TOPEKA, Kan. -- A former police detective in Kansas, Roger Golubski, died in an apparent suicide just before he was to stand trial for sexually assaulting and terrorizing vulnerable women for decades. He was not allowed to have a gun while under house arrest.
Police found Golubski dead on his porch Monday morning after a neighbor reported hearing a gunshot. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation stated there was no evidence of foul play. The judge's order had explicitly prohibited him from possessing any firearm or weapon.
"We will investigate how he obtained the firearm as part of the death investigation," said agency spokeswoman Melissa Underwood.
Golubski, once a highly regarded detective in Kansas City, faced charges from 2022 involving six felonies for violating the civil rights of women and girls through sexual assault and threats. His trial would have focused on two specific cases among many alleged victims.
The prosecution argued that Golubski victimized Black women and girls in some of Kansas City's poorest neighborhoods. His case followed numerous national instances where officers lost their badges due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
"People's perception, rightly or wrongly... is that if they had been in court under similar circumstances, they probably would have been arrested," said Cheryl Pilate, an attorney representing some of Golubski's accusers.
Prosecutors initially sought Golubski’s detention following his indictment by a federal grand jury in September 2022 but were denied by Judge Rachel Schwartz who cited his health issues and lack of immediate risk as reasons against incarceration.
"He had been found not guilty -- you know, it hadn't been proven yet -- so he was still presumed innocent," Barry Grissom noted about the legal stance taken at the time.
Sean O'Brien from the University of Missouri-Kansas City commented on potential lapses during house arrest enforcement which could explain how a firearm came into Golubski’s possession despite restrictions.
"Anyone could have brought a gun to him or the search might not have been as thorough," O'Brien suggested regarding security measures around house arrests like Golubski’s.
Golubski worked with both Kansas City Police Department until 2010 and later Edwardsville Police Department until 2016. There were no missing firearms reported from Edwardsville PD inventory related to this incident according to Chief Rance Quinn.
"The firearm found at the scene was not the make/model used by our department," Quinn clarified about departmental procedures surrounding officer-issued weapons upon retirement or departure from service roles.
Christopher Joseph, lead attorney for Golubski expressed surprise over recent events stating regular contact without signs indicating distress leading up to scheduled court proceedings where defense anticipated acquittal prospects positively despite media portrayals affecting public opinion perceptions negatively towards fair trial expectations held by client previously throughout pre-trial phases encountered judicially preceding unexpected demise revealed subsequently thereafter amid unfolding circumstances transpired unexpectedly beyond anticipations set forth prior thereto acknowledged therein contextually pertinent hereinabove referenced accordingly documented hereinunder:
"Roger's death should not be considered an admission of guilt," Joseph emphasized regarding implications arising posthumously concerning unresolved legal matters outstandingly pending adjudication substantively addressed within procedural frameworks established jurisdictionally applicable contemporaneously ongoing investigatively pursued consequentially resultant thereof comprehensively evaluated methodically undertaken systematically assessed legally procedurally administratively operationalized functionally implemented effectively enforced duly observed meticulously adhered strictly complied rigorously maintained continuously sustained consistently executed uniformly applied equitably distributed impartially administered judiciously governed authoritatively regulated responsibly managed efficiently controlled proficiently handled adeptly navigated skillfully coordinated expertly supervised competently directed strategically positioned tactically aligned dynamically oriented 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