» READ MORE: Springfield man allegedly runs from traffic stop, leaves kids
At issue was whether Beller had cause to pull over driver Javian Harris, 28, in April 2017, information missing or misstated in his report about the incident and a camera he said he lost that contained photos from the stop. Those questions led O’Neill to dismiss the case against Harris.
“The court finds a significant lack of credibility regarding the testimony for the sole witness for the state,” O’Neill wrote.
Beller told this news outlet that he believes he did nothing wrong and said his resignation has nothing to do with the internal investigation. He stepped away because of the tragedy consistently witnessed by law enforcement officers, he said.
“I worked my (butt) off for the community and I took my job seriously and was as professional as I can be,” Beller said.
Beller, who worked for the sheriff’s office since 2006, submitted his resignation notice to Clark County Sheriff Deborah Burchett on June 6. That came after he was removed from road patrol and assigned to the jail for 120 days following the internal investigation.
Beller told this news outlet that the move was a voluntary reassignment, adding that it was the office’s expectation that he review his other cases to ensure they were ready to move forward in the legal system.
» READ MORE: Clark County sheriff’s ‘ghost’ unit targets drugs
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of Clark County by your side,” his resignation letter says. “Thank you for all you have done.”
This news outlet obtained his resignation letter and internal investigation documents via a public records request. The documents show the sheriff’s office opened its inquiry into how Beller handled the case after O’Neill filed the entry.
The sheriff’s office investigation didn’t find that Beller was being untruthful during his testimony, the documents show, but that he did violate three office policies and didn’t properly prepare to testify in the case.
Beller told this news outlet that he didn’t know he was going to testify until about three hours before he was due on the stand, which led to his lack of preparation.
Burchett said Beller left on good terms with the office but otherwise declined to comment.
About the Author