Parole Granted for Killer of Lower Twp Police Officer

Last Feb.18th marked the 30th anniversary of the death of Lower Township Officer David C. Douglass, Sr., who was killed in the line of duty, after exchanging gunfire with a suspect who had just burglarized a home and then set it on fire.

Chung Ho, the man who was tried and convicted to life in prison for that murder will be released on parole on Sept. 23.

Ho, 80, served 30 years of a life sentence for murder.

Here's What Happened The Night of the Murder

On Feb. 18, 1994, Officer Douglass was dispatched on a call about a suspicious person in North Cape May. As he pursued the suspect on foot, the man turned and shot Douglass.

Officer Douglass was able to return fire, striking the suspect in the hand, and made it back to his patrol car to call for assistance, but did not survive the attack.

The suspect had just burglarized and set fire to a home on Town Bank Road.

Following a 6-week investigation, Chung Ho was arrested in New York City and charged in Douglass’ death.

He pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life in prison in 1995.

What Officer Douglass' Former Police Chief Thinks

In a letter to the Editor of the Press of Atlantic City, retired Lower Twp Police Chief Edward P. Donahue spoke out against Ho's parole.

I get that Chung Ho is now an old man, but 30 years ago, he made a conscious decision to take the life of a young Lower Township police officer. He now gets to spend the remainder of his days with his family.

He then waived extradition to New Jersey with the stipulation that he not receive the death penalty. He was then sentenced to life in prison (which apparently in New Jersey does not mean life in prison).

Donahue went on to talk about how Officer Douglass' family, including one of his sons, David Douglass, Jr, who is an officer with the Cape May County Sheriff's Office, must feel at the news of this parole decision.

The Douglass family received a short, two-paragraph form letter from the Parole Board advising them of the release of the man who murdered their husband, father and grandfather. It closed by saying, “If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call” them. Are you kidding me?

Fallen Officer Was a Good Man and Community Advocate

Patrolman Douglass, who was 34 when he died, had been with the Lower Township Police Department for 18 years and served as a Lieutenant and president of the Town Bank Volunteer Fire Department.

He helped create the Lower Township SWAT team, was an instructor at the Cape May County Police Academy, and was a past president of the Policeman's Benevolent Association.

Douglass was known for being a good cop, a good friend, and someone who acted as a mentor in the community.