Margaret Laplante

Murdered in the Line of Duty: Constable George Prescott Margaret Laplante

For those who made their home in Medford, Oregon in the early 1930s, he was known simply as, "The Dictator." His real name was Llewellyn A. Banks and he set in motion one of the most bizarre criminal cases in the history of the state of Oregon. Banks publically stated, "We have come to that great showdown where blood is liable to be spilled." He had threatened, "To take the field in revolution." Upon learning there was a warrant for his arrest, Banks threatened to kill any law enforcement officer who tried to arrest him. He declared, "I will go out feet first over their dead bodies." Tragically that is exactly what happened. Constable George J. Prescott of the Medford Police Department paid the ultimate price when he was gunned down by Banks while attempting to serve him with an arrest warrant. The sensational court trial brought out details of Bank's establishment of an organization he created known as The Good Government Congress. Testimony revealed the purpose of the organization was to overthrow the local government. Details emerged about a rigged election, the theft of thousands of election ballots stolen the night before a recount was to take place, a plot to kidnap all city police officers and to hang a Judge and a District Attorney. By the end of the most tumultuous time in Medford, thirty-two of Bank's followers found themselves behind bars including a county sheriff, a mayor and a county judge who was led from the bench in handcuffs. This shocking true story is told in its entirety for the first time.