cannabisnews.com: Rohm's Stepfather Forgiving, but Not Forgetting










  Rohm's Stepfather Forgiving, but Not Forgetting

Posted by FoM on September 07, 2001 at 08:46:33 PT
By Lou Mumford, Tribune Staff Writer 
Source: South Bend Tribune  

John Livermore says he's able to forgive authorities after the death of his stepson. But he won't forget the circumstances of the Tuesday morning death of Rolland Rohm, 28, at Rainbow Farm Campground near Vandalia."I've found it in my heart to forgive you ... but I believe it was an outright killing ... " Livermore told Cass County Prosecutor Scott Teter at a news conference Thursday in the Edward Lowe Center for the Cass County Council on Aging.
A resident of Rogersville, Tenn., Livermore said that he and his wife, Gerry, plan to hire someone to conduct "a professional investigation'' into the shooting death of Rohm.They'll decide after the investigation is completed whether to take legal action, Livermore said.Rohm's death at 6:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday ended a five-day police standoff at the farm and campground at 59896 Pemberton Road.It began last Friday when Grover T. "Tom'' Crosslin, Rainbow Farm's 46-year-old owner, set fire to buildings on the property. That happened about an hour before he had a hearing on revoking his $150,000 bond for felony and misdemeanor charges for illegal drugs and firearms following his May arrest at Rainbow Farm.Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood said an anonymous telephone caller told them the fires had been deliberately set to lure authorities to the property for an ambush.Crosslin was shot to death Monday afternoon by one or more FBI agents, after he allegedly left the house and aimed a rifle at one of the agents.Early Tuesday, Rohm set fire to the farmhouse and exited the building, holding a weapon of his own. Police said he was shot after he, too, aimed a gun at police officers.Livermore is upset that authorities didn't notify Rohm that he and his wife were in the process of driving to Vandalia from Rogersville. Had Rohm known that was the case, Livermore said he might not have died as he did.Livermore also takes issue with law enforcement claims that Crosslin and Rohm intentionally burned buildings on the property."When it's gone, evidence is destroyed,'' Livermore said. "I can't believe the house was burned the way the FBI said it was.''He said he and his wife were angry, too, that they hadn't been able to visit their 13-year-old grandson. The son of Rolland Rohm was removed from the farm and campground and placed in foster care only a few weeks before the standoff.Friends and family members of Rohm and Crosslin said that action may have pushed the two over the edge."As painful for us as the death of our son is the fact we haven't been able to see our grandson,'' Livermore said. "We have the right to see our grandson.''The Livermores, who drove 12 hours from their Tennessee home to talk to their son, are seeking guardianship of their 13-year-old grandson, Robert.The Michigan Family Independence Agency took the boy after Rohm and Crosslin were arrested on multiple drug charges in May.Dori Leo, of the Kalamazoo-based law firm Vlachos and Vlachos, said that her colleague Nicholas Vlachos will represent the Livermores as they seek guardianship of Robert.Leo pointed out that the couple are the child's closest relatives. That, combined with showing that Robert would be in a positive home environment, should give the Livermores a strong case, she said.While the Livermores feel they have a strong case to get their grandson back, they feel that Cass County authorities' case against Rainbow Farm isn't strong at all.Although Teter showed a videotape filmed by an undercover police officer that showed festival visitors using illegal drugs, Livermore said the activity might not have been as widespread as indicated."I've been up there a dozen times (for festivals), and I've never seen drug use on the property,'' he said. "There were what, maybe 4,000 people there? And only a few were shown using drugs."This was like any other campground. They tried to take his (Crosslin's) livelihood away, his farm. People were trying to make a statement.''Despite his anger over the circumstances of his stepson's death, he said he knew he had to forgive Teter and other law enforcement officials."I've got to forgive him in my heart or I'm as bad as they are,'' he said.Tribune Staff Writer Ashley Lowery contributed to this report.Complete Title: Rohm's Stepfather Forgiving, but He's Not ForgettingSource: South Bend Tribune (IN)Author: Lou Mumford, Tribune Staff WriterPublished: September 07, 2001Copyright: 2001 South Bend TribuneContact: vop sbtinfo.comWebsite: http://www.southbendtribune.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Rainbow Farm Campgroundhttp://www.rainbowfarmcamp.com/ Tom Crosslin & Rolland Rohm Memorial http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/rb.htmMixed Feelings on Rainbow Farm, Crosslinhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10843.shtmlRainbow Ruins Shown To Media http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10842.shtml

Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help









  Post Comment