On February 23, 2012, I attended Senator Pam Roach's press conference with Chuck and Judy Cox in Olympia, Washington. At this conference, Mr. Cox said that a Utah judge had signed a search warrant stating that Joshua Powell was a suspect in his wife's murder, not merely her disappearance. This is the basis of Senate Bill 6603. If passed, Senate Bill 6603 will make it illegal to award custody of a child to a suspect in an active murder investigation in Washington.
Last weekend, I shared this information online. I was surprised by some of the replies I received.
One person did not believe that Josh was a suspect in a homicide investigation because he was not in jail. I don't believe this is how our criminal justice system works. The police can't arrest a person simply because they suspect that person may have been involved in a crime. Law enforcement cannot hold a person in jail without probable cause. If the police make an arrest but do not have sufficient evidence to support the charges, a judge may dismiss the charges. This may make it difficult -- if not impossible -- for the prosecution to bring charges against a suspect at a later time.
If I'm mistaken about this, I'm sure that someone involved in criminal justice will correct me.
Another person repeatedly demanded that I post "credible evidence" proving that a Utah judge signed a search warrant stating that Josh was a suspect in Susan's murder. I can't post the search warrants online. I don't have access to them because (1) I'm not a party to the action; (2) I don't work for law enforcement or for CPS; and (3) I'm not a professional journalist. I am merely a concerned citizen who attended the press conference because I wanted to know what my state senate intended to do to make sure that what happened to the little Powell boys does not happen to other children. I shared the information I received at the press conference because my readers want to know what was said there.
If you want copies of the search warrants, try to obtain copies of them from the courts yourself.
Senator Pam Roach has represented Washington's 31st District since 1991. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Brigham Young University is her alma mater. Although she and the Coxes belong to the same church, I do not believe that a woman in her position would provide false information at a press conference. She has too much integrity for that.
If you don't believe that Josh was a suspect in a homicide investigation, I refer you to the Pam Roach Report at pamroachreport.blogspot.com. In her article entitled "Roach, Powell Grandparents Question Child Protective Services," Senator Pam Roach wrote:
"Roach and the attorneys for the Cox family emphasized that DSHS knew Utah's West Valley City Police Department was conducting a murder investigation based on Susan Powell's disappearance and that they were looking at Josh Powell as a suspect. The attorneys noted that search warrants had been issued in Nevada, Utah and Washington."
I also refer you to Senator Pam Roach News at www.senaterepublicans.wa.gov/roach. The following is taken from an article entitled, "CPS Questioned by Roach and Powell Grandparents."
"Roach and the attorneys for the Cox family emphasized that DSHS knew Utah's West Valley City Police Department was conducting a murder investigation based on Susan Powell’s disappearance and that they were looking at Josh Powell as a suspect. The attorneys noted that search warrants had been issued in Nevada, Utah and Washington."
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