JEFFERSON CITY - In a stunning and disturbing attempt to obstruct justice, a physician, security guards and Chuck Graham’s attorney sought to prevent a police officer from securing evidence related to Graham’s arrest for drunken driving, according to a recently released police report summarized at: http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/d354edb5-c0a8-2f11-00d4-f3a0c8936981.

The 17-page report by Columbia police officer Donald Weaver shows that University Hospital attending physician Scott Schultz who was friendly with Graham, other members of the hospital staff and Graham’s attorney Robert A. Murray, sought to intimidate and physically threaten the officer from removing Graham’s urine from the hospital as evidence. According to a KOMU-TV synopsis of the report that includes Weaver’s official descriptions:

“Weaver writes that he feared Schultz would return to destroy the urine, so he seized it and moved to take it as evidence. Weaver states at that point a nurse told him to return the urine to the room, saying ‘You can’t do that. Dr. Schultz just told me to go get the urine and throw it away.’ Weaver writes that Schultz, Murray, and a hospital administrator perhaps named ‘Danelle’ returned to the room and saw him holding the urine container. Weaver writes that Schultz ‘ordered’ him to turn over the urine. Weaver writes that he refused and that Murray told him taking the urine was illegal and that the hospital administrator ‘sternly demanded that I return the urine immediately.’ Weaver writes that with all three people ‘yelling’ at him, he informed all that he was a police officer and was taking the urine without further discussion. Weaver’s report then details a confrontation that almost reaches the physical level. ‘Schultz was angry. His fists were clentched (sic) and the muscles in his forearms were flexed. His voice got progressively louder. He began pointing his finger at me as he continued to yell at me and order me to relinquish custody of my evidence. He repeatedly informed me that I was not leaving the room with the evidence.’ Weaver writes that the administrator demanded to speak to a sergeant and that one was called to the hospital.

Weaver writes about what happened next. ‘At one point, while Schultz was at the height of his frustration, he began to reach his hand out toward me. In a loud, clear, and stern voice, I commanded Schultz to back away from me. I threatened to arrest Schultz and anyone else that obstructed me. As I reached the door, I noticed that Murray had placed himself in front of the door knob. I ordered him to move, he ignored me, and instead looked at Schultz. I again ordered him to move and he complied.’ Weaver’s report detailed one final confrontation. "I exited the room and was confronted by two security guards at least one whom ordered me to stop and return my evidence. I ordered them to back away and they complied. As I entered the main portion of the emergency room, I was confronted by more security guards who also ordered me to return the urine to the room. As I walked to the exit I heard the female administrator yelling out for someone to call the University Police Department.’"

“It is shocking and despicable that Chuck Graham, his attorney and hospital officials conspired to obstruct justice by verbally and physically threatening a Columbia police officer who was doing his job following the drunken driving arrest of Chuck Graham by securing evidence that Graham knew would prove his guilt. This blatant arrogance and illegal activity by Graham and his friends is a disgrace to the people of Missouri and exposes Graham’s hollow and self-serving apology,” said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. “Based on these disturbing facts and the behavior detailed in this police report, we again call on Chuck Graham to immediately resign from the Missouri Senate and ask Democrats to condemn this kind of behavior. We also believe that some serious questions have been raised by the behavior of the staff at University Hospital and Graham’s attorney which deserves further scrutiny in light of this report. No one is above the law and for University employees and Graham’s attorney to behave this way towards a hard-working law enforcement officer is despicable and should not be tolerated. The University should immediately launch an internal investigation into the matter and the Missouri Bar should investigate the disturbing actions of Murray exercised on Graham’s behalf.”