Jason Rivers
On May 10, 1999, Patrolman Lawrence Jupin of Westminster, MA, noticed an unusual individual dressed in camouflage (no, not me) walking along Route 31.
Naturally, as it was not hunting season and it was 12:15 am, Patrolman Jupin and Officer Ralph LeBlanc detained the man and requested his ID. Upon receiving it, he called the dispatcher to check for warrants. Then the shit hit the fan.
The man ran into a nearby wooded area, with Jupin following close behind. The suspect pulled a .357 Magnum handgun and pointed it in Jupin’s direction. Larry told him to drop his weapon. There was an exchange of fire and both men were wounded. Officer LeBlanc heard Jupin shout “I’m hit!”
Officer Jupin was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for his injuries. Soon after the incident Larry slipped into a coma.
He was checked in to Wachusett Manor in Gardner, Ma, where he remained in a semi-vegetative state until his passing on November 29, 2002.
I had the honor of visiting this local hero when I worked with therapy dogs that visited area nursing home. Larry Jupin at one time was close to 250 pounds of solid muscle, roughly around 6’4″. When I saw him, he was probably 125 pounds, soaking wet. He looked nothing like the cheerful patrolman we all knew and loved. His muscles were severely atrophied, his eyes were sunken back into his head. He was trapped inside a shrunken shell of himself. The only things he responded to were the dogs that came to visit.
Larry came down with pneumonia and passed away shortly after. He is survived by his parents.
His shooter, Jason Rivers, had run ins with Fitchburg police in the year prior. He had been charged with assault with intent to rape when he attacked his ex-girlfriend in his apartment building. He also had a conviction for an assault of a college professor.
Jason Rivers was due in court in May 1999 for a possible probation violation stemming from an additional altercation. He failed to appear for his probation violation hearing, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. It was that warrant that showed up when he was stopped by Officers Jupin and LeBlanc
Sadly, however, his shooter would not face trial for another ten years. Jason Rivers was found incompetent to stand trial and was incarcerated in Bridgewater State Hospital twice.
Jason Rivers is facing charges filed in 1999 of two counts of armed assault with intent to murder – one for an alleged attack on Jupin and the other for an alleged attack on LeBlanc – assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a handgun) and possession of gun on a person/in motor vehicle with no license, according to court records.
Rivers also faces a murder charge, which was filed in February 2003.
However, in February 2009, he was again found competent to stand trial. His trial was set to begin on April 21, 2009, but that trial date was postponed and a new date has not been set yet.
This case gained extra notoriety when the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that a homeowner can be sued for failing to secure a gun collection, if a gun from that collection is stolen and later used in a crime.
In 1983, Willis Rivers, father of Jason Rivers, moved into the home of his girlfriend, Sharon Kask. Willis Rivers was an avid hunter, and owned a gun collection of close to 30 legally registered firearms. They guns were stored in a homemade gun cabinet which could be easily opened by someone without a key to it’s lock. Jason Rivers Lived with the couple on and off up until the day of Officer Jupin’s murder, and also had a key to the house.
Lawrence Jupin’s mother, Joanne Jupin, sued Sharon Kask, arguing that failing to properly secure the .357 Magnum handgun in a home where a person lived who was known to be mentally unstable and violent was negligent, created a public nuisance and made Kask liable for damages. The Court agreed (read the Court’s decision here).
The Town of Westminster did everything they could to show their support for Officer Jupin. The town voted to cover many of Jupin’s medical expense through the years he was in a coma and they kept him as an officer in the department until his death. They also dedicated a stretch of Massachusetts State Route 31 in Jupin’s honor in November of 2003.
Does Jason Rivers Deserve Hell?
- Yes (83%, 285 Votes)
- No (17%, 58 Votes)
Total Voters: 343
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68 Comments »
I always appreciate a write up like this. Hits close to the heart. I have one brother that is 3 years younger than me and we were raised to be very close. I’m now 48 and he is 45. We talk on the phone at least once everyday. I love him like he is my child. He has also been in law enforcement for 25 years and works for the Dept of Homeland Defense on the side. I pray for him and all of the officers every day. Thank you for this…beautifully done!
Please Note: The family sued the HOMEOWNER, not the owner of the weapon. GOAL* lauded this as a huge victory for gun-owners all over the country.
*Gun Owner’s Action League
Homeowners insurance = deep pockets.
Now, how would this story have been written if the storage had been locked and Rivers had stabbed everyone to death to get the key ?
Good job, NavyCop! One question: how did you know he responded to the dogs?
He blinked and had a ghost of a smile. It was heartbreaking.
