trooper slaying continues to make headlines

A year after the tragic slaying of a state trooper and critical injuries to another at the Blooming Grove state police barracks, the case is still making headlines.

As the wheels of justice move toward resolution, people are talking about a few related developments.

In early January, Lt. Col. George Bivens was demoted.

Bivens was the high-profile Pennsylvania State Police media representative during the weekslong hunt for the shooter. He became the face of the tragedy with his regular updates on national television.

Since that time, Bivens, who seemed well-respected in the role, was stripped of his rank and reassigned to the Bureau of Gaming Enforcement.

Insiders say Bivens was asked to retire or revert to a lower rank. When he refused, he was moved to the new position.

Some say it was political and in no way a reflection of poor performance. Instead, Bivens appears to have been removed by Gov. Tom Wolf's new appointee to head the state police.

The move comes as a surprise, even a shock, to many who followed the story of the slaying and subsequent manhunt.

In another twist related to the case, one-time suspect Jeffrey Hudak of Clarks Summit filed a lawsuit.

Hudak is describing details of his aggressive apprehension by state police just 12 hours after the shooting.

Hudak says he was forced from his mother's house at gunpoint, ordered to put his hands up. He says he was handcuffed and thrown into the rear of a police cruiser, then interrogated for hours.

In a federal lawsuit, Hudak charges that his rights were trampled on.

He says state police never actually told him why he was being arrested. He says he was denied access to an attorney for hours, and denied use of a phone or even a restroom.

Police, it seems, were trying to get to the bottom of what took place, although possibly acting on suspicions.

The lawsuit alleges those suspicions were based on a mistaken belief. Police allegedly suspected Hudak was the one who fired on police because his estranged wife was allegedly involved in a relationship with trooper Alex Douglass, the officer wounded in the volley of bullets.

In other words, police figured rage or jealousy over affairs of the heart might have been the motivation for the shooting.

The only problem is that Hudak, it appears, is completely innocent.

Police eventually identified Eric Frein as the shooter, although they continued to follow Hudak for three days, he says.

A massive manhunt was launched, resulting in Frein's capture nearly two months later. Frein faces 12 charges, including terrorism and first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty during a video arraignment on Jan. 29, 2015. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty against Frein.

Hudak had nothing to do with the crime. He claims he was traumatized by the experience and now undergoes counseling. His lawsuit seeks damages for one count of unlawful seizure, wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.

State police won't comment on pending litigation.

It's easy to understand and empathize with Hudak's plight, and how a horrible mistake impacted his life in negative ways.

In fact, stories announcing Hudak's "capture and arrest" still can be found on the Internet, potentially tarnishing his reputation for years to come.

The recent lawsuit by Hudak underscores the importance of due process and respect for civil rights in the investigation of potential suspects.

As the case unfolds, we're seeing that the cowardly assault by Frein on state police had life-changing implications for many.

By Donald R. Serfass | dserfass@tnonline.com