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Police drop efforts to remove bullet from teen's head, say they can convict him without it
Published: Thursday, January 25, 2007 | 4:09 PM ET
Canadian Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Authorities have ended their legal fight to retrieve a bullet lodged in a teenager's forehead, saying they don't think they will need it to convict the youth of shooting at a used-car dealer who shot back.

Prosecutors and Port Arthur police had wanted doctors to extract the slug from 17-year-old Joshua Bush's forehead, saying it would prove his involvement in a shooting that followed a July 21 burglary at a used-car lot.

Prosecutors had twice obtained search warrants for the bullet, but Bush and his lawyer fought the removal because they said it would violate Bush's civil rights.

Port Arthur police Lt. Pat Powell said Wednesday authorities believe they can pursue the case without the bullet.

Bush was arrested Wednesday on an unauthorized use of a vehicle warrant stemming from the July car lot burglary, Powell said. He also was charged with aggravated assault and retaliation.

Bush had been jailed for three months on robbery-related charges before getting out on bond last week. He is being held on $250,000 bond on the new charges.


Prosecutors say Bush was among gang members who broke into the car lot and tried to steal vehicles. According to police, Bush tried to shoot business owner Alan Olive, a competitive pistol shooter who returned fire and struck the teen in the forehead.

The bullet, located above Bush's eyes, lies just under the skin, in the soft, fatty tissue of the forehead.

Police said Bush admitted taking part in the robbery but not the shooting, but Bush told The Beaumont Enterprise last week that he was not involved.

Earlier this month, Bush's lawyer said the teenager would agree to have the bullet removed only if prosecutors agreed not to pursue attempted capital murder charges.
© The Canadian Press, 2007

The Southeast Texas teenager with the bullet in his head is behind bars again. Jefferson County deputies arrested Joshua Bush Wednesday on new charges.

18-year-old Bush is now accused of assaulting a witness in the investigation of a car lot burglary. Police believe Bush was shot in the head at that Port Arthur car lot last year.

Bush is now accused of assault, retaliation, and stealing a car. His family is trying to get him out on bail.

Joshua called home Wednesday night while KBTV spoke to his family. He says he did not leave the house alone since he was released about a week ago.

"They`re picking on my son for reasons that I couldn`t even come up with," says Cornell Bush. "He`s not the individual that they`re trying to make him out to be."

Port Arthur police chief Mark Blanton says this isn`t some vendetta. As usual, the new cases had to go through the district attorney`s office, which accepted them.

They`re picking on my son for reasons that I couldn`t even come up with," says Cornell Bush

Petrosjko wrote:Pity the round didn't penetrate further and save everyone a lot of hassle.