I have a few problems with some of this
1. The homeowner was NOT the gun owner. So if I am a landlord , might I be responsible for my tenants if they have a gun?????? As a former MA landlord I was shocked at how many things I was responsible for and yet coukd do NOTHING about. MA is a Fascist stae anyway.
2. How long will Justin Rivers be treated like a person with an “illness” rather than a criminal which he is?
While I am glad that the Town od Westminster did their best to take care of officer Jupin, it sounds like the Commonpoor of mASSacusetts is more intrested in the welfare of Justin Rivers. How typical of that state…. Why should govenor Patrick care for officer Jupin – its Rivers that is alive, it’s Rivers that can talk to people…
While CT is not a gem anymore either, to me MA sounds like the bow of the Titanic, while CT is a bit further back on the ship….
Knowing how Mass can be, the Grim Reaper will bring this POS to justice long before the Commonpoor does.
It also seems that in MA everyone else is guilty and presumed so except for the perp, who somehow, is more of a “victim of society’ than the victim of the crime is a victim!
Good write up. It highlights a how a system that became fucked up stays fucked up.
There have been so many write-ups where people fell though the cracks in many different states. I am shocked that you seeming bashed the state more than the criminal.
The story is great and it is such a relief that it was one that didn’t involve dead babies for once. It was nice to hear of the positive things that were done such as keeping him listed at an officer and taking care of many medical expenses.
Before you hiss back at me for my opinions, I do think this man should get equal to or greater punishment as the victim.
As much as I am disappointed in the states shortcomings I am also very proud of its many accomplishments. I simply don’t appreciate you making such generalized negative comments about a place that I consider home.
I grew up in MA and lived there for 27 years….. I still have family there.
There is a lot of good things to say about MA, but when focusing on some of its “progressive” politics, MA seems to be the leader with states like CT following.
Having worked for the gas company in Springfield I saw first hand how the politics took down a once great city…….. Entire blocks in Springfield were removed from the map due to gang violence and white people became afraid to go back to the neighborhood where they grew up. The city of Holyoke’s neighborhood The Flats burned to the ground a building at a time because the state made Western MA a welfare haven – even more so than the eastern part of the state – and I read that from the Valley Advocate.
There was edition wih an article about The Battleship – an apartment building that was one of Holyoke’s largest at one time. Working class people made it a neighborhood, welfare turned it into a series of disconnected buildings as bits and pieces of it sank.
Yes I was hard on the state, because the state is failing to do its job – bringing justice to he perp.
At this point the crime has already been done, but I will be hard on the state because it needs to be hard on the perp. If I want the perp to be punished, I as a citizen can not do it, but by lobbying members of government I could change the state’s policies such that justice could be done to the perp.
What a scumbag. Cop-killers are shit.
This line made me tear up a little: “The only things he responded to were the dogs that came to visit.” If my dogs ever mellow out a little, I’d love to use them as therapy dogs.
Good writeup, NavyCop.
Great write up NavyCop!
Even though I have worked in Mental Health for years, it always upsets me to see people with mental illness be held to a lesser standard. They may have problems BUT they almost always know what they are doing is wrong. Way too many mentally Ill people learn they can get away with things because of their diagnosis!
That this creep ran away shows he knew he was in trouble; thus, he knew right from wrong. Unless he was so far gone into a delusion of some kind, he should absolutely be held the the same standard as anyone else.
RIP, Officer Jupin!
I have a couple of questions..
1. Why did they originally find Jason Rivers not competent enough to stand trail for murder?
2. Depending on the answer to question 1, how is anyone responsible other than Jason himself for what happened that night?
True, the “gun cabinet” was crudely built, and not as secure as it could have been, but Jason, his father, and his father’s girlfriend were adults living in a house together.. There were no children present.. If Jason had serious mental/emotional problems, and needed to be supervised, I can see how the owner of the weapons would be responsible for making sure they were securely locked away, but it sounds as if Jason would have been smart enough to pick the lock on even a “good” gun cabinet..
It’s wrong and very tragic .. what happened to officer Jupin.. but there are things connected with this story that don’t sit right with me…
Cop killers are down there with pedophiles/child abusers in my opinion. Keeping the peace is as important as raising children correctly because they both help perpetuate society and keep it healthy.
I’m not saying this isn’t bad, killing someone is wrong full stop – however – I don’t believe killing a police officer is any worse than killing any other (innocent) person – THEY ARE BOTH AWFUL.
Sorry, this may also upset a few people – the widow suing the ‘Step Mum’ in regards to the gun cabinet is a bit of a joke….only in America hey.
I hear what you are saying Kiss My Aura and a murder of anyone is horrible. However, I feel that killing a Police Officer is even more upsetting.
