They Hire Monsters, they don’t just train them to Kill Jonathan Roselle Murdered Joseph Santos
South Whitehall Township police officer charged with voluntary manslaughter in the July 28 shooting death knew immediately afterward that his actions would come under scrutiny, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.
Jonathan Roselle, 33, had been with the force since December and only on patrol by himself for five months.
Roselle told another officer at the scene that he thought he “f—ed up,” according to court records. Roselle added he “didn’t know what to do,” and said he should have just stayed in his police vehicle, according to the records.
Martin confirmed that Joseph Santos, 44, of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., was not armed when Roselle fired five shots at him. He said Santos’ last words were to the officer aiming the gun at him: “Don’t do it.”
n his final moments, Joseph Santos asked for help even as he frightened a motorist by jumping on her moving car on Hamilton Boulevard. That offense brought him face to face with a rookie South Whitehall Township police officer, whose order to “get on the ground” he ignored.
Walking toward Officer Jonathan Roselle, Santos, who clearly had no weapon, uttered his last words. “Don’t do it,” he pleaded, as Roselle unloaded five shots.
Seven months after joining the police department, Roselle, a 33-year-old Army veteran of Afghanistan, was charged Tuesday with voluntary manslaughter and surrendered to authorities.
At a news conference Tuesday, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin called Santos’ July 28 death unjustified, based on the findings of a state police investigation.
“This was an act of a relatively inexperienced officer who held a subjective fear for his own safety, but he made a decision which objectively was unreasonable in light of the facts,” Martin said.
Roselle, who was hired in December and had been on patrol by himself for only five months, questioned his own actions immediately, according to court documents.
He told an officer and then a supervisor who arrived on the scene that he thought he “f—ed up,” the documents note.
Martin confirmed that Santos, 44, of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., was not armed.
He said police interviewed 11 witnesses, finding that Santos was jumping and pounding on cars and asking some motorists for help. Not everything Santos was saying was captured on the officer’s bodycam or car dashcam, Martin said, but he was heard pleading to Roselle, “Don’t do it,” before being shot.
Weeping as they stood outside the courthouse listening to Martin’s press conference, Santos’ family vowed to see that Roselle is convicted and stripped of his badge. The NAACP also called upon South Whitehall Township to fire him.
Calling Roselle “trigger happy,” Arlene Figueroa, the mother of one of Santos’ children, asked why he was allowed to work without a partner, given that he was too inexperienced to handle stressful situations.
NEWS STORIES
South Whitehall rookie officer charged with manslaughter in unjustified shooting of unarmed Latino man, DA rules
South Whitehall officer charged in shooting said he thought he ‘f—ed up’, ‘didn’t know what to do’, court docs say
Police officer charged after shooting man near Dorney Park
VIDEOS
Justice for Joey’: Family, supporters react to arrest of alleged killer cop
Officials hold news conference on police shooting of Joseph Santos
Family of Dorney Park shooting victim responds
Prior to South Whitehall shooting
Prior to South Whitehall shooting
Prior to South Whitehall shooting
