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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2016)
2A • August 5, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com Defense lawyers attempt to humanize accused murderer and abuser Roden By Kyle Spurr EO Media Group Defense lawyers for Randy Roden will try to humanize the accused murderer at his trial this fall with testimony from friends, family and teachers who say he was a peaceful per- son who overcame a traumatic upbringing in Georgia. Lawyers Conor Huseby and Robert Axford iled a request in mid-July to have a dozen out-of-state witnesses from Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee testify at the trial and possible sentencing. Roden, 28, is facing the death penalty if convicted. The testimony could be essential in deciding Roden’s fate. He is accused of murder- ing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter and abusing and tor- turing her two sons in their Seaside apartment in 2014. An autopsy found the toddler, Evangelina Wing, apparently died of battered child syndrome with blunt force trauma to her head. The children’s mother, Dorothy Wing, 26, pleaded guilty in January to irst-degree manslaughter and two counts of irst-degree criminal mis- treatment. She was sentenced to more than 15 years in pris- on, contingent on her truthfully testifying at Roden’s trial. JOSHUA BESSEX/EO MEDIA GROUP Randy Roden, right, walks out of court following a hearing in 2015. Roden is serving an eight- year prison sentence for violating probation from a previous domestic violence conviction in Clatsop County. Testimony about Roden’s background will be used to help counteract the gruesome depictions by prosecutors of life inside the Seaside apart- ment he shared with Wing. Witnesses for Roden in- clude his close friends, sister, half brother and sixth and third grade teachers. Angela Hollingsworth, Ro- den’s paternal aunt, is expected to describe Roden’s father as a violent and abusive addict who mistreated Roden and his mother before he commit- ted suicide when Roden was 3 years old. Hollingsworth claims she never saw any of the anger, meanness and violence in Roden that was so apparent in his father. Barbara Rogers, Roden’s stepaunt, plans to explain how Roden was profoundly affect- ed by his father’s suicide and how he was never accepted by his mother or his stepfather. Ro- den was desperate to it in with his new family, but was treated differently than his stepsiblings and he became depressed as a result, Rogers says. “Ms. Rogers has unique in- sight into who Mr. Roden is and what his childhood was like,” the defense lawyers wrote in court documents. Other friends and fami- ly who were close to Roden during his Georgia upbringing are willing to testify about his “positive and loving manner.” They will describe generous acts and how Roden was an animal lover who was kind to the pets he kept during his childhood. Joseph Bales, Roden’s best friend, will testify that he never saw Roden become violent, and he refused to ight even when attacked on several occasions. Bales, a special forces soldier, says if he was looking for a trustworthy and loyal friend to take into battle with him, he would not hesitate to choose Roden. The cost of round-trip air- fare, rental car, hotel room and food for each witness has been approved by the Oregon Public Defense Services Commission. The trial is scheduled to begin in September in Clatsop County Circuit Court. SUBMITTED PHOTO Sgt. Jason Goodding name will be formally added to the Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Oicers Memorial during the 2017 ceremony. Fallen Seaside oficer Goodding’s name to be added to state memorial At its quarterly meeting in July, the Board on Public Safety Standards and Train- ing unanimously approved the recommendation of its Police Policy Committee to add the name of Sgt. Jason Goodding of the Seaside Po- lice Department to the Ore- gon Fallen Law Enforce- ment Oficers Memorial during the 2017 ceremony. Sgt. Goodding’s name will be formally added during next year’s ceremo- ny scheduled May 2, at the Oregon Public Safety Acad- emy. Seaside Police Sergeant Jason Goodding, who was shot and killed while serv- ing a felony warrant on Feb. 5, 2016 is the 183rd Oregon law enforcement oficer to have died in the line of duty since the irst was recorded in the 1880s. A total of 183 law en- forcement oficers across Oregon, including city, county, state, tribal and federal oficers who work in law enforcement, correc- tions and parole and proba- tion agencies, have died in the line of duty. SEASIDE POLICE LOG July 17 5:09 a.m., 1100 block 5th Street: Police respond to a report of a person yelling, possibly at a dog. Police arrived to quiet. 7:29 a.m., 1500 block S. Roosevelt: Police respond to a report of a suspicious person. Subject is advised they are trespassing and asked to leave the premises. 12:30 p.m., 800 block Ave- nue M: Caller reports being harassed by an individual over the telephone. before oicer responded. 6:49 p.m., 500 block Paciic Way: A motor vehicle hit and run accident was reported. 6:51 p.m., 400 block Avenue A: A motor vehicle hit and run accident was reported. 7:57 p.m., 400 block S. Franklin: A missing person was reported. 8:59 p.m., 2000 block S. Frank- lin: Caller reports neighboring children being screamed at night and day. Police contact the mother who admits she has been yelling at her children. 