Seeking Justice for Jason: Officer Involved Shooting Case in D.A.‘s Hands
08/27/10 - 07:45 PM
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The case involving the fatal shooting of a man by a Colorado State Patrol trooper has been turned over to the Mesa County District Attorney’s Office. Mesa County Sheriff officials tell News Channel 5 that reports were given to Pete Hautzinger’s office on Wednesday.

Hautzinger tells us he “does not anticipate having a decision for quite some time. The report is more than 500 pages.”

31-year-old Jason Alan Kemp was shot and killed July 20th at 103 Glade Park Road in Grand Junction. Troopers said it started off as a routine call for a car accident, and then a trooper fired his gun and killed Kemp.

Now for the first time since his death, Jason Kemp’s fiance, Rhonda Hartman, is talking about her loss and Jason’s untimely death. She’s one of the people closest to Jason that says they’re glad the process and investigation is a step further. “I just want justice to be served. I know he can’t come back, but I want the officer to get what he deserves,” said Hartman.

Hartman’s life is forever changed by the shooting. “I don’t believe it was an accident. He was murdered in my home,” she said.

She says every day is painful, even moving her engagement ring because time isn’t healing. “I’m not seeing that right now. It’s too fresh. I don’t think it’s really sunken in,” Hartman explained.

Her daughter still asks to talk to Jason. “She was saying today she got my phone and said I wanna call Jason Daddy and my sister had to take the phone away and she can’t call him,” she said, tears starting to come down her face.

Also affected forever: Ian Olson, who was in the house when his friend was shot. “It replays constantly. It’s terrible,” Olson says more than a month after witnessing the shooting.

Olson says he speaks with Jason’s family about searching for answers and information. “We’re both in the same boat, nobody knows anything,” explained Olson.

He says he was questioned once by investigators the night of Jason’s death. “I just don’t understand it, I don’t know why they wouldn’t want to know the facts that were going on,” he wondered.

Authorities say they are doing a thorough investigation. “We realize there is a family that’s a victim, and that’s important to us, and we make sure we do a thorough job,” said Heather Benjamin with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.

Rhonda’s family wants to make sure that the trooper involved doesn’t get any special treatment. “I think he deserves what every other murderer deserves, which would be jail time,” said Arlene Morton, Rhonda’s mom.

Whether the trooper gets jail time clearly depends on if he is even tried. Those closest to Jason say there’s at least one thing that should come out of this incident. “He shouldn’t be on the force. He’s not protecting and serving, he’s killing innocent people,” said Hartman.

The trooper’s name is not being released. He and two other troopers are still on paid administrative leave.

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