Copyright 2009 Martin Hill, LibertyFight.com
In a twist that can only make the latest Hollywood gossip story weirder, research on Aspen Colorado Police Officer Rick Magnuson reveals some outlandish details. [The full audio of Brooke Mueller's 911 call has been released and can be heard here.]
On December 25th, Aspen police issued a press release stating
"On Friday, December 25, 2009 at 8:34AM the Aspen Pitkin County Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a domestic violence situation at 320 West Hallam Street, Aspen, Colorado. Officers from the Aspen Police Department responded immediately to the scene and upon arrival investigated the incident. Officer Rick Magnuson placed Carlos Irwin Estevez , also known as Charlie Sheen, 44, of Encino, California under arrest for Second Degree Assault, a class four felony, Menacing, a class five felony and Criminal Mischief, a class one misdemeanor. All charges are coupled with a domestic violence component. Mr. Sheen is being held with no bond. Aspen Ambulance responded to the scene, the victim did not require transport to the hospital."
The man who arrested Charlie Sheen has had his share of media coverage. Rick Magnuson, an Aspen Colorado police officer and aspiring artist, ran for Sheriff of Pitkin County, CO in 2006 and vowed, if elected, to employ undercover officers in order to be tougher in the so-called "war on drugs" than the presiding Sheriff Bob Braudis, whom he lost to by a near 10 to 1 margin.
In 2006, Magnuson was reprimanded by his department after he wrote letters to Osama bin laden and George W. Bush as as part of an "art project". CBS News reported that "the Counter Terrorism Unit of Union County, N.J. complained in December 2002 that it spent a lot of time and money investigating a letter addressed to bin Laden that they had received."
The return envelopes, which Magnuson posts photos of on his website, included phony addresses along with bizzare and vulgar titles, such as "George Bush, Ashes To Ashes, "George Bush 65% approval rating", "Osama bin Laden Uses Prostitutes", "George Bush Novis Ordo Seculorum", "Osama bin Laden Does Anybody Remember Laughter?", "George Bush What Have I Become?" Osama bin Laden Suck My [expletive]", "George Bush All Art Is About Sex" "Osama bin Laden 8 Miles and Running" "George Bush Hard Knock Life Lane" "George Bush $1000 lesbians Houston TX"
His art once appeared in an art show in Aspen, with Magnuson's website listing an index of press coverage he has recieved, primiarily regarding his quirky run for sheriff.
Aspen Times and CBS News reported that in one of his purported art videos, the police officer was "masturbating in the desert". He defended his actions in the video as artful in a Fox TV news report, wit the female anchor reporting "the tape shows a Sheriff's candidate committing what some call a lewd act". Youtube, despite it's supposed strict policies, has not removed the video, which was posted under the username "thenewsheriff" in October 2006 and entitled "Hole", described as "rick magnuson mojave desert video". On his website, Magnuson describes it as "Hole- Daylong digging of hole in Mojave desert. Culminated by a symbolic reseeding of the earth.Ca. 2005"
When questioned during a televised election debate in 2006, Magnuson admitted using illegal drugs while employed in law enforcement, adding the caveat that he used them only once, in Amsterdam, where they were legal.
Magnuson also has what some might classify as a demeaning penchant for playing stunts and filming Mexican men whom he claims are in the country illegally. Additionally, in at least four of his youtube videos he hires who he refers to as "undocumented workers" to do various things.
In his youtube video Mexploitation posted under username magnusonart on July 11, 2008, Officer Magnuson describes the video as "Hired 5 undocumented workers to carry American flag around intersection, continuously in Aspen Colorado".
In his video $10, posted in July 2008, Magnuson describes how he "Paid $10 to men to simulate mass arrest. Ross Ave. Dallas TX."
Magnuson describes his video Deception on his website as "Hired 3 undocumented workers to remove proposed snow sculpture. Aspen CO. 2005" He filmed three men chipping away at a block of snow for an alleged art project, and near the end of that video at 8:36, Magnuson includes the text "The three men in this video are undocumented day laborers from Mexico. They were each paid $50 for their work. Anderson Ranch paid me $500 for my work. THE CAMERA Rick Magnuson".
Magnuson boasts several more times of hiring illegal immigrants to do various stunts. Two videos have apparently been removed from youtube, but the photo galleries are still on his website:
"Voyeurism- Hired 5 undocumented, spanish speaking men to provide security at art opening with no art. Aspen Art Museum. 2004"
"Baldwin Gallery- Hired 8 Mexican laborers to listen to classical music, eat ice cream and attended show at Baldwin Gallery. Aspen CO. 2005"
It is currently a violation of federal law to knowingly hire someone who is in the country illegally.
In his video Swim, officer Magnuson drove a Ryder truck "around Aspen roundabout for 8 hours", for which he was also purportedlly questioned by police. He ran an ad in The Aspen Times right before the Sheriff's election in 2006 with a cartoon of a police officer and caption, "How do you know when you're finished making love?".
In her 911 call, Charlie Sheen's wife Brooke Mueller told the police operator that she was at "a residence and its domestic abuse", my husband had me.. with a knife and .. my life and he threatened me and "right now we have people that are separating us but i have to file the report or else", among other things.
It should be interesting to see how the situation pans out and if the illustrious "Officer Magnuson" will maintain credibility as a witness to testify at the trial, if there is one. Sheen, who is the nation's highest paid actor, was most recently in the news suggesting President Obama re-investigate the attacks of 9/11/01, and has a scheduled court date in Aspen on February 8 at 10:30 AM.
Recent articles by Martin Hill:
The Cardinal who broke his leg during Christmas attack on Pope: Who is Card. Etchegaray?
Man who shot Pope John Paul II to be released, wants to be baptised by Pope Benedict
Woman who threatened to kill Michelle Obama likely a U.S. Federal Govt employee
Is Florida DCFS aiming to steal Tiger Wood's children? Read their document and decide yourself!
Total government convictions for IRS 'tax crimes': 666
Comments
LOL. Typical cop.
I live in Aspen. This article is complete BS and a big distortion on Rick's art and career. The author some articles online, and is portraying Rick's art and career in a very slanted way. Was there an interview? It's the tragedy of the death of newspapers and primary reporting; this is typical sloppy blogging.
Magnuson as an officer (ten years plus) has an excellent track record, he won officer of the year last year for some of his heroics like saving a life in a burning building--that didn't get mentioned in this article.
As an artist, his work is beyond me, but is generally regarded postively in the art community. He has appeared I believe at least 4 times in the Art Museum as well as nationally.
The author of this obviously doesn't live in Aspen or know the situation (like his inaccurate reporting on drugs, his proposed policies as sheriff, his record, , so if you are interested in it Go read many of the articles online from 2006 about Magnuson at aspentimes.com or aspenpos
Martin Hill is a joke of a journalist. How many ways can one guy possibly shriek that the sky is falling? It's all hearsay, guilt-by-association, and conspiracy theorizing. I seem to remember a time in the US when journalism wasn't so predictably terrible.
Ok I know that this sounds so odd- there's no way that guy can be a cop.
He is - check out his website at www.rickmagnusen.com
all the info is on there- the stories are true. I witnessed them firsthand-
I saw the picture made of all his letters to the whitehouse in his
living room of his studio unit. I attended the " art shows".
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