In the early morning hours of April 8, 1980, a sense of unease settled over the city of Chickasaw, Alabama, as a routine traffic stop escalated into a fatal encounter for a dedicated police officer. Chickasaw Police Officer John Dotson, a male, was conducting a traffic stop on Donald Lewis Owen for speeding and a possible DWI. In a sudden and violent turn of events, Owen discharged a shotgun twice, striking Officer Dotson in the head and abdomen.
The grievous injuries proved to be fatal, and Officer Dotson was found lying in a pool of blood at the rear of his patrol car.
The investigation into the death of Officer Dotson was swift and pointed directly to Donald Lewis Owen as the perpetrator. Evidence gathered at the scene, including two spent shotgun shells, and the circumstances of the traffic stop led law enforcement to Owen's residence. He was apprehended a short time after the incident.
Donald Lewis Owen was subsequently charged with the capital murder of a police officer on duty. During his trial, the defense put forth a plea of insanity, admitting that Owen had shot Officer Dotson but claiming he suffered from a mental disease or defect. The jury, after considering the evidence presented, found Owen guilty of the intentional killing of Officer John Dotson. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
