On December 13, 1979, Officer David Wayne Crowther of the Portland Police Bureau was fatally shot while attempting to serve a narcotics warrant at the clubhouse of the Outsiders Motorcycle Club located at 9014 North Lombard Street in Portland, Oregon. Crowther, who was 27 years old and had served with the Portland Police Bureau for four years, was part of a unit that included eight other officers from the Special Investigation Division.
As they forced open the door to the clubhouse, one of the occupants, identified as Robert “Pigpen” Christopher, opened fire with a 12-gauge shotgun, striking Officer Crowther in the head.
The raid was part of a larger operation that was later revealed to be deeply flawed and corrupt. The warrant used to justify the raid was obtained through perjured statements about a nonexistent informant, making it an illegal warrant. Narcotics officers Scott Deppe and Neil Gearhart, who were present during the raid, later corroborated that the narcotics squad had come prepared to plant drugs at the clubhouse. It was discovered that police had indeed planted amphetamine tablets during the raid, and drugs were also removed from David Crowther's pockets at the hospital after he was shot.
Robert “Pigpen” Christopher, the individual who shot Officer Crowther, maintained that the police did not announce themselves before entering the clubhouse, leaving him with no choice but to defend himself. This claim was later supported by evidence that police witnesses had lied during the trial, testifying that they had knocked and announced themselves when they had not.
Following the shooting, Robert Christopher was arrested and charged with Officer Crowther's murder. However, due to the egregious conduct of the narcotics squad, including the planting of evidence and the use of an illegal warrant, Christopher's case took a significant turn. The corruption within the police department was uncovered, leading to the overturning of 58 tainted convictions and the dismissal of 35 pending cases related to the scandal. Eventually, Robert Christopher was released from prison after serving time, as the misconduct by the narcotics officers was deemed to have compromised the integrity of the case against him.
The incident highlighted a broader pattern of police corruption and discrimination against motorcycle clubs. The scandal led to significant reforms and raised questions about how many other individuals might be incarcerated due to similar instances of police misconduct. The case of Officer David Crowther's death and the subsequent revelations about police corruption remain a stark example of the dangers of discriminatory policing and the importance of ensuring law enforcement accountability.
