• DR. JOE THOMPSON

His statement:

I am happy to report that today the misdemeanor charges associated with my arrest at my home on March 31 have been put to rest. The Pulaski county prosecuting attorney’s office and my attorney presented to the court an agreement that will dismiss the charges without further proceedings.

I want to point out that the dash cam video and audio recording of the incident proves that I clearly did not make the quoted statements attributed to me in the police report that were the basis for the charge of attempting to influence an officer. Thank you to the individuals who secured and released this evidence. I am also grateful to my attorney, Jack Lassiter, who successfully guided me through a process I have never before had the misfortune of having to deal with.

More than anything, I am thankful to my friends, family and others I have met for their concern and support—and to my colleagues who have not only supported me but who have had to take up some of the slack resulting from distractions of the last few weeks.

I have great respect for and have worked closely with police officers and troopers across the state to assist in the health and safety of our citizens. I believe my experience that evening does not reflect the usual professionalism in our law enforcement agencies.

With this behind me, I look forward to being fully engaged in the ongoing work undertaken to transform the Arkansas health care system that will lead to healthier and more productive lives for all of our citizens.

Joseph W. Thompson, MD, MPH

A spokesman said he didn't plan to give interviews today.

Thompson's attorney Jack Lassiter answered definitively a question I posed last night. Will there be further legal action, such as a civil lawsuit, over the arrest?

There are no plans for a lawsuit.

Lassiter said he'd have no further comment.

I wrote at some length last night about the agreement, completed yesterday morning in Little Rock District Court. Hat tip to self: Nobody else had this news until today.

• Brian Chilson
• ON LOAN: A hydraulic skylift is on loan from Bryant to Little Rock for Riverfest.

One new thing to see at Riverfest this year will actually be looking back at you: a 25-foot high hydraulic skylift where LRPD observers can keep a bird's-eye view on the crowd. The skylift, which an officer on duty nearby said is a piece of surplus military equipment, is on loan from the City of Bryant. It will be set up later today in the middle of Markham Street in front of the Chamber of Commerce building. Officers inside the five-by-five foot cab of the lift will have a 360 degree view of the crowd, and will be in radio contact with police below.

DeAnna Korte, executive director of Riverfest, said the lift will help keep the area near the Riverfest main gate trouble free, adding that she wanted to give "huge kudos" to the LRPD for bringing it in. "When you have 250,000 people and they're all face to face, you may not be able to see who is 20 feet away," she said. "This is going to give the police the ability, at our main gateway, to be able to see up over the crowd and see what's going on. We're really excited they're doing it."

Why does the city of Bryant need an eye in the sky. I'd ask Mayor Jill "Republican" Dabbs or Clerk Heather "Republican" Kizer or the male Kizer in the Bryant hierarchy, Police Chief Mark Kizer. But I have a hard time reaching them.

Maybe they got it to deploy to the "elegant dinner and program" next week at Bryant's Bishop Park for a $125 Republican fund-raiser. The cops might need an eye in the sky to make sure the Dabbs posse doesn't break the no-alcohol rule again.

• MARK JONES

Late-breaking news from the federal courthouse:

Two Little Rock police officers, half-brothers Mark Jones and Randall Robinson, have been arrested for roles in a plan to distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana and use of a firearm in the course of a crime. The men are accused of providing protection — in uniform and patrol cars — for marijuana shipments set up by an informant. An undercover FBI agent served as the purported dealer.

Here's the criminal complaint. And the full news release follows. The complaint details how the officers continued on drug "escort" duties while other officers were responding to a shooting report.

• RANDALL ROBINSON

• CASE CLOSED: The arrest of Surgeon General Joe Thompson, shown here in police unit video from the night of his arrest, ended quietly today in a bargain that should ultimately mean dismissal of the charges.

A deal has ended the disturbance case against Surgeon General Joe Thompson, arrested by Little Rock police at his Hillcrest home March 31. Barring further problems, all charges ultimately will be dismissed.

The Pulaski prosecuting attorney's ofice and Thompson's attorney, Jack Lassiter, appeared without notice in District Judge Alice Lightle's courtroom at 9 a.m. today for approval of the settlement. He had been scheduled for trial next week.

Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley, whom I called for the details after I heard of the arrangement, said his office declined to prosecute a charge of attempting to influence a public servant. That charge was dismissed. This charge arose from Thompson identifying himself as surgeon general the night of a confrontation with Little Rock police. Charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest were passed for six months. Thompson entered no plea. No cost was assessed. Absent further problems, those charges will be dismissed. Jegley said he was confident there'd be no further problems.

"I thought this was a good way of everyone going on from here and putting it to rest and having a hopefully calm and quiet Memorial Day," Jegley said.

Police Lt. Terry Hastings, told us when we sought a comment from Chief Stuart Thomas that the decision was the prosecutor's and whatever the prosecutor decides, the police supported. "We're fine with it," he said.

I have been unable to reach Thompson.

• STATEMENT TOMORROW: From Dr. Joe Thompson.

UPDATE: Find Thompson's statement here.

Lassiter said the proceeding in court took little time and was handled by a deputy prosecutor, Tom Marks, during a standard morning court session. Thompson was present, but didn't approach the bench for the proceeding and didn't speak, he said.

CORRECTION: My original post referred to a "plea" bargain. There was no plea, just a dismissal of one charge and passing of two others with dismissal expected after six months.

The episode began when Thompson asked a man parked in an SUV about 10 p.m. on Saturday night March 31 what he was doing. The man was, Jacob Farque, a member of the Stephens Inc., private security force. He patrols neighborhods, such Ridgeway Avenue, where Stephens execs live. Thompson lives on Ridgeway. Farque called police because he said Thompson had an angry encounter with him. Thompson said he was concerned that the private cop was tapping into home wireless networks on the computer he was using. Officers responded, though Thompson had gone by then into his house. Officers said he wouldn't comply when they went to his door with requests for identification. He was eventually taken to the ground and handcuffed. Suggestions by the police that Thompson was intoxicated and otherwise out of control didn't seem to be borne out in audio and video tapes eventually unearthed from police records. Thompson was arrested by an officer, Chris Johannes, with a lengthy history of use of force in arrests, though none ever resulted in disciplinary action.

Jegley said Lassiter had initiated plea bargain discussions.

"I explained to him I think everybody needs to put this behind them. But people need to realize regardless of circumstances when police engage and start to do their job, nobody has a right to be non-compliant. He said he understood that dynamic of the situation and respected it and after some talk with the chief and people in my office I decided the best course was to resolve it as we did. Mr. Lassiter spoke with his client. Dr. Thompson was amenable."

Jegley said he spoke only with Chief Thomas about the deal, not with the individual officers, but he felt sure they'd understand the decision. He added, "There's no way I wanted the officers to feel as though there was any disrespect for their position out on the street. I'm confident Chief Thomas communicated that and he was in complete agreement with this resolution."

Jegley said it is easy to say there might be better ways to resolve such situations. Asked if this resolution should be taken as any indication that officers had overreacted that night, he said, "No. This is one of those instances, like many other cases, where folks who were not there can second guess and Monday morning quarterback. Police officers out on the street have a tough job."

He said, though, that Thompson had no history of bad behavior and "I'm confident he won't have any more encounters." He said he was hopeful individual officers "would understand why I felt as though probably this was the best course to resolve everything for both sides."

Conviction or no conviction, Thompson has paid a heavy price in publicity alone. The officers' actions have been scrutinized, but not repudiated. I don't know if the peaceful resolution indicates anything regarding any potential civil action by Thompson over the arrest. Could it be read that way, I asked Lassiter?

"I don't think you should read anything into it concerning any civil action."

Well, I asked more directly, will he take civil action. "I can't get into that," he said. "And you shouldn't read anything into that."

UPDATE: Friday, Lassiter said no suit would be filed.

Jegley said there are always ways police can improve procedures and he was confident the chief was constantly tweaking them. He referred questions about police interactions with private security (many officers, including Johannes, have private duty work) to the police department, including whether they should have pursued Thompson on the security officer's complaint since Thompson had gone home without any physical contact with the security man.

But Jegley volunteered that police actions this week in responding to a deadly burglary on Thayer Street, illustrated through police radio transmissions "what good people and training we have in the Little Rock police department."

Little Rock police announced at a news conference this morning that a 14-year-old boy was found shot to death about 2 a.m. this morning at a house at 4600 Grand Street.

Channel 4 quotes police as saying at least five other people were in the house at the time and that it was known as a place where youths hung out. Those in the house apparently didn't know the youth, who had been reported earlier this spring as a runaway. His residence was listed by Lt. Terry Hastings as being 1412 Valentine Street. He identified him as Tyjuan Woodard.

