PROSECUTOR'S REPORT CLEARS POLICE OF ANY WRONGDOING

Tom Crosslin and Rolland Rohm will likely always be seen by some as martyrs
who died at the hands of an oppressive government.

The facts, however, lead to a very different conclusion.

Crosslin and Rohm, the Vandalia men who had operated the Rainbow Farm
campground, were shot and killed on successive days early last September
after a prolonged standoff with police at the campground. Rainbow Farm for
years was known as a popular gathering spot for those who believe that
marijuana should be legalized. Police say the campground also attracted
other drug dealers, besides those just dealing pot.

Regardless of what Crosslin and Rohm stood for, their deaths were primarily
the result of terrible decisions on their part in the face of armed police
in no mood to take any chances. The facts released in a report Monday by
the Cass County Prosecutor's Office bear this out.

Crosslin died first. According to Prosecutor Scott Teter's report,
Crosslin, carrying a small semiautomatic rifle, was returning from a jaunt
to a vacated neighbor's house when he stumbled onto a hidden FBI agent.
Crosslin's next decision cost him his life. Instead of surrendering, or
even attempting to flee, Crosslin aimed his gun at the agent. The agent
then shot Crosslin, as did another nearby agent. Teter's conclusion is that
the shooting was justified. It's difficult to reach any other conclusion.

Rohm died the next day under similar circumstances. Though carrying only a
small-caliber rifle, he aimed it at approaching National Guard personnel in
a chaotic situation, ignoring orders to drop his gun. Two police snipers
with guns trained on Rohm then opened fire and killed him.

It should be noted that Teter didn't just draw his conclusions by talking
to police. There are autopsy results, ballistics reports and other
information to draw on.

Critics will contend that the lightly armed men did not necessarily have to
be killed in the face of such overwhelming force. The point, though, is
that Crosslin and Rohm were given every opportunity to end the armed
stand-off without violence. They chose to escalate the situation and
confront police, rather than surrender and plead their cases in a proper
legal forum.

It's too bad that two men died that weekend at Rainbow Farm. The blame,
however, does not belong with police or the prosecutor's office.