Sheriff Apologizes to Judge Mistaken for Burglar and Briefly Held at Gunpoint
Following widespread news coverage about a Florida judge who was ordered out of her sister’s home on Easter Sunday and briefly held with the rest of the family at gunpoint after Broward County sheriff’s officers said they were mistakenly told that there appeared to be a burglary in progress there, an apology has been made.
In a written statement, Sheriff Al Lamberti says “We deeply regret that Judge Holmes and her family went through this experience and understand that this incident, resulting from a series of unfortunate events, may have been traumatic for them,” reports the Broward Politics page of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
At the same time, however, “a report of a burglary in progress at a residence is an extremely dangerous and tense situation for law enforcement, which requires an assertive response,” the statement explains. “The Broward sheriff’s office is evaluating the circumstances of this incident to ensure that appropriate response procedures were followed.”
Additional coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Sheriff’s Officers Go to Wrong Home, Mistake Fla. Judge for Burglar, Hold Her Briefly at Gunpoint”
Daily Pulp (Broward Palm Beach New Times): “The Holmes Report: BSO Explains How It Happened”
