The Star’s Ian Cummings embarked on a long-shot reporting mission Wednesday and succeeded in a big way.
He got a face-to-face interview with the 37-year-old woman who has been charged with second-degree murder in the March 6 shooting death of Clinton police officer Ryan Morton.
Ian Cummings
It appears, from a front-page story in today’s print edition, that Cummings simply showed up at the Henry County Jail during visiting hours and asked to see Tammy Dee Widger, the woman who rented the home where Morton was shot.
Cummings didn’t reveal any ancillary details about the interview, such as how long it lasted or exactly where it took place, but he came away with a good story.
Among other things, Widger told Cummings she was “right there” when Morton and four other officers were exchanging gunshots with James Earl Waters, a career criminal and friend of Widger, whom Widger thought had gone out the back door before officers went inside.
“In the blink of an eye, my life changed,” Widger told Cummings. “I didn’t want this.”
If you’ve been following this case, you know the murder of Morton — and the death of Waters, who either shot himself or was shot by police — occurred under bizarre circumstances.
For reasons yet to be determined, police went to Widger’s house even though the 911 call for service came from a home in Windsor, MO, 20 miles away from Widger’s home.
Police had been at Widger’s home earlier in the day, but it is inexplicable why they went back there that night. County emergency communications officials have said a “database error” was responsible and that they are investigating.
Whatever comes of the investigation, one thing is certain: This was law enforcement at its worst. It looks for all the world like a Keystone Kops movie, except with tragic results.
It also leaves the police department open to suspicion that it was harassing Waters and Widger mainly because Waters had been a longtime thorn in law enforcement’s side.
This week, the Henry County prosecutor’s office raised the stakes on the questionable-judgment front by filing second-degree murder charges against Widger, whose main action that fateful night appears to have been agreeing to allow officers into her home.
It’s been long established that people who are not actually involved in murders but are accomplices can be charged with felony murder if a killing occurs during the commission of another crime. Examples include a getaway driver being charged in a robbery-murder when the driver was not present at the murder scene. Or a robber being charged with felony murder after a firefight in which one of his own accomplices dies.
The Henry County prosecutor’s office alleges Widger was guilty of felony murder because Morton was shot and killed “as a result of the perpetration of the class C felony of delivery of a controlled substance.”
To me, that is a big reach, and I doubt that the prosecutor’s office is going to be able to make the murder charge stick.
…Not just Cummings, but Widger, too, gambled on this interview.
She gambled that by talking to Cummings she could help herself more than hurt herself. Her assertion that she thought Waters had gone out the back door is very plausible. If the case goes to trial, she will probably say she initially resisted officers’ requests to go inside but acquiesced after they persisted.
The prosecution’s problem — a big one — will be to establish that Widger knew, or should have known — an armed man who was a convicted criminal was inside.
Had Widger been “lawyered up” by Wednesday, she surely would not have spoken to Cummings. She has asked for a public defender, and the public defender’s office is determining if she qualifies. Lacking an attorney, she made a quick decision that could either hurt or help her down the road, depending on what evidence authorities have to back up the murder charge.
For now, though, it appears both reporter and defendant came out winners: Cummings got a Page One story, and Widger got to tell her story without having a nettlesome prosecutor there to cross examine her.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I thought it was a good article, too; kudos to Mr. Cummings. Do you think he struck out on his own?
Good question, Gayle…Maybe he will enlighten us.
I’ve read every article on this case and from what I know it appears a tragic 9-1-1 system flaw (more a system failure to keep up with advancing technology) caused these unsuspecting young cops to walk into a drug house.
I’m suspecting the now-deceased perp was a bodyguard for his dealing girlfriend. That would be why she is legally liable for murder charges.
This is going to be an interesting case to follow.
The only place you could expect a conviction would be in Henry County. But I’ve found from my coverage of the Vernon County case involving David Jungerman that, because basically of good ‘ol boy concerns, defendants in counties with populations of less than 75,000 can automatically get a venue change in criminal cases. (Jungerman’s was moved to Barton County.) So, Widger will apply for and get a change of venue, and a jury in another county that knows nothing about the case will probably spring her — if it goes to trial.
Great job, Mr. Cummings. I hope this is a sign of The Star arising from the ashes.
I’ve also had questions about the “murder” accusations. Given the info available at this time, it sure seems a stretch. To be continued, as they say.