.
Summers did not know if the gun was Rose’s service revolver, or why the shooting occurred. There were no eyewitnesses, but other officers rushed into Rose’s office immediately after the shooting, he said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is probing the shooting, said Summers.
“Mr. Rose was in good spirits. There is no reason to believe it was anything but a terrible, bizarre accident,” Summers said.
Lawrence Rose, the deputy’s father, said authorities told him his son was cleaning his gun when he shot himself. According to the elder Rose, the entire family has a history of working in law enforcement.
Ricky Rose had worked off and on for three years as a part-time police officer in Munford and Brighton before joining the sheriff’s department, his father said. Ricky Rose’s 29-year-old brother Michael Rose, has worked as a Munford police officer, and is currently a reserve officer with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Lawrence Rose added.
Lawrence Rose, who has also worked part-time for the Munford Police Department, said his late son loved his job as a narcotics officer. “That was his life. He hated narcotics with a passion,” he said.
“Ricky was a very, very pleasant person,” Lawrence Rose added. “He wanted to be the best at anything he did.”
Munford Police Capt. Robert Pickard, a family friend, said he has known Ricky Rose since he was a small boy. “I watched him grow up. He was a real fine young man.”
Pickard said Ricky Rose was a part-time Munford patrolman for several months in 1986, while brother Michael Rose worked part-time for three to four years, leaving the Munford department in 1987. “The whole family liked law enforcement work,” Pickard said.
[Deputy Fatally Shoots Self; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 30 Nov 1988; Pg 7]
Corrections & Amplifications
The gun with which Tipton County, Tenn., deputy sheriff Ricky Rose accidentally shot and killed himself was a 380-caliber automatic handgun. An incorrect caliber was reported in a story Wednesday.
[Corrections & Amplifications; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 2 Dec 1988; Pg 2[
Deputy tied to slaying of partner
By Jery Markon
Dyersburg, Tenn., Bureau
COVINGTON, Tenn. – A Tipton County sheriff’s deputy, who mourned the shooting death last month of a partner he described as “like my brother,” was arrested Monday and charged in the shooting.
Authorities originally thought Deputy Ricky Rose accidentally shot himself.
But Jimmy Hicks, a narcotics investigator for the department, was charged Monday with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Rose, Dist. Atty. Gen. Paul G. Summers said. Hicks, who was arraigned in Tipton County General Sessions Court and released on his own recognizance, will face a preliminary hearing Jan. 26.
Authorities charge Hicks fatally shot Rose, his partner, on Nov. 28 in an office the two shared in the Criminal Justice Complex. Rose died the next day at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis of a gunshot wound to the head.
Authorities had said after a preliminary investigation that they believed Rose accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun. Summers, who coordinated an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, would not explain what made authorities change their minds.
Summers said authorities charged Hicks with involuntary manslaughter because the shooting appeared to be accidental. “We have no proof it was a deliberate, intentional killing,” he said. Involuntary manslaughter is defined as the accidental killing of someone in a manner that exhibits “gross negligence,” Summers added.
TBI officials, who arrested Hicks Monday at the Criminal Justice Complex, could not be reached for comment. Tipton County Sheriff Wayne Baskin did not return repeated phone calls.
Hicks also could not be reached Monday. In an interview after the shooting, however, he said Rose was “like my brother. We hunted together, we fished together. There wasn’t a day in the last year and a half we weren’t together.”
“This is the most terrible think that’s ever happened to me,” Hicks said. He said Rose accidentally shot himself while Hicks was walking out of the office.
“I started to walk out the door. I saw him reach for the gun to pick it up,” Hicks said. “I didn’t see the gun go off, but I heard it.”
He said Rose was attempting to clean the 380-caliber pistol when the shooting occurred.
Rose’s father, Lawrence Rose, confirmed Monday that the two officers were good friends. “They were as close as two brothers. Jimmy Hicks is just like a boy of my own.” said Rose.
Rose had worked for the sheriff’s department for just more than a year. hicks had worked as a full-time narcotics investigator for about a year, said Jimmy Anderson, an investigator with the sheriff’s department. It could not be determined Monday whether Hicks would remain on duty after being charged in the shooting.
[Deputy tied to slaying of partner; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 20 Dec 1988; Pg 15]
Tipton deputy charged in shooting of partner
by Jerry Markon
Dyersburg, Tenn., Bureau
COVINGTON, Tenn. – A Tipton County sheriff’s deputy, who mourned the shooting death last month of a partner he described as “like my brother,” was arrested Monday and charged in the shooting.
Authorities originally thought Deputy Ricky Rose accidentally shot himself.