A Police Officer is someone who is highly underpaid with huge levels of responsibilities. They are someone that is expected to perform perfectly at all time, have complete control of themselves and others, understand law abiding people and criminals behaviors and make a perfect assessment of that behavior in an instant.
They are continually being second guessed and analyzed by everyone. Yet, they continue to work to protect the very people that give them so much grief. They are a pretty selfless group of people that are constantly under attack.
So, I have immense respect for the Police and feel that with everything they give to our community, they are a special class of citizen. Thus, I am much more upset to hear of one a Police Officer being murdered–just like I am when it is a child having been murdered–than when it is a ‘regular’ citizen.
KMA – I agree with you if you are looking solely at the fact that a life was lost. However I disagree in principle for the following reasons:
1) Police officers are (and should be) held to a different standard than normal citizens. This is absolutely necessary, since they are tasked with upholding the law. This standard is the same reason that they should be punished harder than a normal citizen for breaking laws.
2) Law enforcement in general, must be respected by our society at large. So long as people are not required to respect authority, authority means nothing. So, while the officer as a person may not be more valuable than a normal citizen, his position actually does put him in a different category.
3) Because officers are the ones who must respond to all criminal complaints and thus are more likely to run into violent criminal offenders than most people, there has to be some added protection to keep them safe. This is why they are armed and able to carry weapons in places where average citizens can’t. One of the potential protections that we can offer them is to make it well known that a cop-killer will suffer even harsher penalties than a normal killer. And then to consistently enforce that rule.
Just as an exercise, ask yourself this: Should a man who shoots the president be treated differently than a man who shoots his ex-wife? I am sure you would say.. “well.. yes”. There are all kinds of underlying reasons for that feeling. Though the underlying reasons are different than the killing of a cop, it will give you some food for thought.
Anyway, the issue really depends on how you approach it. The life of a single person is no more or less valuable than that of another. But sometimes, we do have to assign more value to the MURDER of people in certain status, occupations or other factors, than we do to other murders. And killing a cop is one of those times.
That last paragraph was not as clear as I would have liked.. let me try again.
What I am saying is that there are two ways to look at the murder. You can look at the person who was killed, or you can look at the person who committed the murder.
If you look at the victim, then a death is a death. We don’t normally “rate” the value of a victims life if they are innocent. We may say “good riddance” when a criminal is killed, but whether the victim is a cop, a priest, a prostitute or a child, the murder is horrible.
If you look at it from the other perspective though – who the murderer chose to kill – that DOES make a difference. People who kill cops generally will not hesitate to kill anyone. The same is true of anyone who would kill a vulnerable person like a child or a senior citizen. They are much bigger dangers to the community at large than a person who gets pissed and kills their cheating spouse.
OK – not sure if that cleared it up or not.. but I think it helped =P
It was Larry’s parents that sued the homeowner. Larry was our most eligible bachelor.
As far as a life goes, police officers and law abiding citizens are of equal value, but I would also add to the category of police officers fire(wo)men, and every day heros.
9/11 – There were perps, victims and heroes. Not everyone that died in the towers were heroes – many were just unlucky victims. The difference bewteen heros and victims for the people inside the towers, to me, is a victim took care of themself only, while a hero did something that benefitted someone else. Something simple as saying “Come on lets leave – I’ll buy a coffee at the Starbucks in Financial Center while we wait for he all clear…” to the person that carved the walls of the elevator shaft into he restroom rather han die in a stuck elevatorr.
While many people ran FROM the towers, others were running TO the towers. Some made a diifference, others hekp others make a difference and others were waiting to get involved.
We need to protect those who are willing to look out for others, we need to realize that heroes and good samaritans are not perfect, but that these people could have stood by as witnesses, but chose to get involved instead.
Fred, I absolutely agree with your definition of Hero. Great explanation!
Thank You.
Having been to Ground Zero (former site of the World Trade Center NYC) I grow tired of the talk that everyone in the Towers were heroes.
Such is simply not so.
I do not like to see victims called heroes because it really devaluates the term and ultimately he level of esteem that real heroes receive.
There are about 870,000 uniformed police officers in the United States. There are about 700,000 doctors. There are about 1.2 million lawyers. There are only about 600,000 scientists and Engineers.
Add all of those groups together and you get 1% of the American population. 1 out of every 100 people you could meet on an average day are a doctor, a lawyer, a Scientist, or a police officer.
In my mind, it boils down to an examination of life. If there were 100 people on an Island, and only one of them could fish, but that one person could fish to support everybody else, and then that one person gets lost, along with his boat and his nets, the entire community is going to hurt a little.
A police officer isn’t worth more as a life, but he or she is missed. The addition to society is important. The job they do affects a grossly disproportionate number of lives.
