Monday, January 30, 2002 Randall Wayne Hafdahl Scheduled to be Executed. AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General John Cornyn offers the following information on Randall Wayne Hafdahl, who is scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002. On April 5, 1986, Randall Wayne Hafdahl was sentenced to death for the capital murder of peace officer James Delbert Mitchell, Jr., during the lawful discharge of his duties, in Amarillo, Texas, on November 11, 1985. A summary of the evidence presented at trial follows: FACTS OF THE CRIME Shortly after 4:00 p.m. on November 11, 1985, Amarillo Police Sergeant James Mitchell was driving home from work when he witnessed an accident. Randall Hafdahl, who was driving across Texas with two friends, Shawn Terry and Daniel Helgren, was driving recklessly and lost control of his car. Hafdahl's car left the highway, crossed a frontage road, crashed through a wooden fence, and came to rest in the back yard of a private residence. Although he was off-duty, Officer Mitchell--who was still dressed in his police uniform and wearing an unzipped windbreaker with "Amarillo City Police" and a badge insignia emblazoned on it-- stopped to render assistance. Hafdahl, who admitted that he had consumed alcohol and hallucinogenic mushrooms earlier in the day, unsuccessfully tried to restart the car. Hafdahl then exited the car and hid a loaded 9 mm pistol under a jacket he was carrying and attempted to flee through a gate. Hafdahl admitted that he first saw Officer Mitchell as he entered the yard through the downed fence. The evidence shows that Hafdahl turned from Mitchell and tried to escape through a gate which he could not unlatch. Mitchell, who had drawn his gun, pursued Hafdahl through the yard. According to one eyewitness, Mitchell identified himself as a police officer and ordered Hafdahl to stop. When Mitchell was approximately six feet away from Hafdahl, Hafdahl turned and fired four shots, hitting Mitchell each time. Two of the four wounds were mandatorily fatal, perforating Mitchell's heart and lung. Mitchell never returned fire. Hafdahl testified at trial that he was not trying to flee but, rather, trying to hide the gun. He knew the police would arrive shortly and would discover that he was a convicted felon in Texas who had stopped reporting to his probation officer. Hafdahl also testified that although he intentionally shot Officer Mitchell, he was acting in self-defense and did not realize Mitchell was a police officer. Hafdahl believed Mitchell was "an angry motorist" whom Hafdahl had run off the road. Hafdahl blames this misperception on the drugs and alcohol, as well as the rapidity with which the accident and the shooting occurred. At least nine eyewitnesses to the events immediately before and after Officer Mitchell's murder testified that the backyard was visible from the highway, and they could tell Officer Mitchell was a uniformed police officer. The two passengers in Hafdahl's car were also able to identify Mitchell as a police officer. One passenger stated that he knew without a doubt that Mitchell was an officer the second he saw him. "[H]e had his blue uniform, and his gun, so I knew he was a police officer, just by looking." At least four of the witnesses, including one of the passengers in Hafdahl's car, saw Hafdahl turn and look at Officer Mitchell before firing. One witness in the yard heard Mitchell identify himself by saying, "Hey halt, halt, stop, police." The evidence established that at least one of the bullets that hit Mitchell was shot at a maximum of six feet and could have been closer. The State presented the testimony of two police officers, one from Rockwall and the other from Grand Prairie, Texas, who testified that they had arrested Hafdahl on a warrant for aggravated kidnapping, but had released him pending investigation by the FBI. Hafdahl was never officially charged by the FBI on these charges; however, the implication from the evidence was that Hafdahl believed he was wanted on these outstanding charges and killed the officer to avoid arrest. Also, one of Hafdahl's companions testified that in the days before the murder, Hafdahl admitted that he had "jumped bond" in Dallas, and had begun using an alias and had dyed his hair. During the punishment phase of trial, the State presented evidence that Hafdahl had been arrested on Aug. 11, 1980, in Richardson, Texas, and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon and felony theft. The police had been conducting surveillance of Hafdahl's house on suspicion that the occupants were involved in a burglary ring. Hafdahl and another man left the house and got into a van, which the police subsequently stopped for a traffic violation. During the stop, Hafdahl was caught trying to shove a .38-caliber gun under the seat. When the police conducted a search of the house, they discovered stolen property and narcotics. Five law enforcement officers from both Texas and Colorado testified that they knew Hafdahl to have a bad reputation for being peaceful and law abiding, and reputation for being dangerous and violent. During cross examination of one of these officers, defense counsel elicited details of the kidnapping investigation for which Hafdahl was arrested in 1982. Hafdahl was charged with aggravated kidnapping, but he was never indicted. The officer stated that the alleged kidnapping victim was forcibly taken from Grand Prairie, Texas, by Hafdahl and two others, and transported first to Colorado, then Wyoming, and eventually returned to Texas, where she escaped. During that time, the victim claimed she was beaten, gagged and her life threatened. Hafdahl was not named as one of the two men who originally kidnapped her from the parking lot, but the victim's statement listed him as one of nine people