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Monday, July 01, 2013

TOP STORY >> Officers suspended in deadly shooting

By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer

Two Jacksonville police officers are on administrative leave after one of them shot and killed a man holding a knife who was moving toward them during a domestic dispute call Friday morning.

One of the officers shot Michael Goodman, 64, of 1709 Madden Road, in the upper torso after Goodman pulled a knife and moved toward the officers.

The Jacksonville Police Department will not release the names of the officers involved until all proper notifications have been made by early next week.

Goodman’s wife, Laura Phillips, had a no-contact order against Goodman, but he and Phillips got into a verbal altercation Friday morning and police were called.

Once the police verified the no-contact order, they started to place Goodman under arrest. It was at then that he pulled the knife.

Police Capt. Kenny Boyd, spokesman for the Jacksonville Police Department, said he was unsure where Phillips was at the time of the shooting.

He added that it was standard procedure to place everyone involved in a shooting on administrative leave with pay until all internal and external investigation are completed. He was unsure how long that would take.

The incident report of the shooting has not been released yet.

But three prior police reports show Goodman had a record of violence, breaking bones in both of his wife’s arms on June 1, when police got a call to the residence about a domestic dispute. Phillips was hiding behind bushes at a nearby church.

She told police the problem started when she arrived home and found dirty dishes on the counter. She asked Goodman about them and received no answer. She went into the living room and turned off the television and asked him to clean up. Goodman and Phillips walked into the kitchen, where he grabbed a plate, and, according to Phillips, told her he would “shove it down her throat and then shoot her.” An argument ensued.

Goodman grabbed Phillips by the hair and threw her down on the concrete, landing hard on her wrists.

Phillips told police that Goodman had firearms in the house.

In another incident, Goodman was found sitting in the living room and, because of the threats, was taken into custody at gunpoint.

According to Goodman, Phillips had said she would turn the television back on after he put a dirty plate in the dishwasher. Goodman said he picked up a plate and asked if that was the one. She snatched it and said yes. He grabbed it back and while tussling over the plate, Phillips fell.

Goodman was arrested. Judge Robert Batton issued a no-contact order, but Goodman made phone calls to Phillips on Wednesday and Phillips called the police and a report was filed. Police had to write out Phillips’ statement as both of her arms were in casts.