Denise Michelle Jones

Vehic/Purs

Around 100 people gathered along Fort Street to see a drag race prepared to leave when officers Mohammed Nasser, Douglas Muncey, William Kish III and Joseph Lavis arrived in two cars. But the race began as planned, prosecutors said, after one of the officers said they were there to watch and would not make any arrests. Prosecutors said the officers played loud music through their public address system, and the two Ford Mustangs took off. One of the drivers lost control and hit Denise Michelle Jones and two other people standing on the sidewalk. Jones died less than an hour later. Nasser and Muncey were suspended for 10 days without pay; Lavis and Kish for three days. In February 2002, the officers were charged with misdemeanor counts of willful neglect of duty, willful failure to uphold or enforce the law, and drag racing. Nasser, Muncey and Lavis pleaded no contest to the charge of neglect of duty. The officers' lawyer said they were doing their jobs by posting themselves at the border of their community to make sure the drag race did not come into their jurisdiction.