Dec 8, 2024 Story by: Editor
A former Kansas City, Kansas, police detective was found dead on Monday, reportedly by suicide, on the day his federal civil rights trial was set to start. Roger Golubski, 71, was accused of sexually abusing Black women over decades. Authorities stated that Golubski was discovered at his home in Edwardsville with a fatal gunshot wound after he failed to appear at a federal courthouse in Topeka for jury selection. According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, there were no indications of foul play.
While state officials refrained from confirming the manner of death pending an autopsy, federal authorities informed NBC News that Golubski appeared to have died by suicide. Senior Justice Department officials also acknowledged his death in a joint statement.
“This matter involved extremely serious charges, and it is always difficult when a case is unable to be fully and fairly heard in a public trial and weighed and determined by a jury,” stated Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke and Kate Brubacher, the U.S. attorney for Kansas. “The proceedings in this case may be over, but its lasting impact on all the individuals and families involved remains. We wish them peace and the opportunity for healing as they come to terms with this development and ask that they all be treated with respect and their privacy respected.”
Golubski, who retired in 2010 after a 35-year career with the Kansas City Police Department, was charged in 2022 with federal civil rights violations, including allegations of exploiting Black women for sex and framing individuals for crimes. He pleaded not guilty to six counts of civil rights violations related to accusations of raping two women between 1998 and 2002. He was also charged in a separate case with operating a sex trafficking ring from 1996 to 1998, along with three others, which involved holding women captive.
Golubski was under house arrest due to regular dialysis treatments and faced up to life imprisonment if convicted. His attorney, Christopher Joseph, informed the court on Monday that Golubski had been “despondent” over media attention surrounding his case.
The Kansas City Police Department has faced increased scrutiny in recent years over allegations of corruption and civil rights abuses. Activists have called for a broader federal inquiry, particularly given the decades-long accusations against Golubski. Demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse demanding justice before news of his death emerged.
Cheryl Pilate, a lawyer representing a man wrongfully convicted in a 1994 double murder case linked to Golubski, emphasized the need for a full investigation into the events surrounding his death. Federal prosecutors had previously sought to revoke Golubski’s house arrest earlier this year after he was accused of violating its terms, but a judge declined the request.
Team Roc, the social justice division of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, recently filed a lawsuit against Kansas City for allegedly failing to provide records related to police misconduct claims. Its managing director, Dania Diaz, underscored the significance of Golubski’s trial, calling it a lost opportunity for accountability.
“The truth was always going to be revealed in court, but today’s development is certainly a tragic ending to a devastating story for a local community that still deserves answers and healing,” Diaz said.
For those in crisis, help is available by calling 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Alternatively, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for further support. Source: NBC News
