TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- An ex-Kansas detective accused of sexually assaulting Black women is dead, prosecutors said as his trial was set to begin Monday.
Prosecutors confirmed in court that Roger Golubski, 71, has died. They did not say how or when he died.
Golubski was charged with six felony counts of violating women's civil rights.
"His client 'was despondent about the media coverage,'" said Christopher Joseph, Golubski's attorney. He did not elaborate.
The Case Against Golubski
A white Kansas police detective accused of sexually assaulting Black women and girls and terrorizing those who tried to fight back did not appear for his trial Monday, prompting authorities to issue an arrest warrant.
Prosecutors say female residents of poor neighborhoods in Kansas City, Kansas, feared that if they crossed paths with Roger Golubski, he'd demand sexual favors and threaten to harm or jail their relatives.
"Our emotions are everywhere," said Laquanda Jacobs, herself freed from prison through the work of the Midwest Innocence Project.
Community Outrage
The case has outraged the community and deepened the historical distrust of law enforcement. About 50 people rallied outside the federal courthouse Monday morning in freezing temperatures to show their support for women who've said they were victimized by Golubski. They held signs that said, "Justice now!"
Lawsuits and Allegations
The trial is part of a string of lawsuits and criminal allegations leading the county prosecutor's office to reexamine cases Golubski worked on during his 35 years on the force. One double murder case investigated by him already resulted in an exoneration.
"Every time I turn around, I'm looking," said Jermeka Hobbs who filed a separate lawsuit against Golubski accusing him of grooming her to be one of "Golubski's girls."
A Veteran Detective Under Scrutiny
Fellow officers once revered Golubski for his ability to clear cases; he rose to captain before retiring in 2010. Now under house arrest undergoing kidney dialysis treatments three times a week limits his trial schedule.
"In public filings, the prosecution has acknowledged that the verdict will turn entirely on the accusers' credibility," stated Chris Joseph regarding some allegations being decades old.
A Pattern Of Abuse
"It's kind of like a boys will be boys type thing," described Max Seifert regarding tolerated misconduct within their department including complaints about soliciting prostitutes by informants and ex-wife reports against Golubski. Jim McCloskey noted: "Golubski had women 'at his mercy.'"