BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[robertson]](/editions/1998/09/17/robertson_150x180.jpg)
Shawnta Robertson is escorted into court Wednesday.
(Patrick Reddy photo)
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COVINGTON -- One day after a Covington police officer's name was engraved on the Northern Kentucky Police Memorial, jurors began hearing the case against the man Officer Michael Partin was chasing when he fell to his death.
At issue is whether Shawnta Robertson, 21, "wantonly engaged in conduct" in the early morning of Jan. 4 that resulted in the death of the 15-month Covington police officer.
The Avondale man whom police were chasing when Officer Partin fell 100 feet into the freezing waters of the Ohio River is on trial in Kenton Circuit Court on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. The case inspired Kentucky's Partin law, which makes fleeing from police a felony in some cases.
"Being a police officer is not a profession for procrastinators," Kenton Commonwealth Attorney Don Buring said in his opening statementWednesday. "It's a situation of reaction. Reaction in this instance, is based solely on the conduct of Shawnta Robertson."
Mr. Robertson's lawyer, Ken Lawson, argued that it was Officer Partin's conduct, not his client's, that caused the officer's death.
"This is a tragic case, no doubt about it," he said. "Mrs. Partin has lost her husband. Covington has lost a good officer . . . the question is, did Shawnta's conduct cause (Officer Partin) to get out of the car, and not look before he leaped?"
This morning, jurors will visit the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, where Officer Partin, 25, fell to his death after he tried to jump to a sidewalk where an officer was struggling with the suspect. Officer Partin fell through an open space on the bridge.
Mr. Buring said the evidence will show that Officer Partin joined the pursuit of Mr. Robertson after another officer stopped the defendant near a Covington nightspot, on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Mr. Robertson fled from police, Mr. Buring said.
Mr. Lawson has argued that Kentucky's manslaughter law should not apply in his client's case because Mr. Robertson could not have known as he ran from police that his conduct could constitute manslaughter. However, Mr. Buring said the evidence will prove otherwise. Assistant Covington Police Chief Bill Dorsey said Wednesday he supported Mr. Buring's decision to charge Mr. Robertson with manslaughter. He pledged that Covington police "will serve as Michael's representative and voice, as (they) approach the court in search of justice."
Lisa Partin, the officer's widow, said she will accept the jury's decision, whatever it may be.
She added: "No matter what the outcome of this trial, I don't feel there ever will be enough justice served for Michael dying. Shawnta will go home one day. Michael won't."
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