CHARGES WON'T BE FILED IN DEADLY SHOOTING

Owensboro Man Shot By Elizabethtown Police

The Hardin County commonwealth's attorney has ruled last week's police
shooting of an Owensboro man as accidental.

Therefore, Elizabethtown police Officer William Bland will not face any
criminal charges in the death of Harold G. "Jay" Lee Jr., Hardin County
Commonwealth's Attorney Chris Shaw said.

Bland, a 10-year veteran of the Elizabethtown Police Department, also shot
himself in the thumb with the gunshot.

Shaw said his findings came after a Kentucky State Police investigation. "I
find no evidence of criminal actions that would necessitate a submission of
these facts to the grand jury," Shaw said.

Shaw said Lee chose his own fate before the shooting occurred.

He said statements made by Randall Babb, the driver of the vehicle in which
Lee was a passenger, claim it was Lee's decision to evade police as well as
manufacture methamphetamine that evening.

Shaw said the only criminal actions he found stemming from the incident
were Lee's and Babb's.

"The death of Mr. Lee is unfortunate and sad, and my condolences go out to
his family," Shaw said in a prepared statement. "However, the evidence
shows Mr. Lee chose to be involved with the drug trade and brought that
illegal activity from his county into mine. Those who choose to be involved
in the manufacturing and trafficking of methamphetamine have a stark
reality they must face -- in time they will either be in jail or dead. The
choice of lifestyles these individuals made has a bleak future, and, as
always, the family is left to suffer."

Lee's girlfriend and members of his family said they were disappointed with
Shaw's statements.

"It sounds to me like they're trying to make Jay the outlaw in this, and
he's no outlaw," said Lee's father, Harold Lee Sr. "It doesn't make him an
outlaw just because he was with (Babb)."

Tina Clark, Lee's girlfriend, said she questioned the reliability of Babb
as a source of information for police.

"Jay wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his life," Clark said.

Tina Tallman, Lee's sister, also criticized Shaw's statements.

"He may have had something to do with it, but of course Babb is going to
lay all the blame on Jay," Tallman said.

Tallman said the family is exploring the possibility of filing a lawsuit
against the city of Elizabethtown.

"We don't think (Bland) should be a cop, and we're going to get his badge,"
Tallman said.

Lee's shooting followed a high-speed chase that ended at Kentucky 1357 and
1375 after tire deflation devices were used to stop the vehicle. Babb, the
driver of the vehicle, fled the scene after the vehicle was stopped and was
apprehended a short time later.

Shaw announced a Hardin County grand jury indicted Babb on 11 charges
Tuesday, including complicity to commit first-degree fleeing or evading
police, complicity to commit manufacturing in methamphetamine and three
counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.

Other charges against Babb include speeding, driving under the influence,
leaving the scene of an accident, disregard of a traffic control device,
reckless driving and second-degree persistent felony offender.