Not Included
Not Included
Constable Dennis O'Donnell was shot and killed while serving a writ of replevin at a residence in Terre Haute.
After informing the homeowner's daughter the writ had been issued for outstanding installment payments of eight dollars for two blankets, her father emerged from a bedroom where he was sleeping.
As Constable O'Donnell pushed the daughter aside, a struggle ensued and he beat the father over the head with his revolver. The daughter handed a shotgun to her father who shot Constable O'Donnell point-blank in the neck, killing him instantly.
The 49-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder and claimed he was defending his daughter. The first trial, in a change of venue to Clay County, ended in a mistrial with a hung jury. During a retrial over a year later, the charge was dismissed when two witnesses could not be located.
Constable O'Donnell, from Terre Haute, was the Harrison Township constable elected to a four-year term in office. He was survived by his wife and four children.
Historical Note Constables were created during the Indiana Territory and continued to exist after statehood in 1816. Depending on the time period, they were either appointed or elected to their positions at the township level with one- or four-year terms in office. Constables had police powers to make arrests with countywide jurisdiction. Since 2004, constables are only authorized by state law in Marion County townships having a small claims court where they are elected to four-year terms in office. |
~ ~ ~