who participated in the course of the abduction. While in Colorado, Hafdahl worked at a place called the "Bates Farm." The Bates Farm manufactured methamphetamines and traded stolen guns and illegal weapons. Hafdahl was known as the "right-hand-man" and the "enforcer" for the Bates Farm. He oversaw the entire drug operation, including selling drugs and collecting debts or money for the sale of drugs. Hafdahl was known to carry a weapon on a daily basis. On the night Hafdahl was arrested in Amarillo, he was arrogant, showed no remorse and claimed to not know why he was being arrested. During a search of the wrecked car, the police recovered a gin bottle and beer cans and several pieces of identification with at least three different names. In response, Hafdahl presented several witnesses and family members who testified that they had never seen him do anything violent, even when provoked. However, on cross-examination, one relative admitted she had not seen him in the six or seven years prior to his arrest. Officer Mitchell had been a police officer for 20 years, 16 of which were spent with the Amarillo Police Department. At the time of his death, Officer Mitchell was 43 years old. He is survived by his wife; three children aged, 20, nine, and eight; and a six-month-old grandson. PROCEDURAL HISTORY November 29, 1985 - Hafdahl was indicted in the 181st District Court of Randal County, Texas, for the capital murder of James Mitchell, a peace officer acting in the course of his official duty, on November 11, 1985. April 4, 1986 - A jury found Hafdahl guilty of capital murder. April 5, 1986 - Following a separate punishment hearing, the court assessed Hafdahl's punishment at death. June 13, 1990 - Hafdahl's conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. December 17, 1990 - The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied rehearing. May 28, 1991 - The United States Supreme Court denied Hafdahl's petition for certiorari review. July 30, 1991 - Hafdahl filed an application for state writ of habeas corpus. June 1, 1994 - Habeas relief denied by the Court of Criminal Appeals in an unpublished order. May 22, 1995 - Hafdahl filed a third state habeas application, denied by Court of Criminal Appeals. May 25, 1995 - Hafdahl filed a petition for federal writ of habeas corpus in the district court. April 22, 1997 - Hafdahl filed an amended petition for writ of habeas corpus. December 17, 1999 - The district court denied habeas corpus relief and all discovery motions. March 14, 2000 - Hafdahl filed a motion for certificate of probable cause, denied by District Court. August 23, 2000 - U.S. Court of Appeals for Fifth Circuit granted certificate of appealability. May 15, 2001 - After briefing and oral argument, the Fifth Circuit denied Hafdahl's requested relief. June 20, 2001 - The Fifth Circuit denied rehearing. September 18, 2001- Hafdahl filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court. November 26, 2001- The United States Supreme Court denied Hafdahl's petition for writ of certiorari.
PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY Hafdahl was arrested on charges of aggravated kidnapping and spent seven days in jail in Grand Prairie, Texas. Hafdahl was never convicted on these charges. In 1970, Hafdahl was arrested on charges of misdemeanor theft and shoplifting, in Houston, Texas. In 1975, in Tarrant County, Texas, Hafdahl received a probated sentence of 10 years for the delivery of LSD. In 1980, in Richardson, Texas, Hafdahl was arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon. According to the arresting officer, the charges were dismissed because Hafdahl could not be found.
By Karla Abernathy Thetford - Canyon News staff. "Sounds good to me," was Randall Wayne Hafdahl's response when he was told when his life would end. Hafdahl, also known as Jack Douglas Cone, was sentenced to die by lethal injection on Jan. 31, 2002 at 6 p.m. Hafdahl remained calm during the hearing Friday, showing little emotion as presiding judge David Gleason set the execution date. Hafdahl was found guilty of capital murder by a Randall County jury on April 7, 1986, and sentenced to death for the 1985 murder of Amarillo police officer Sgt. James Mitchell. On the night of Nov. 11, 1985, Mitchell approached a vehicle that had skidded off of the road. As he approached the vehicle, he was shot in the hand leaving him powerless, according to Ken Farren, an APD officer at the time of the shooting. Hafdahl opened fire again killing the officer. Farren said he was in the office when he got the call that an officer was down. At that moment a search was launched with the help of surrounding police departments to find the killer. After approximately eight hours Hafdahl and one of his accomplices were in custody. A third suspect was captured a short time later. Hafdahl has continued to appeal the court's decision over the last 16 years, but officials now believe he has run out of options. "Mr. Hafdahl's death is the only appropriate verdict in this case," District Attorney James Farren said. "I think he is finally out of options and on Jan. 31 justice will finally be done." That day will help to bring closure for Ken Farren and Mitchell's family. "The family has had 16 years of suffering…After 16 years, it is time for this to be over," Ken Farren said. Mitchell's wife and two daughters were present at the hearing, and did not wish to speak to the media. Ken Farren added that this was another bittersweet reminder of the danger law enforcement officials place themselves in everyday. "He (Mitchell) was dedicated to protect and serve the community," Farren said. "James Mitchell sacrificed everything. He died out there. Officers put their lives on the line everyday." Hafdahl was taken back to Huntsville where he will await his execution date. |