Thanks for the stats.
I agree – lives have equal value, but some positions in society need more resources….. like respect.
I failed to mention that 1 out of every 100 Americans is in jail, thanks in no small part to the less than a percent of those who are Police Officers. The bad guys outnumber and out gun the good guys by a factor greater than 3 to 1, but those who respect the uniform they wear and the skin they’re born with, tend to do fairly well. I don’t doubt this officer was one of those.
I hate speeding tickets, so I’ve reduced my speed. I hate parking tickets, so I pay for my parking. There are some bad police officers out there, but there are also some good ones.
It’s a small town, Jason, but as in all places, most of the guys try their best to be fair. There are two or three that are assholes, but Larry wasn’t one of them. He was a real good guy.
Good read.
Hey guys. It hurts everyday to see Larry’s memorial near the little league field. He was a man that everyone loved and respected. A gentle giant. I’m glad people are trying to keep to the issue at hand. How and why was Justin able to gain access to the weapons? The guys down at the Police Department still feel as though they should have done something, even though there was nothing they could do. RIP Larry, we still love you, and you left a big hole in our hearts.
findagrave memorial for Lawrence Jupin:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=jupin&GSfn=lawrence&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=19016591&
I pray to those whose families who fall victims of a gunman.. There was a terrible tragedy in Seminole Oklahoma yesterday which involved two sheriff deputies. They were fatally shot by a man named Ezekiel Holbert. The deputies were called by the suspects mother because the suspect wasn’t welcome in her home. The suspect (Ezekiel) had a warrant for a domestic violence. The deputies were Chase Whitebird 23 and Marvin Williams 42 or 43. Chase was shot between the eyes and Marvin was shot in the back several times as he was running for cover. I saw a video with Ezekiel being taken to the court house. He had a big grin and was laughing about all of this. Seriously?? He was then transferred to Pottowatomie County Jail for his own safety.. Who cares about his safety.
This is a shock to me as well as the community in Seminole. My heart goes out to all those involved and to the families and friends of Robbie Chase Whitebird and Marvin Williams. They were great men.
I was watching Forensic Files yesterday and there was this guy who murdered and raped ten women saying how sorry he was and how he destroyed all those familys and lives and did not even know why… I was watching his mouth while he was speaking and it was on the margin of a grin, I could tell he was trying not to grin or chuckle, there was no remorse at all.
And one of the worse things is this jerk had little kids of his own whose lives were destroyed by what he did. You would think he would give a damn about them.
may he rest in peace. i hope justin rotts in hell
What a terrible loss of someone who sounds like he was a great man, a great son, a great friend, and a great officer! NavyCop….this was a very lovely tribute to Officer Larry Jupin and you did a wonderful job writing this piece. Sorry I haven’t been around to comment before now, but I have been busy making civil war ballgowns, corsets, and showgirl costumes for several upcoming shows. As far as Justin Rivers is concerned, it’s really screwed up that he has still not been brought to justice. I hope he never has a moment of peace in his miserable little fucked up life!
What hurt the most was visiting him in the nursing home. They had a picture of him when he was buff above his bed, and the difference was just staggering, you know? The first time I saw him, I had to go out for air.
Justin will be brought to justice some way. He killed a cop for crying out loud! It’s just that he was found unstable 2x. I am convinced he will be found guilty. After all, Officer LeBlanc is supposed to testify. I think what Ralphie has to say will put Justin away for a long, long time
I know that had to be hard for you to see your friend in this condition. I’ll admit when I first read the story I started crying when you said that the only thing he responded to was the dogs that came to visit. That is just so fucking heartbreaking…..fuck, I want to kill this little scumbag Justin Rivers myself!!
You know what really pissed me off about this tragedy was the fact that you could clearly see that Justin Rivers had a violent criminal history, but he was still out roaming freely among the rest of society. I know that the justice system is not a fortune teller, but in some cases you can clearly see that a person is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
There are many examples in history of this nature (one I can think of right off of the bat is William Merritt) where violent offenders have committed numerous crimes that could have easily been prevented. These crimes could have been prevented if these violent offenders were actually made to serve their entire sentences, not cut deals for reduced time, plead out to lesser charges, receive gain time towards reduction in their prison sentences, etc….etc….etc. I know that prisons are already busting at the seams with prisoners, but that is a result of the war on drugs. I think violent drug offenders do need to be locked up, but there is something wrong with our system when people are being locked up longer for drug possession or pirating DVD’s than child molesters and rapists. But alas, that is a whole other discussion that deserves attention, but not in this thread. This thread is to remember the loss of a great man……Officer Lawrence Jupin. This thread is also a way of letting the public know about the loss of such a wonderful person at the hands of a violent offender…..the scumbag known as Justin Rivers!
