Father facing charges in boy’s death
Police suspect another child shot 2-year-old; mother disputes authorities
A man is facing involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the death of a 2-year-old
Las Vegas boy who police say was shot by another child on Wednesday, county booking logs show.
The boy’s mother, Ashley Slack, confirmed Friday that her son, Messiah Logan, was killed in the shooting. But she said the man arrested, the boy’s father, is not responsible.
“Mike Logan did not harm Messiah,” she told the Las Vegas Review-journal.
Michael Logan, 26, was arrested Thursday on one count each of involuntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon and child abuse or neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm, jail records show. He also was charged with violating a prohibition on owning or possessing a gun.
He was taken into custody
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interview Friday.
Miller said that while he was on a 14-day mandatory “rest and relaxation” leave a sergeant emailed him to say “don’t bother coming back.” Miller could not recall who sent the email or provide a copy of it.
But Eric Owens, who was Miller’s platoon leader, said he was not notified of any injuries.
”I cannot recall an instance where he reported an injury to his leadership because we would have sent him to get checked out,” said Owens, who is now out of the Army and lives in Atlanta.
“He made no statement that he was injured. He just left us in Iraq during quite possibly one of the most difficult lives in our lives.”
Miller said he believed he was released from military duty until a December 2007 run-in with Los Angeles police — he can’t remember why — in which he was notified of his AWOL status. Miller was then sent to Ft. Sill, I’d rather be prosecuted by court-martial and have you force me out than quit. Oklahoma, and offered an opportunity to resign with an other-than-honorable discharge.
But Miller refused to resign and opted to instead face a court-martial in Germany.
“If I sign something saying I’m quitting, then I’m quitting,” Miller said. “I’d rather be prosecuted by court-martial and have you force me out than quit.”
Miller, who also pleaded guilty last year to impersonating a police officer, said he never again saw the soldiers he served with in Iraq. But they see him campaigning for Assembly and posting tributes to a fallen comrade. A
post on Memorial Day enraged those soldiers who said 16 lives were lost in Iraq while Miller was AWOL.
“It seemed he was trying to score political points off of someone who died for us,” said Kyle Spletter, a former Army specialist who now lives in Wisconsin. “Miller ran from battle. He left us. Our leaders didn’t leave us.”
Miller has one Republican opponent, Jason Burke, in the June 12 primary. Nevada GOP chairman Michael Mcdonald did not return calls for comment. Burke has done little in the way of campaigning. Incumbent Democrat Brittney Miller, who is not related to Mack Miller, has no primary opponent.
A tearful Miller offered an apology to his fellow soldiers.
“I’m very, very, very sorry for what has happened,” he said. “I never had any intent to harm anyone or to desert them.”
Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702380-4538. Follow @Ramonagiwargis on Twitter.