N.J. Cop Demoted: Left Scene Where Another Police Officer Shot, Killed Ex-Wife

A New Jersey police officer was demoted after leaving the scene where another cop shot and killed his ex-wife, authorities said.

The Asbury Park officer has been demoted after leaving the scene of a shooting to drive a 7-year-old girl to police headquarters after the girl witnessed her father, a cop, kill her mother, according to The Associated Press.

Asbury Park city manager Michael Capabianco this week upheld charges of incompetency, neglect of duty and three other counts against Capt. Marshawn Love, who was demoted to sergeant and suspended for 120 days. He shouldn’t have left the scene and should have taken command as the senior-most officer, authorities were quoted as saying in the report.

The charges stem from June 2015, when Neptune police Sgt. Philip Seidlechased his ex-wife, Tamara, through the streets of Asbury Park and then gunned her down. Love responded to the scene but soon left with the Seidles’ daughter, and now says he wasn’t the commanding officer there, according to the report.

Love's attorney, Richard Incremona, told nj.com that the decision will be appealed, saying: "We are clearly disappointed in the conclusions of the city, especially as they are not supported by the facts adduced at the hearing ... The testimony and proofs offered, such as they were, lacked true substance and were exposed as such when challenged."

Incremona said "Love helped save a little girl from harm during an unprecedented and harrowing incident," according to nj.com. "He should be lauded, not vilified. He has no record of wrongdoing but is facing severe punishment unjustly."

Responding police officers were too far away from Phillip Seidle to use lethal force against him when he shot and killed his ex-wife last year, Monmouth County Prosecutor Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said at a press conference earlier this year.

They couldn't take him down when they got closer because he was threatening to kill himself with a gun held to his head, according to a report on app.com.

Officers can't use lethal force against someone threatening suicide, he said in the report. "You can't just summarily execute somebody because they might have killed somebody earlier on," he said.

Patch file photo