To the family and friends of Officer Jupin, I am so sorry for your loss of this great man and great officer. The world suffered the day we lost a man as great as Officer Jupin. Rest In Peace Officer Lawrence Jupin!!
*sobbing* Thanks, Corset.
It’s been a while since I’ve checked this site; I always try to make some tribute to a fallen brother.
“The Final Inspection”
The policeman stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.
“Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My church have you been true?”
The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
“No, Lord, I guess I ain’t,
Because those of us who carry badges
can’t always be a saint.
I’ve had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I’ve been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.
But I never took a penny,
That wasn’t mine to keep….
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I’ve wept unmanly tears.
I know I don’t deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.
If you’ve a place for me here,
Lord, It needn’t be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t…..I’ll understand.
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
“Step forward now, policeman,
You’ve borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in hell.”
Goodbye Jupin; you did us proud.
While this shooting was clearly despicable and tragic, I don’t believe Jason Rivers necessarily deserves Hell. Indeed, the votes — which on PYSIH are oftentimes 98-99% in favor of Hell — are more forgiving in this case, indicating that I’m not the only one who feels this way.
In my mind, there is a marked difference between an armed man shooting at an armed police officer while trying to escape justice, and the slaughter of your own family (Vincent Brothers) or the insidious rape and torture of children (various).
The police officer was in the right and only doing his duty; the criminal was in the wrong, and his crime was terrible. But I don’t believe it was an irredeemable crime in the eyes of God.
As the saying goes, if the King David can be forgiven by God for his terrible crimes, so can this fellow.
Being forgiven by his fellow man is a different story altogether.
You do realize that the whole “sending people to hell” thing is for entertainment purposes only… right?
….that being said I guess I can start my rampage slashing spree right about now
Hey ,
Just to point out the title says Justin Rivers and the story says Jason Rivers .
Oh wow, how did I miss that? That’s an awful mistake on my part. Thanks for pointing it out sam, I’ll fix it right away.
The Justin versus Jason battle continues
What did you say, Justin ?
No problem there seems to be a surplus of hellbound justins
Which is a shame !
Its a nice name .
LoL, that true man. We do have more than our fair share of Justins who are members of the PYSIH hall of shame. On the other hand, we have a regular named Jason who is one of the coolest people I know. Maybe I should just change this guy’s name to Steve (my name).
Max, you fixed the wrong name :) It is supposed to be Justin Rivers.
And there I go again, being stupid, lol
Let me just start by saying I happen to know Jason Rivers personally. And Hell is not where he is going or belongs. I understand the frustration of the situation as a police officer was killed in the line of duty, but the above story is not completely accurate. And since the author of the story seems to be former military lets start with that part of story. Jason served his country right after high school. He was over in Haiti and Somalia as a scout for an infantry platoon. He had an exceptional record until right after his return from Somalia. He was diagnosed with PSTD and separated from the ARMY after going AWOL and turning himself in with in the 30 days. He was not given any treatment for this illness and was over looked by a system that should have taken care of him.
This is not some street criminal who was ever in trouble with the law prior to his separation. This is a person who suffers from a debilitating mental illness that went undiagnosed and treated for years. And as far as his list of previous crimes, there is no denying that he and a girl with whom he was associated had an argument in his apartment, and assault maybe but intent to rape? Then why didn’t he follow through. No one was there but the two of them. His alleged attack on his college professor, there was no assault charges filed, it was a verbal altercation and Jason was committed to Haywood Hospital for observation, for what you ask , because his professor believed Jason was hearing voices and mentally unstable. For which he was dropped from the school and not allowed back on grounds. Why wasn’t he helped then? And as far as the warrant for which the officer’s Leblanc and Jupin ran and found for him, that was filed incorrectly by the Fitchburg police against him instead of the person who assaulted him. Since you Navy Cop seem so aware of what happened that night, lets talk about how Jason was sat on the guard rail and was frisked and the officer took away the knife that was on him that Jason gave to him freely. Why didn’t they check his back pack? Sounds as if someone didn’t do there job correctly. I could say a whole bunch more but why embarrass the local police force and your journalism skills. So before you go throwing words around wishing someone to hell, why don’t you try to see the tragedy in all that has happened. Officer Jupin’s family lost a son, a husband, a father. Jason’s family has felt this pain too. He will have to face the consequences everyday of his life; he will have to suffer the pain of being responsible for Larry Jupin’s death. And yes he does feel pain. He is not a monster or an animal and every year as his mental illness is treated and he continues to be more coherent, this pain grows. He will never be free emotionally from this, even if he is released. But who are you to portray him as a hardened criminal with no remorse. And P.S. since you are deciding to use god as a factor in your judgment, maybe you should try reading the bible and taking some of its spiritual advice to heart. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
If you kill a cop who is performing his sworn duty, you’re a cop killer. That makes you a criminal. Criminals in prison who hear you’re a cop killer think of you as pretty darned hardened.
