It  was way back in July of 09 that I first heard the name Adam Tavss. He was a Miami Beach cop who in the space of four days managed to terminate the life of two unarmed men. Miami Beach is many miles from my home in Mississippi and the story would not have crossed my desk were it not for William Cobra Staubs. Cobra had been asked by attorney John Contini to do some investigating.

On June 14 Samer Shehada and his brother Hussein were walking outside of Club Twist and the 11th Street Diner at around 4am. They were unarmed, their girl friends were trailing behind. Just four tourists enjoying a well earned vacation. A voice behind them shouted the order to ‘Stop and turn round’. They did, two seconds later Hussein Shehada was laying in a pool of blood. We know this because it was all captured on CCTV, there was a camera mounted outside of the Club Twist.

The shooter was Adam Tavss.  It is clear from the CCTV footage that this was an unprovoked killing. What dis Miami Beach PD do? They put Tavvs on a 3 day (with pay) leave.

Four days later Adam Tavss was back on the beat. Todays victim was Lawrence McCoy. Alas there is no CCTV footage of this outrageous act, but it is very clear that Adam Tavvs was very much involved.

I actually spent a good deal of time talking with the Shehada and McCoy families, they were both in shock. I talked also to the two girl friends. It was clear that Miami Beach PD were working on their cover up within hours of the Shehada killing.

A conversation with John Contini revealed his plan to represent the two families in what I think is a most noteworthy law case against Miami Beach, but no action could be taken for a minimum of 6 months. The law in the area permittes a six month grace period for an internal investigation. (Thats LE speak for finding a way to wriggle out of the problem).

I guess whatever brain cells run Miami Beach realized that there was just a leetle beet of an issue with Adam Tavss. The solution was to put him in the evidence room. I suppose the idea was that If Tavss lost it again the worst thing that could happen would be some gun shot holes in the wall. As I recall, that was not the problem that happened. First there was a minor issue of some drugs going missing. Then, Adam Tavvs fails a regular drug test.

Perfect! Miami Beach now have a way to distance themselves from Adam Tavss. Tavvs is fired. This can be used in whatever civil suit is brought against them by the Shehada’s and McCoy’s. The firing of Tavss was done very much under the radar. Unfortunately once I get my teeth sunk into a story there is little that escapes me as I follow it. Once again it was Cobra and John Contini that filled me in on the shenanigans.

The story continues….

I received a phone call from Cobra last night, he pointed me at a couple of news articles. Adam Tavss seems to have found a new career. He was busted for running a ‘grow op’ in his house. Some 45 plants were found!

There are many questions remaining. Tavss made bail. I would have thought that having 45 plants would have warranted an ‘intent to traffic’ charge. So what is going on here?

I know that the day of reckoning is coming, is this just a subtle warning to Tavss about what is going to happen to him if he doesn’t play ball when Contini comes knocking? Miami Beach PD do not like bad publicity, their funding comes from the tourism trade, and lets face it, who wants to hang out in a place where you are going to get shot? In my opinion I think Juarez, Mexico is a better place to vacation in, than any spot with an Adam Tavvs or his like.

I do want to thank Cobra for bringing me this update.

For some background on this case try here, here and here.

Simon Barrett

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