Kentucky Troopers kill man defending his pot plants.
Aug 10, 1993
   
Mt Vernon, Ky (AP) A man who vowed to die before he would let police cut down
his marijuana plants was shot to death after a daylong standoff, authorities
said.
  
The standoff with Gary Shepherd, 45, began Sunday after members of the
governorUs Marijuana Task Force, conducting an aerial search, spotted about 55
plants in the back yard of a home near Mt Vernon.
  
Troopers landed a helicopter and told Shepherd they were going to cut down the
plants, said Trooper Gilbert Acciardo, a state police spokesman.  Shepherd went
into his home and came out with a rifle, Acciardo said.
   
A special response team showed up and found Shepherd sitting in a lawn chair,
holding the rifle.
  
"He was pretty much sitting there, probably about six or seven hours," said
Rockcastle County Deputy Sheriff Darrell Doan.  "He didnUt talk to us at all."
   
Shepherd was shot several times in the head and chest as he raised his rifle
toward the Troopers, authorities said.  But Mary Jane Jones, 42, who lived with
Shepherd and their Young Son, said he never pointed the gun at anybody, and
that state police made no serious effort to negotiate with him.
   
A state police statement issues yesterday said Shepherd told police the would
"have to kill me"  to get at his marijuana.
   
Jones said Shepherd had deep convictions about marijuana use and wanted to
discuss those with the police.  Jones was standing on the porch of their home
during the shooting and was grazed by a bullet.
   
State police Capt. Rodney Brewer said the two officers involved in the shooting
have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation.
   
EDITORIAL GREENLEAF NEWS Vol #IV #3
    
by John Birrenbach
Aug 30, 1993
   
This issue is dedicated to Gary Shepherd who was killed at the hands of
Narco-Terrorists on Sunday Aug 8th, 1993
There are a few things that need to be added about the murder of Gary that were
omitted from the AP story.  
First is, that Gary apparently waved the first hoovering helicopter down when
he noticed them, they had a short conversation and then the copter left to
return later in larger numbers.  Also he was unarmed for 6 hours of the "6-7
hour standoff".  When he was killed he was coming down the road to the fence in
response to requests to open a dialog with the police.  His 12 ga shotgun, not
rifle as AP reported, was held, by the end of the barrel, pointing up in a
vertical position when they launched smoke grenades and open fired.
The second and most glaring fact that the AP story missed was the this;  Gary
was a Disabled Vet. who had lost one of his arms during the Vietnam War.  This
man only had one arm with which to, as they would have you believe, "take out"
a military swat team.
The family of Gary Shepherd needs our support.  They have lost their means of
support.  Fortunately the people of Kentucky are strong stock, and they are not
taking this laying down.  The people of Rockcastle County are outraged at this
and have mobilized with the assistance of Gatewood Galbraith.  On Sept 18, 1993
the people of Rockcastle County KY are having a Protest Service in GaryUs
honor.  If you can not attend please send them a letter of support.  You can
send your letter to The Shepherd Jones Family, Rt#3 Box 460, Broadhead KY 
40409.