Ellis County Grand Jury indicts former Somervell deputy

ELLIS COUNTY — According to FOX 4 News, William Lane Cox, 27, was indicted by an Ellis County Grand Jury on a charge of deadly conduct following his previous release from a July 13 shooting incident.

The Waxahachie Daily Light also reported the grand jury issued the indictment on August 24 and Cox was arrested on August 29 in Johnson County County on an after indictment warrant.

He has since been bonded out of the Johnson County Jail awaiting trial.

The indictment stems from a July 13 arrest in Ellis County when Cox was alleged to have shot at Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Shiloh Road in Midlothian.

Records obtained by Ellis County Citizen show that William Cox was arrested and booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center on July 13 for "deadly conduct - discharging a firearm." Cox is accused of being drunk and firing his weapon at the church. Ovilla Police body cam video obtained by FOX 4 News shows Cox stating, "I shot my weapon irresponsibly" and apologizing for his actions. He also stated he was angry over the July 7 ambush on Dallas Police officers.

Cox was immediately fired by the Somervell County Sheriff's Office.

"At 6:55 a.m. on July 13, I was called by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department informing me that there had been some "criminal mischief" at Shiloh so I went to the church to check it out. Ovilla PD Officers and Ellis County Deputies were on the scene and they had placed Mr. Cox in custody. He had shot the church building a number of times," Rev. Vernon J. Sansom, Jr., pastor of Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church, said after the initial incident.

"I opened the church and we examined the damage. There were three gun shots through the front wall of the sanctuary, a number of shots into a side door and two shots in the front of our Fellowship Hall. The Ellis County investigator asked me if the church wanted to press charges. I hesitated and then told him that it would really be in the hands of church leadership. He suggested that charges be pressed and I agreed to it."

Rev. Sansom later filed an affidavit of non-prosecution on behalf of church leadership with the Ellis County Sheriff's Office. Rev. Sansom told FOX 4 News the reason he filed the affidavit is because the church is about forgiveness. Arresting agencies often have the discretion whether to pursue charges against an individual.

"There are 9 deacons and 9 elders at Shiloh. I did not receive a dissenting vote for dismissing the charges," Rev. Sansom told Ellis County Citizen.

Rev. Sansom was shocked that someone would shoot at the church he pastors.

"I was really baffled that anyone intoxicated or sober would shoot at a church and so I began to look into the circumstances," Rev. Sansom said.

"The Chief Deputy of the Somervell County Sheriff’s Department came to Shiloh to investigate. We talked and he was, of course, apologetic that one of his officers had done this. He said that they were all baffled because it was so out of character for Mr. Cox. He was one whom the department could always count on and they had asked him to take the Sergeant’s Exam. That indicated to me that Mr. Cox did not have a history of erratic behavior or recklessness. I also spoke with Mr. Cox’s Patrol Sergeant and got very much the same story. I communicated with an instructor at the police academy who had been one of Mr. Cox’s instructors and he was shocked and baffled. Everyone with whom I spoke were shocked that Mr. Cox would be involved in something like this."

Rev. Sansom confirmed that he was not encouraged by law enforcement or any other individuals to drop the charges.

"Not once, did anyone officially or personally suggest that the church should drop charges," Rev. Sansom told Ellis County Citizen.

"I knew that Mr. Cox’s Law Enforcement career was probably over. Given that he did not have a history of violence or erratic behavior and knowing that he would live with a harsher punishment than the courts could impose (he would have to live with the loss of his career for the rest of his life), I suggested to the leadership of Shiloh that more good could possibly come out of this incident by showing forgiveness."

Repairs were made to the church by one of Cox's relatives just days after the initial incident.

"After we had signed the affidavit dismissing the charges, I received a call from a relative of Mr. Cox who wanted to send a crew of his workers to repair all the damage. The following Monday, a half dozen or more workers came to Shiloh and worked all day making repairs. They did a superior job and even knowing where the damage had been, I can’t spot the damaged areas," Rev. Sansom said.

Despite the church's willingness to forgive Cox and give him a second chance, an animated Wilson went on a tirade during the original FOX 4 News story.

"This in my mind is a tremendous abuse of that discretion and in today's climate it's inexcusable," Wilson told FOX 4 News. "I cannot understand how these facts escape the narrative of favoritism."

Before launching an investigation, Wilson made accusations of corruption and favoritism.

"The criticism that is being lobbed against law enforcement and the criminal justice system in general and our community and our society today, the foundation of that criticism is what's illustrated in this case and that is favoritism, that some people in the criminal justice system get treated differently. And how can I dispel that narrative when these facts completely support that," Wilson told FOX 4 News.

"The DA, when confronted by FOX 4 was probably caught off guard when their reporter questioned him about the situation. But his comments to their reporter, I think, were divisive and premature. Shiloh asked that charges pertaining to the damage of the church be dismissed. If the County has charges they want to pursue, our dropping of charges would not preclude that, but the county should do so through the courts and not through the media. There was no collusion between the ECSO and Shiloh," Rev. Sansom said during the interview with Ellis County Citizen.

"I find it ironic that usually the church is criticized for being too judgmental, but in this case, the church is being criticized for being too forgiving."

Wilson reiterated his accusations to the Waxahachie Daily Light (WDL) in a Tuesday, August 2 article.

"This incident troubles me greatly because it certainly looks like someone in the law enforcement community was afforded favoritism that others might not be afforded," Wilson told the WDL.

"Well you have a law enforcement officer is alleged to have committed a violent crime who is arrested by law enforcement officers and investigated by law enforcement agency. And you have a person, the complaint in the matter, who is a law enforcement chaplain and is the preacher at the church. So it is very, very difficult for me to believe that this man, Mr. Cox, was not afforded some special consideration," Wilson is quoted.

According to the Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church website, "Rev. Sansom served as a Chaplain for the Oak Ridge Police Department and has earned Basic Certification through the International Conference of Police Chaplains." He currently serves as a Chaplain for the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, International.

Rev. Sansom insists that Cox's race or involvement in law enforcement had no bearing on his church's decision to request charges to be dropped.

"It is true that I am certified by the International Conference of Police Chaplains as a Police Chaplain and I serve as Chaplain to the Texas 21 Chapter of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, but the fact that Mr. Cox was a LEO or that he was white had no bearing," Rev. Sansom told Ellis County Citizen.

Rev. Sansom countered Wilson's accusations and criticism with the word of God:

"The church was reaching out in compassion to a hurting Child of God. The Church is THE place of second chances and grace. Jesus taught us that we can’t expect to be forgiven if we can’t, ourselves, be forgiving. Through Jesus Christ, God gave us all a second chance. How can we not do likewise?"

Click here to read our original coverage of this incident.