UPDATE: Police say they now believe the death was an accident Hastings said interviews by police indicated that Woodard and a 13-year-old had been playing with a gun Wednesday when it discharged, hitting Woodard in the chest. He said the shooting occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, though it wasn't reported until early this morning. The questioning continues. Hastings said the state Department of Human Services had been called to investigate conditions in the house for children.

The report on the incident.

Map shows the location of the home where the body was found when police responded to a report of a shooting.

Here's the LRPD report on the four-vehicle accident yesterday afternoon in which one person — Maria Rosario, 40, of Adona — was killed and at least three injured on Highway 10 at the entrance to Little Rock Christian Academy in western Little Rock. One driver was arrested for carrying a weapon.

UPDATE: Police said this morning that Charles Crockett, 79, of Little Rock, had died from injuries he suffered in the crash.

CORRECTION CORRECTION CORRECTION:

The Little Rock Police Department now says it's earlier message was in error, Charles Crockett is still alive, but in critical condition. From Terry Hastings:

I have just learned that the second driver from the accident on Cantrell, Charles Crockett, has not died. He is still alive, but in critical condition. The Coroner notified the investigator last night that Mr. Crockett had died, but the coroner had confused the death of another accident victim with Mr. Crockett. Sorry for the mix-up.

This has nothing to do with Arkansas, except to the extent that the soul-wrenching story of a disappeared child touches virtually everyone:

New York police have a man in custody who has implicated himself in the 1979 disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz.

• KILLED BY POLICE: Charles Murry Jr. suspected of killing one and wounding another in burglary.

Gyorgy Posan, 28, who was identified as a resident of the house, was killed by an intruder, police say. A friend, Gabar Felszeghy, 25, who lives in an apartment on Kavanaugh Boulevard, was wounded by the burglar and remained in critical condition Wednesday at St. Vincent Infirmary.

Police Sgt. Cassandra Davis said the two men were friends of the homeowner, Reggie Marshall. They were responding to a neighbor's report that a burglary was in progress and walked in on it. Marshall was en route to the scene after police were notified that a man had been seen leaving a green Honda and climbing over the back fence of the house. Police later found a back door had been forced open. According to the Democrat-Gazette, Posan was Marshall's partner and Marshall had told him not to enter the house.

When officer Terry McDaniel, 24, arrived, he saw a man fleeing. When he ordered him to stop, the man pointed a revolver at him and McDaniel opened fire. He was brought down by multiple gunshots and was pronounced dead later at UAMS. Identified as Charles McMurry, 19, he had a previous history of burglary and theft charges. To clear up a point on those charges: Prosecutor Larry Jegley said his record search turned up only one conviction on Murry's record, a burglary and a theft charge from a February home burglary on Midland Avenue. He was caught after selling a stolen iPad, Nintendo and games to a resale shop, which kept a record of who'd sold the goods. He spent 53 days in jail and then entered a plea deal for what was his first criminal offense. He got a three-year probationary sentence, a $1,500 fine and agreed to make restitution, which Jegley said was a sentence that followed sentencing guidelines.

Officers encountered the wounded man outside the house and he told them his friend inside had also been shot by an intruder.

Here are the police reports.

The first is on the two victims.

The second is on the shooting of the burglary suspect Murry.

• CRIME SCENE: Red police tape barely visible behind the black pickup marks house where shootings occured. Police blocked off a long stretch of the street to canvass neighbors and search for evidence.

Details remain sketchy but indications are that a suspected burglar was killed by police as he fled a house at 204 Thayer Street in which one man was later found dead and another man was seriously wounded.

Police got a call to the Capitol View neighborhood about a suspicious man jumping a fence to the house at 11:53 a.m. When an officer arrived, he saw a man with a handgun fleeing the scene. The officer fired and killed the man. It's not yet known if the suspect fired any shots. He apparently was approaching the door of another house in his flight when he was shot by the officer.

Officers continued to investigate and found one man fatally wounded inside the house and another man with life-threatening injuries outside. Neither was a resident of the house, Police Sgt. Cassandra Davis said, but the Forbidden Hillcrest website quotes a neighbor who said the man fatally wounded was a neighbor who'd gone to check on the house. No information yet on the wounded man. The initial belief is that the burglar shot the two other victims.