I am sorry he suffers from PTSD. That doesn’t vindicate him, or take away the pain and suffering of Officer Jupin’s family and friends. You know damn well that life shouldn’t work that way – one mans problems shouldn’t translate to an entire families agony, especially if that family is not his own. We can’t be ‘fair’ to Jason at the expense of his victims. Jason’s version of justice can’t outweigh justice for Officer Jupin and his family and friends.
As to your ‘Do not judge’ stuff, that’s been extensively covered on PYSIH already. Some of us choose to judge because we were given brains that were ‘created’ to do just that, if you believe in the Christian Bible.
You write as uneducated as you sound. Psychiatrists have classified Rivers as schizophrenic, psychotic and deluded in their evaluations. not 1 , not 2 but many. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He may have killed a police officer but it was not intentional or with malice. This was not preplanned. Your brain that was created to judge thankfully is not sitting behind a bench or voted into public office. Have a nice day and try to not let yourself fill up with so much hate. And i hope you don’t have anything like this ever happen in your life. We are all victims of crimes like this, because there is not enough support out there for people with true mental illness prior to incidents as this happening.
Hmmm…
“You write as uneducated as you sound.”
“Have a nice day and try to not let yourself fill up with so much hate.”
And then you quote:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Religious hypocrisy is the mark of a person who thinks for himself!
You obviously haven’t read this site or any of the comments in any other articles, so you have less to go on when you judge me than when I judge your buddy Jason. Good job!
Do you think most cop killers pre-plan their murders? The REASONS behind what he did don’t change the fact that he is a cop killer. He killed a cop. That makes him a cop killer. That makes many of us angry at him. Deal with it, Kholl, but don’t start flapping your arms around like a headless chicken and getting pissy at people who are angry at him for killing a cop. That’s ridiculous. And here I am, ridiculing you. See how that works?
People like you who post on here with all guns blazing, and then turn on the first person to give them a calm, opposing response are only looking for someone to flair up at. Looks to me like you need some anger management. Go get therapy. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack.
Where the hell are you from!? Because if you ever decide to defend Rivers again, I will hunt you down. Larry Jupin was one of my best friends. He was a great example to follow. Justin Rivers is a worthless excuse for a human being who stole a friend, a son, a brother in arms from a small town. Fuck you and go back to the Dirty Burg where you belong. I swear on everything holy, if I ever find out who the fuck you are, you WILL regret it.
Sounds like your the real criminal. And I am not scared. I’m glad your true colors are showing through. Can you even read? I am sad for your loss and his families’. I admire anyone who is a police officer and I am not taking away from that at all. I was just telling you , your facts as stated above are wrong, and thoughtless and full of malice. Come and get me, I am not afraid of you or your words. And how can you be a police officer and have such a tongue. Your unstable. Don’t have a free forum to post opinions if you cant stand to hear the thoughts of others. And by the way, I am his sister. So it shouldn’t be to hard for you to look me up. So get your everything ” Holy” and come with it. Try honoring your friend by not causally using violence as an option as your above threat implies. But then this title is some what fitting ” People you see in hell” because I believe you probably will be there. Kisses
And naturally you would not read my apology, posted minutes after my hate filled vitriol.
And perhaps unstable is pushing it a bit too far. I do have anger management issues, however, thanks to the Navy, I am getting better. No, I am not the real criminal here and nope, I won’t be in hell. Although I may have an anger problem, I’m still on my way to the Spirit in the Sky. Perhaps this would be better settled in a non-combative location, such as I don’t know, Redemption Rock Church on 140 in westminster?
My true colors are the colors of passion, service, and protecting the defenseless.
And although I graduated from oakmont, yes, I can read.
Again, my apologies for my hate speech.
I’m sorry, his sister? According to what I have found, his father has three current relatives:
Jason Rivers
Neil C Rivers
Stephen Willis Rivers
Wow, now I need to have a chat with the Chief. His guys got a name wrong, but then again, so did the papers. Justin or Jason? Different sources have different names.
Max, I’m getting frustrated with the internet.
Yes, Jason has a sister people! I can vouch for it, went to HS with all of them, and they were all great kids! Shows that this site does not have all the facts.
I don’t get this website at all. It promotes nothing but anger. Each side lost big in this tragedy, and I don’t see how this website, that spews nothing but hate, is helping anything.
