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Four days out of prison, killer in trouble

By Ryan Seals
News & Record

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A man convicted of killing a Greensboro police officer and wounding two others in a 1974 shootout was arrested Saturday - four days after being released from state prison - on charges of resisting arrest.

Henry Oliver McQueen, 64, was released from the Lanesboro Correctional Institution on Sept. 8, after serving 35 years for second-degree murder and assault.

McQueen was convicted in the shooting death of Officer Arthur Glenn Craft Jr.

Two other former officers - Reserve Officer J.M. Causey and Officer Joe M. Cline - were wounded.

Causey was shot in the left temple and Cline was shot in the leg.

McQueen was sentenced to 70 years in prison but was released early because he qualified for a sentence reduction available under prior sentencing guidelines, according to a letter to local police chiefs and sheriffs sent last month from the N.C. Parole Commission.

The release also came despite his 54 misconduct infractions in prison.

Those infractions included assaults on staff members and other inmates, fighting and more, according to the N.C. Department of Correction.

On Saturday, McQueen was accused of swatting his fists at Guilford County Deputy L.L. Howell, who responded to a disturbance at the man’s sister’s home in Liberty, according to an incident report.

The case was dismissed in Guilford County District Court on Monday afternoon.

“The charging document wasn’t written properly. It did not allege a crime, so we sort of had two choices: We could dismiss it or ask the court to allow us to amend it,” Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said.

Since the charge wouldn’t have included any jail time, the case was dismissed, he said.

According to news articles from the Feb. 14, 1974, shooting, Craft and Causey responded to 1702 Dillon Road in northeast Greensboro about 10:15 p.m. after reports of a man “screaming and hollering” and carrying a shotgun behind houses.

When officers approached McQueen in a wooded area, he shot Craft, 26, in the face and neck with a .410 shotgun. Causey was struck by shotgun pellets in the temple but managed to get away.

While Causey was calling for backup at a nearby house, Cline showed up and was shot in the leg while trying to reach Craft.

Dozens of police officers responded.

McQueen, 29 at the time, was wounded and rushed to a hospital.

Craft died at the hospital; Causey and Cline recovered from their injuries.

The state received many letters opposing McQueen’s release from family members of law enforcement officers killed or injured in the line of duty.

“The commission has denied McQueen’s parole every year since he became eligible in 2002, but now that he has exhausted his sentence, the commission no longer has any discretion in the matter and the state can incarcerate him no longer,” the letter reads.

“We certainly understand the concerns that have been expressed and wanted you to be aware of this matter. While the circumstances are not desirable, this agency has no option but to release McQueen as the law requires on Sept. 8.”

McQueen’s release does not require probation or any other supervision.

Craft’s son, David Craft, was an infant when his father was slain.

According to other officers who served with his father, David Craft became a Greensboro police officer and received his father’s retired badge number. He left the department after a few years on the force and is now an officer in Virginia.

Attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Attempts to contact McQueen were unsuccessful.

Copyright 2009 News & Record