Accused cop killer asks judge if he could request death penalty

The suspect accused of killing an Indiana police officer asked the judge at his court hearing if he could “seek the death penalty,” before prosecutors could even decide whether they wanted to pursue it.

Anthony Baumgardt, 21, is charged with the murder of Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett, 34, who was shot and killed last Friday while chasing Baumgardt and two others who fled when police approached.

Officers were actually there to serve an unrelated arrest warrant to a woman who lived nearby when they recognized one of the men and knew there was a warrant out for his arrest, police say.

Deputies pursued the three men in a vehicle for about ten minutes before the occupants all got out of the car and ran from officers.

Deputy Pickett, along with his K-9 Brik, began to chase Baumgardt.

The suspect at one point pulled out a 9mm handgun, turned around and shot at Pickett multiple times.

The officer, who was a married father of two, was struck at least once.

Baumgardt was also shot by police, but suffered only minor injuries, the outlet reports. He was taken into custody after the shooting.

When questioned by police, Baumgardt said he shot Pickett because he didn’t want to go back to jail, the Indianapolis Star reports. He had an outstanding open warrant for failure to appear in Marion County on charges of criminal mischief and theft.

After the interrogation Baumgardt was booked on murder charges.

Appearing in court on Wednesday, the defendant inquired if he could pursue the death penalty on his own, the Indianapolis Star reports.

“Is the death penalty going to be seeked [Sic] for this?” he asked.

After being told that is up to prosecutors to decide, Baumgardt responded by asking “If I were to seek it out on my own, would that change anything? You know, enter my guilty plea now and seek the death penalty?”

The judge said the potential sentence would not be up to Baumgardt to decide.

As he left the courthouse, the defendant told reporters he had “no remorse” for what happened to Deputy Pickett and that he “didn’t want to get bit by a dog.”

Following the hearing, Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer compared Baumgardt to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who also requested the death penalty.

“I've heard some defendants say some strange things in court, but this one ... no, I can't say I've ever really experienced anything of that sort under the circumstances he faces," Meyer told the Indianapolis Star. "That was bizarre."

Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen was disturbed by Baumgardt’s lack of remorse.

“I don’t think I can express what that means because that was a senseless death,” Nielsen said. “It was a senseless shooting that didn’t have to happen, and he doesn't care that it happened. And that hurt deep inside, but we move on.”

Baumgardt is facing charges of murder, two counts of possession of methamphetamine, carrying a handgun without a license, two counts of possession of marijuana and a count of resisting law enforcement.

He is being held without bond at the Hamilton County Jail. His next hearing is scheduled for May 16, with a trial date of July 31.

One of the men who ran from police with Baumgardt, John D. Baldwin Jr., also faces two counts of resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of an accident and criminal recklessness, online records show.

Baldwin Jr., 28, already had two outstanding warrants for two different probation violations in two separate criminal cases.

The third man, John Baldwin Sr., was not charged in connection with the chase.

The funeral for Deputy Pickett will be on Friday.