Jason was a good kid in HS, not evil. I heard that Jason went off to war and did not come back the same, and if he had some mental issues before he even went, then it is not surprise that war cracked his head like a nutshell. My own father, who is the strongest, most normal person I know, suffered from post traumatic stress disorder when he came back from Vietnam. It made even him do some crazy things.
We, the tax payers, can all blame ourselves for this situation because we DO NOT give our returning soldiers the MUCH NEEDED metal health they need when they return from the HELL they endure. We can’t just discharge them and expect they’ll cure themselves of their demons. We need to demand that the government give our soldiers the therapy they need and maybe situations like this could be adverted.
I am thankful for Officer Jupin’s service, and so sorry that this happened, but let’s remember that Jason served our country too, and probably saw some serious shit in Somalia and Haiti that would make any one of us go crazy.
If you want to serve the memory of officer Jupin, our veterans and their families, then write your congressman and demand more mental health for returning vets, and stop this cycle of hate. Unless you know Jason personaly, and have experienced war first hand, then
you have no right to judge him.
Look, kholl, I don’t claim to be a journalist. Oh and by the way I was diagnosed with ASD (Acute Stress Disorder) after an extremely traumatic event that I am not willing to go into at this juncture.
I will apologize for my threatening hate speech above ^. I am not usually like that, however since you think it is okay to verbally assault me, I responded in kind.
I want to address this sentence: “Since you Navy Cop seem so aware of what happened that night, lets talk about how Jason was sat on the guard rail and was frisked and the officer took away the knife that was on him that Jason gave to him freely. ”
How do you have this information? Did Justin give it to you? Yes, his name IS Justin. That’s precisely what it says in the police report.
That story hurt to write, so I gave my editor permission to fill it out with whatever facts he could dig up. So really, only about 60% of it is truly my own. But Max does an excellent job hunting up cold hard facts, so I am confident that it is indeed accurate.
Are you now going to pick on my visiting Larry with therapy dogs? That’s one fo the two reasons I wrote this story. The other reason is the pain Ralph Leblanc has gone through for the last several years. Ralph seems a little more serious than he used to be. He’s just not the same.
Look, it’s all well and good that you want to comment and defend Rivers. Fine, go ahead. Just try to respect the on going pain that Larry’s friends and family have to deal with. He left an enormous hole in our hearts that can NEVER be filled.
“And since the author of the story seems to be former military lets start with that part of story.”
By the way, I am CURRENT military, not former, and never will be former. I am in until I die or retire, whichever comes first. I have proudly served my country’s Navy Combat team with Honor, Courage, and Commitment for the last five years. I have been promoted five times thus far.
How come I haven’t gone AWOL? I’ve seen some horrifying things. A man raped by three women, for instance. They used a mercury thermometer to keep him erect, however, unfortunatly, it broke, leaving him sterile.
Suicides, child abuse, homicide, rape, and still I have not deserted my Navy.
No, the miltary is not for everyone. And yes, horrible things happen in the world, and even more horrible in conflict situations, but that is still no excuse. Do not use his mentality as an excuse.
He stole a firearm. He killed a young police officer. If he doesn’t deserve hell, what does he deserve? Please, answer that for me. Give me your honest opinion on that one question.
They found him competent. He will answer for his crimes.
Alright guys. Just got off the phone with the Westminster Police Department. Rivers was found not guilty by reason of insanity, however, it appears that the DA may be trying to appeal. I am calling him right now and I will let you all know.
Kholl, would you like to proofread any updates?
Just wondering.
Navy cop, I am truly sorry for your loss. I understand your frustration. But I stand on the fact that your story is not accurate. My brother’s name is Jason , not Justin. He was found not guilt by reason of insanity on 9/1/2009. He may never be released from Bridge water state hospital. I was not blaming the military for his schizophrenia, I am saying it started to show itself years prior. He was and when not medicated is truly sick. But he is not an evil person. The incidents you talked about above saying he was a criminal prior again I have explained and are not accurate. I read these comments people put on and I just wish they knew the whole story. All my others siblings and myself have all served and are still serving in the military. And none of us have ever taken this lightly as all of us have put are selves on the line to defend country. He is not getting away with anything. He is a schizophrenic. Look at the symptoms of the disease. I was afraid he would kill himself every day prior to the shooting, and after wished he had. And I am his flesh and blood. So if you want to talk about pain, trust me I am full of it for everyone involved. Your right he will answer for his crime, but if you are going to breed hate and contempt for him please be truthful and let the whole and accurate story be told.
