Tuffree Jurors Read Letter Outlining Police Harassment Allegations

As prosecutors began winding down their case, jurors in the Daniel Allan Tuffree murder trial silently read copies of a rambling 10-page letter that Tuffree sent to Sen. Dianne Feinstein complaining about police harassment.

The letter, originally written in Tuffree’s hand but retyped for the jury, was among a stack of personal papers seized by police last year after the fatal shooting of Simi Valley Police Officer Michael Clark.

Tuffree is charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of Clark. The 49-year-old former schoolteacher also faces charges of armed assault and attempted murder for allegedly firing at another officer.

Police were sent to Tuffree’s home Aug. 4, 1995, to check his well-being after reports that he had been taking Valium and drinking alcohol and was possibly suicidal.

For the first time during the four-week trial, jurors had an opportunity to learn in Tuffree’s own words about his relations with the Simi Valley Police Department.

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Showing little or no facial expressions, the 16 jurors quietly read Tuffree’s detailed letter as the gray-haired defendant sat motionless.

In the letter, Tuffree asks Feinstein to launch an investigation into what he describes as police harassment and stalking after a 1992 incident in which shots were fired in his Simi Valley neighborhood.

Tuffree complains in the letter that during the investigation, police ransacked his house, confiscated his handgun, peppered him with questions and then taunted him about his mental health during a phone call.

Later in the letter, Tuffree criticizes the police for immediately failing to follow up on his reports of a vandalism in his neighborhood. When police later arrived at his home, Tuffree says in the letter, he refused to answer the door and the officers left.

Tuffree also did not answer his door on Aug. 4, 1995, when police arrived to check his health, according to court testimony. Prosecutors say he shot Clark at close range with the same weapon police seized in 1992 and then returned. Tuffree’s attorneys say the officer shot first and Tuffree fired back in self-defense.

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During Tuesday’s testimony, Det. Robert C. Hopkins told the jury that Simi Valley police seized the letter in addition to a number of other personal papers Tuffree kept in files in his home.

Gun pamphlets, copies of penal code sections and state laws on firearms were among the other documents taken from the Tuffree house, Hopkins said.

The former social science teacher had one file titled “Glock” and another titled “gun” that contained information on weapons such as the .40-caliber Glock pistol that he owned, Hopkins said.

Earlier in the day, crime scene investigator Rebecca McConnell testified for a second time about evidence discovered in and around Tuffree’s home, such as blood stains and bullet holes.

Investigators also found evidence that Tuffree had been drinking prior to the shooting. An empty four-liter jug of wine was found on Tuffree’s kitchen table and another four-liter wine jug and five empty beer cans were discovered in the trash, McConnell said.

Police also seized 15 prescription bottles from the kitchen area and found 30 unopened beer cans and another wine jug in Tuffree’s refrigerator, McConnell said.

On cross-examination, McConnell acknowledged that investigators also found milk, fruit and other groceries.

Testimony is expected to continue today with Hopkins on the stand. Prosecutors said Tuesday that they expect to wrap up their case late today or early Thursday.