But Jimmy Hicks, a narcotics investigator for the department, was charged Monday with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Rose, Dist. Atty. Gen. Paul G. Summers said. Hicks, who was arraigned in Tipton County General Sessions Court and released on his own recognizance, will face a preliminary hearing Jan. 26.
Authorities charge Hicks fatally shot Rose, his partner, Nov. 28 in an office the two shared in the Criminal Justice Complex. Rose died the next day at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis of a gunshot wound to the head.
Summers said authorities charged Hicks with involuntary manslaughter because the shooting appeared to be accidental. Involuntary manslaughter is defined as the accidental killing of someone in a manner that exhibits “gross negligence,” Summers added.
TBI officials, who arrested Hicks Monday at the Criminal Justice Complex, could not be reached for comment. Tipton County Sheriff Wayne Baskin did not return repeated phone calls.
[Tipton deputy charge in shooting of partner; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 20 Dec 1988; Pg 18]
Officer is suspended following his arrest
Dyersburg, Tenn., Bureau
COVINGTON, Tenn. – A Tipton County sheriff’s officer charged with fatally shooting his partner has been suspended form duty, Tipton County Sheriff Wayne Baskin said Tuesday.
Jimmy Hicks, a narcotic investigator, was suspended with pay pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 26, Baskin said. Hicks was charge Monday with involuntary manslaughter by use of a firearm in the shooting of Deputy Ricky Rose.
Rose was shot once in the head on Nov. 28 in an office he shared with Hicks in the Criminal Justice Complex. He died the next day at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Authorities initially believed Rose accidentally shot himself, but reversed their opinion after an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. hicks, who las month said Rose shot himself, has been unavailable for comment this week. The two had been described as good friends by Hicks and members of Rose’s family.
Baskin would not comment on the new charges against Hicks.
[Officer is suspended following his arrest; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 21 Dec 1988; Pg 16]
Officer suspended
COVINGTON, Tenn. – A Tipton County sheriff’s officer charged with fatally shooting his partner has been suspended from duty, Tipton County Sheriff Wayne Baskin said Tuesday.
Jimmy Hicks, a narcotics investigator, was suspended with pay pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 26, Baskin said. Hicks was charged with involuntary manslaughter by use of a firearm in the shooting of Deputy Ricky Rose.
Rose was shot once in the head Nov. 28 in an office he shared with Hicks in the Criminal Justice Complex. He died the next day at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Authorities initially believed Rose accidentally shot himself, but reversed their opinion after an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Hicks, who last month said Rose shot himself, has been unavailable for comment this week. The two had been described as good friends by Hicks and members of Rose’s family.
[Officer suspended; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 21 Dec 1988; Pg 22]
Year of 1989
Prosecution of deputy passes outside county
By Jerry Markon
Dyersburg, Tenn., Bureau
COVINGTON, Tenn. – The local district attorney general has disqualified his office from prosecuting a Tipton County sheriff’s deputy accused of accidentally shooting to death his partner.
Paul G. Summers, district attorney general for Tipton County, said his close working relationship on previous cases with Tipton County sheriff’s deputy Jimmy Hicks would create “an appearance of impropriety” if he prosecuted Hicks. The case will instead be prosecuted by Jerry Woodall, district attorney general for Madison, Henderson and Chester counties.
Hicks is charge with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his partner. Tipton County sheriff’s deputy Ricky Rose. Rose, a narcotics investigator, was shot in the head on Nov. 28 in an office he shared with Hicks in the Criminal Justice Complex. He died the next day at Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Hicks, who was released on his own recognizance after being arraigned on Dec. 19, faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 26 in Tipton County General Sessions Court. Investigators originally believed Rose accidentally shot himself, but have not said what made them change their minds and charge Hicks.
Involuntary manslaughter is defined as the accidental killing of someone in a manner that exhibits “gross negligence.” The penalty ranges from one to five years in prison.
It is common for Tennessee district attorney to disqualify themselves from cases where they perceive a conflict of interest, said George Bonds, executive secretary to the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. The state agency oversees the budget and administration of local district attorney offices statewide.
Bonds said about four criminal cases every month involve district attorneys disqualifying themselves. In many cases, he said, a relative or friend of the prosecutor is involved.
Although no state law required Summers to disqualify himself from the Hicks case, Bonds said Summers “showed good judgment” in doing so.
Paul Dew, an assistant to Summers who works in Tipton County, said he often worked with Hicks and Rose.
“Even though we think we could have done the prosecution, you have to avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” Dew said.
[Prosecution of deputy passes outside county; The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn; 12 Jan 1989; Pg 69]