Hi Jason’s sister – I’m the editor of this website, and I fact-check every story before it gets published. What that means is I was able to find a second, independent source, like court records or multiple newspaper articles, to verify everything NavyCop wrote in her story. I admit their was nothing to be found about the assault on Jason’s professor, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt based on the accuracy of everything else she’d ever submitted to me.
You’re asking me to change her entire story on your word alone. That’s not going to happen. You need to do what any of my writers would do – show me some proof, otherwise, the story stands as it is. It’s not that I’m unsympathetic to your plight, but if I changed every story to suit every disgruntled family member, I’d have no credibility at all. So the ball’s in your court now.
Wow, there is a lot of hate being slung. Everyone is a loser in this situation. It’s pretty obvious Jason has mental issues. Being part of the military for 20 years I can tell you first hand some people can’t handle the stress of military life and crack while serving or soon after they are discharged. This not an excuse but rather a fact. My experience with the Army is it does very little to cure mental illness. The Army’s cure is to discharge soldiers. Jason should be punished for his crime but his mental state should be a huge factor. Attacking posters on this site really doesn’t help.
There is, and I apologized for my hate. The Navy doesn’t do a whole heck of alot about stress problems either. It’s up to the individual to reach deep down inside himself/herself and find the strength to rise above his/her situation/circumstance.
The only thing they did for my anger management issues was give me a stress card and send me to group therapy. Gee, didn’t do much for me, I guess. I’ve got it mostly under control now, but that’s due to the fact that I made a concious decision to not succumb to my inner rage, although I do still have flare ups like the one a few comments up.
Jason Rivers has a severe case of Schizophrenia. As “bad” as he is, he is gravely ill and bat-shit crazy. Blame him as much as you blame a dog that mauls a child. Does the dog go to Hell?
If it was a dog, they’d have killed the dog. Jason Rivers remains a danger to anyone around him. His “insanity” doesn’t make him any less dangerous. I’ve been bitten multiple times by Brown recluse spiders. I kill brown recluse spiders on sight. Not because I think every single one will be a killer, but because the potential is always there. Jason should never see the light of day outside of a drug laced, chaperoned visit to a guarded day room where he can see some light. He’s forfeited his right to ever be released from custody.
It’s reasonable to hate someone or something that kills, even if it doesn’t kill with much sense or sensibility.
well yes, I agree he should probably be put down, just as you’d put down a dangerous animal.
Although its was a terrible outcome.
You all needs to stop bashing Mr. Rivers!!!
And start bashing the system called the va! Where Jason seeked help but was turned away! You all love the movie blackhawks down from you dam couch……well this cold insane killer as many above state was in Somalia protecting your fucking freedom, getting shot at by THOUSANDS
Of ten year olds with ak47s. Let’s not forget his time in for his country that in the end when he needed help its wasn’t there. ptsd is only now being addressed. A loss on both sides and sad on both sides.
1. I knew Jason as a student in my martial arts school.
2. Being a vet myself, and from an older generation, I point out that this country is only free by people doing their patriotic duty, and give of themselves to better the country. Jason did as many other students, and joined the military.
3. Jason came home, but not the old Jason. Something broke. I frequently see it in others at the VA, saw it in my friends coming back from Nam, and am wondering how another will be when he finishes his combat tour (4th). He’s been blown up, and will undoubtedly be changed, by scars both inside and outside. I must keep him close when he returns to help him heal.
I’m not apologizing for Jason, just shedding some light on the path from whence he came.
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The trooper did not know the hiker he rousted. Because many people are crazy, I treat all people as if they were, and give them the space they need so I do not get hurt. An example is not “flipping a knuckleheaded” driver “the bird.” He may be packing heat.
The story I got was the trooper already had someone stopped, and was processing that person. When Jason came by (no pedestrians are allowed on Rte. ) the trooper grabbed him up and added him to the mix, again, not really knowing what he grabbed. Jason was apparently carrying weapons (I would at 1:15 AM in the middle of nowhere), and one of the weapons was a pistol, trained to use with taxpayers’ money in the US Army.
I’m not a lawyer or a psychologist, but a soldier’s 1st order when captured is to get away. Jason’s actions followed what he was trained to do pretty closely. The mental illness screwed him up and it all went south. Rather than Uncle Sam washing their hands of him and others like him, giving them the proper medical care is the better moral choice.
As much as Jason’s were horrifically wrong, I’m sure that the trooper’s actions were analyzed by his superiors and other internal investigators. I’d be very interested in what they uncovered and what they now recommend to other troopers when (not if) they encounter it themselves. I hope it makes its way into the Academy, because I learned that you’d better be 100% ready for anything if you “grab a passing dog by the ears.”
I pray for the souls of both.