A purported white supremacist pleaded not guilty Tuesday to attempted murder and other charges related to the shooting of Vancouver motorcycle patrol Officer Dustin Goudschaal.
James T. Sapp’s trial is scheduled for Dec. 8.
Sapp, 48, of Vancouver appeared with his attorney, Matthew Hoff, Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court amid intense security and a heavy media presence. About eight custody officers escorted Sapp into and out of Judge John Nichols’ courtroom. Another eight Vancouver police officers filled the courtroom’s public gallery.
Nichols agreed to reduce Sapp’s bail from $10 million to $5 million at Hoff’s request, but he set Sapp’s bail at $2 million for a separate pending drug case from March, bringing the total bail to $7 million.
“Ten million is the highest I’ve ever heard of in my 10-plus years as a defense attorney,” Hoff said. “In my opinion, it’s a headline grabber.”
“I think this is incongruent with equity,” he added.
Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik argued that $10 million in bail is appropriate.
“The defendant’s behavior as alleged in the probable cause affidavit is probably the most serious behavior I have seen,” Golik said.
He noted that Sapp is accused of shooting Goudschaal during what the officer believed was a routine traffic stop. Sapp then shot Goudschaal until his gun was empty, firing a total of seven shots, Golik said. Goudschaal was struck in the head twice, once in his ballistic vest and in his arm, shoulder and leg, Golik said.
As Sapp fled from law enforcement, he assaulted multiple people, stole a vehicle from an elderly man and attempted to steal a vehicle from a woman whom he punched twice in the head, Golik said. Sapp also was wanted on a warrant at the time for allegedly failing to appear for his drug case from March.
“Obviously, there is a danger to society,” Nichols said.
Identified by officer
Goudschaal was shot about 11:30 a.m. June 30 when he stopped a black Dodge Ram truck near Northeast 34th Street and 162nd Avenue in east Vancouver. A dispatcher told the officer that the truck’s license plates belonged to a stolen vehicle. After Goudschaal didn’t respond to a dispatcher, passing motorist James Bridger Jr. came on the radio and said the officer had been shot.
Another motorist, Earlene “Sam” Anderson, also stopped, rendering first aid by wrapping her scarf around a gunshot wound to Goudschaal’s neck, according to court records. Goudschaal’s ballistic vest apparently saved his life, and he was able to identify Sapp as his assailant, court records say.
Sapp is charged with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree assault, methamphetamine possession and heroin possession.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has previously identified Sapp as an admitted member of the Aryan Brotherhood. He goes by the nickname “Cotton,” according to court records.
Sapp has a violent criminal history and several felony convictions, the oldest of which dates back to 1988 in Oldham County, Ky., according to court records.