2:03 p.m., Broadway: Caller reports subjects standing on the street begging for food and money. Caller is advised nothing illegal is happening but caller insists the beggers be told to move along. July 21 3:27 p.m., 1600 block S. Colum- bia: Caller reports subject who came to her window and asked how she was doing. Her con- cern was she and the subject had once worked together and he was known to have threat- ened other employees. Subject is located by the police and advised about his activity. 3:21 p.m.. 900 block N. Roos- evelt: Caller asks for a welfare check on an elderly neighbor who hadn’t picked up her newspapers all week. Police contact various services who have no information about the woman who it is later deter- mined is in Portland, visiting her daughter. July 18 7:53 p.m. 600 block Avenue T: An assault took place. No fur- ther information was available. 7:58 p.m., 200 block Broadway: A missing person is reported. 9:08 p.m., Holladay Drive: Caller reports someone going around ringing doorbells at a residential accommodation. The management was contact- ed and advised. July 19 11:02 a.m., Thompson Falls Wood: A ire investigation was conducted following a ire. 11:13 a.m., All Roads: Police issued a bulletin to Seaside, Gearhart and Cannon Beach police units regarding a report of a possibly intoxicated driver with a suspended license who is believed to be getting on the road and heading towards Can- non Beach. At the time of the report, the vehicle was parked in Gearhart. 3:37 p.m., 1800 block Spruce: A forgery/fraud was reported. 5:18 p.m., Turnaround: A 2-year-old child was reported missing at the beach. It was later conirmed the child was safe and sound and back at the hotel where it and the mother were reunited. 6:23 p.m. 1000 block S. Colum- bia: Caller reports a domestic disturbance going on next door. Police responding spoke to both parties who denied there had been a disturbance. July 20 4:02 a.m., 200 block 1st Ave- nue: Police respond to report of a verbal altercation. Brother and sister are arguing about who sister should date. 6:38 p.m., Beach and Avenue G: A missing person was reported. The individual was located 3:35 a.m., 300 block Forest Court: Police respond to a call about a suspicious sound on the back porch that sounded to the caller like footsteps. Oicers are unable to locate anyone. July 22 3:33 p.m., 300 block and 4th: Oicers respond to a call for a welfare check on an elderly woman who lives with her dog in an upstairs unit, using a ladder to see inside. It is determined the dog is home alone; the woman’s daughter tells police her mother is in the hospital. 4:01 p.m., N. Promenade: Oicer responds to a call to check on a dog inside a vehicle. Dog is ine and is given a bowl of water. 7:09 a.m., 200 block Avenue A: Report of a ight; oicers arrive on scene. Are unable to locate. July 25 12:03 a.m., Broadway and Co- lumbia: Caller reports someone giving them an obscene ges- ture. Police are unable to locate the described individual. 5:18 p.m., 700 block Broadway: Caller reports someone “tweek- ing” and looking in cars while crossing back and forth across the street. Police checking the area are unable to locate any- one itting that description. July 26 1:01 a.m., Avenue K: Police re- spond to a report of a man yell- ing at and pushing a woman. The man was last seen entering Taco Bell. Police are unable to locate either party. July 27 4:40 p.m. 200 block S. Colum- bia: Caller reports a pack of 15 or more kids riding bikes and blocking his business. Police are unable to locate. 1:43 p.m., 300 block S. Roos- evelt: Caller reports a seagull stuck in a fence near genera- tors. Police responding do not see any gull, but only some Brazil nuts the gull must have wanted. 7:50 p.m., 2000 block Pine Street: Two subjects walked up to a house and rang the door- bell. When no one responded they went around to the back. Subjects are located and contacted. Time and money. We give you both. July 23 3:30 p.m.. 1500 block N. Roosevelt: Caller asks police for assistance regarding a car the caller had sold to her daughter in law. Police advise caller this is a civil matter. 3:47 p.m., Broadway: An accidental pocket dial from a phone was screams of joy and happiness from someone riding the Tilt-O-Whirl. 8:24 p.m., Avenue S: Suspect attempting to enter storage unit they were not legally responsible for; they had been locked out for lack of payment and a responsible party had to be contacted. Meanwhile, suspect was told to leave and not come back until payment was made and they had full permission to access the unit by the responsible party. July 24 8:00 a.m., 100 block and 5th: A motor vehicle hit and run accident occurred. No further information was given. You’ll notice the difference. Find out more at columbiabank.com or call 877-272-3678. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender 8:11 a.m., 1300 N. Holladay: A report of a disturbance in the area proved unfounded as police found no one behaving unreasonably. 5:10 p.m., Seaside police sta- tion: A sex ofender registered being in the city. July 28 1:14 p.m., N. Holladay: Caller requests welfare check for a dog tied up outside a house. Dog is found to have shelter and food and water. Children seem to be watching it. Owner is contacted and said will return in the evening to check on the dog. July 29 4:36 p.m., 300 block S. Edgewood: A structure ire is reported. 11:06 p.m., 100 block and 5th: Caller reports ominous calls from an ex. Police advise caller of their options and say they will put extra patrols on the area. We listen to you and your business needs—then tailor a loan that fits. Our loans are custom-made, not mass-produced. Every business is different, so rest assured your Columbia Bank loan will be designed specifically to your needs, your business, and for you.