The officer who shot the suspect also reportedly suffered some minor scrapes in the chase.

4 PM UPDATE: Still no IDs released. But Sgt. Davis said it was her understanding that a neighbor who saw the man go over a fence and notified the owner of the house did not go over to the house himself in response. He called the owner, who called police. Davis reconfirms that the two men shot in the house were NOT the owners of the house, but she said the men "had the permission" of the owners to be there. That is, it was her understanding that they were not there checking on a burglary report, but were simply in the house with owners' permission when a suspected burglary occurred. She couldn't say if they were friends, relatives or people working there.

• CHARLES MURRY JR.

Angie Lauck, who lives three doors south of where the shooting took place, said she locked eyes with the burglary suspect as he tried to run from police.

"He looked crazy," she said. "He had crazy in his eyes. I knew something bad was going to go down."

Lauck was sitting in a sunroom when she saw a man carrying a gun run through a yard next door. She had to restrain her small dog as she stood watching at her front door.

"He was coming from my left. I was looking at him. He was frantic. We made eye contrct. I was scared. He reached around as if he was trying to grab something and all of sudden then I started hearing gunshots. I thought, oh my God, he’s going to shoot me and so I dropped to the ground." Something went flying after the shots were fired. Lauck said she found a bullet clip on her porch front walk afterward. She presumes it may have been what the suspect was reaching for when shots broke out.

He stumbled after being shot the first time, Lauck said, then was shot several more times. She said then police appeared "from everywhere. I was so impressed."

At 3:25 p.m., Lauck didn't know more details about the other shooting victims and their relationship to the home where they were found. She, too, had heard the report that a neighbor had called the homeowner at work to report an intruder and that led to the call to police. The owner and a co-worker said they'd meet police at the house, according to radio traffic.

Forbidden Hillcrest has also posted an edited version of police radio traffic.

Property tax records list the owners of the house as Reggie Marshall and James Clements, who operate an interior design business. Efforts to reach them by phone at their business were unsuccessful.

— David Koon contributed to this report.

Fox 16 reports that two bounty hunters from New Orleans tracked a suspect to an apartment in West Little Rock. A chase and shootout ensued. No injuries before the man was collared, though a car in the Colonnade Shopping Center on Bowman Road apparently was shot up.

Stephens Media reports here on an assault complaint made against boxer Jermain Taylor, who so far hasn't been reachable for comment. A woman said they'd had an altercation Friday night at a motel where they'd met to have sex for money. After her arrest on a drug charge (related to a prescription drug and marijuana), she alleged that Taylor had raped her. The Maumelle police report summary follows. A police spokesman said he couldn't comment if detectives had spoken with Taylor yet. No charges have been filed against him.

Randall C. Coleman, who had been chief of the counterespionage section of the FBI headquarters in Washington, is the new special agent in charge of the FBI office in Little Rock. He succeeds Valerie Parlave, who was promoted to a D.C. job about a month ago.

FBI release follows (my original headline had an unfortunate typo "no leader"):

• Pulaski sheriff
• DETHEROW

Terry Detherow, 45, of England, was charged with murder, a sheriff's spokesman said. He was arrested early Sunday at a Little Rock motel, where an arrest report said he battered his girlfriend. The report said both were intoxicated.

Little Rock police say Darrell Winfrey, 45, was fatally stabbed shortly after midnight last night by a 15-year-old girl who said she was defending her mother from attacks by Winfrey, her mother's live-in boyfriend. They'd apparently broken up earlier in the day.

The police narrative:

Police were called to Watson Elementary at 7000 Valley Drive today after a report of a gun on a school bus.

Lt. Terry Hastings said the gun was in the possession of brothers, an 8-year-old third grader and an 11-year-old 5th grader. The older boy told another student he better not tell anyone about the weapon. Word got out.

Police said the weapon was unloaded and when they seized it, found it bore the mark of a Little Rock police department weapon. Hastings said it was the property of the boys' grandfather, Lewis Smith, a 21-year member of the force. It was not a service weapon but a Glock purchased by the officer following a departmental upgrade of all weapons several years ago. The officer said his grandchildren had visited him yesterday. "He had the weapon well concealed and unloaded but they apparently stole it from his house," Hastings said.

Hastings said the older boy was be charged in juvenile court with taking a weapon to school and terroristic threatening of a student. The younger child is too young to be charged.