Grand jury will probe Valentine death

A grand jury will be convened to investigate the shooting death of a Valentine, Neb., man by police investigating an intruder in a Valentine home, Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott said Wednesday.

State law requires a grand jury investigation anytime a person dies in police custody or in the process of being apprehended. Scott said the grand jury will be convened after a district court judge appoints a special prosecutor.

A police officer shot and killed Gary Connot, 56, early Tuesday after Connot pointed a handgun at officers ordering him out of a closet where he was hiding.

The incident occurred at the home of Connot’s estranged wife, Linda Connot. Gary Connot had been ordered to stay away from the house under a protection order granted by a judge.

Authorities had not released the name of the officer who shot Connot.

Two people with knowledge of the case said Connot was shot by Lt. Jamon Slama, who is one of five officers on the Valentine police force.

Slama and Police Chief Ben McBride, the other officer in the house at the time of the shooting, have been placed on administrative leave, according to one of the people with knowledge of the case.

Gary Connot, a rancher, was awaiting sentencing on three felony convictions related to a January incident at the house in which he threatened to kill his wife.

District Judge Mark Kozisek in April had reduced Connot’s initial $1 million bail to 10 percent of $300,000 on the condition that he have no contact with Linda Connot.

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444-1127, david.hendee@owh.com