Man charged with killing Brooklyn police officer on bridge will act as his own attorney
A Madison County judge has granted the request of a man charged with hitting and killing a Brooklyn police officer with his car on the McKinley Bridge last year to act as his own attorney.
State’s Attorney Tom Haine’s office also has filed a formal notice that it will seek a mandatory sentence of natural life in prison for Caleb L. Campbell, 24, of Florissant, Missouri.
Two months ago, Campbell sent a letter to Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Maricle, according to court records. He expressed confidence that most of the charges against him would be dropped and told her he was “willing to take probation” with credit for time served.
“My children really need me home,” Campbell wrote in the neatly hand-printed letter. “I know this is something you may not be interested in and if you want to continue to trial that’s fine.
“I have a substantial amount of facts that will prove my innocence in trial, but I’m a reasonable person and I really do feel bad that the victims family have to suffer the lost of a loved one.”
Officer Brian Pierce Jr., 24, was struck and killed about 3 a.m. Aug. 4, 2021, on the bridge by a motorist in a 2009 red Dodge Charger being chased by Brooklyn police, according to investigators.
Pierce, who commuted 100 miles from Carbondale to his job in Brooklyn, was trying to set up spike strips to stop the speeding vehicle, which was later found abandoned in Missouri.
An amended grand-jury indictment charges Campbell with five felonies, including first-degree murder; failure to report an accident involving personal injury or death; reckless homicide; failure to stop after having an accident involving personal injury or death; and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.
On Oct. 17, Haine’s office filed a notice of intention to seek a mandatory natural life sentence, basing it on the fact that Pierce was a police officer killed while performing official duties.
“The law provides for mandatory life in this circumstance, and we intend to seek that penalty,” Haine said in an emailed statement.
“Taking the life of a police officer must be punished with the stiffest possible penalties. Our police put their lives on the line every day for all of us. We are honored to serve with these heroes every day.”
Edwardsville attorney Robert Bas represented Campbell until June, when he withdrew from the case, according to court records. Madison County Public Defender Mary Copeland’s office took over.
Campbell, whose middle name is “Lawyer,” filed a motion to act as his own attorney in September. Associate Judge Neil Schroeder granted his request on Oct. 18.
“After extensive admonishment and inquiry, the Court finds that the defendant possesses the requisite mental capacity to act as his own attorney,” the order stated.
“The defendant understands the nature of the charges against him, the possible penalties for those charges, and that he has the right to private or appointed counsel.”
Representing himself, Campbell asked for a hearing on motions for furlough, recognizance, dismissal of the indictment and standby counsel. It’s scheduled for Nov. 21 with a trial expected in December.
Campbell has no prior criminal record in Madison County or St. Clair County. In St. Louis County, he was sentenced to probation in 2016 after being charged with marijuana possession, unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest, according to John O’Sullivan, spokesman for the 21st Judicial Circuit Court.
Campbell is now being held at the Madison County Jail on a $2 million bond. Here is the full text of his Aug. 30 hand-printed letter to Maricle:
“Dear Ms. Miracle,
“Hope that you are having a blessed day. I was viewing my discovery and looking into the charges I was charged with. I know for a fact that most of them will be dismissed during trial. I don’t know if you looked into the situation at all.
“But the reason for this letter is to tell you that im willing to take probation. My children really need me home. I know this is something that you may not be interested in and if you want to continue to trial that’s fine. I have a substantial amount of facts that will prove my innocence in trial but im a reasonable person and I really do feel bad that the victims family have to suffer the lost of a loved one. If the state is willing to give me probation with the time Ive spent incarserated counted towards the term of probation im willing to take it. If not I will be seeing you in trial to show that im innocent.
“Thanks for reading my letter. hopefully I hear a response.
“Sincerely, Caleb Campbell.”
In recent weeks, national attention has focused on a Wisconsin trial involving a man charged with killing six people by driving his SUV through a Christmas parade last year. Darrell Brooks represented himself. A jury found him guilty of six counts of intentional homicide on Wednesday.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
