Original publication date :

Tuesday, April 28, 1992

BY DIXIE G . MARTIN Domocrat-GazeMe Staff Writer

   A pharmacist chased and fatally shot a robber who took narcotics from a Markham Street drugstore while holding a knife to a clerk's throat Monday morning, police said.
   The dead man was identified as Stephen Cole, 40, of 202 Linwood Court in Little Rock. Police did not identify Cole as the slain man until about nine hours later, after a relative called police to report him missing.
   The shooting occurred on A Street, near University Hospital. Lt . Charles Holladay , a police spokesman, said Bruce Leasure , 38, chased Cole from the store and fired about three shots.
   Two shots struck Cole in the side and the leg. He died about 9:40 a.m. at University Hospital. Leasure was interviewed by detectives and released without being charged. Holladay said the Pulaski County prosecutor 's office will review the case, then decide whether Leasure will be charged.
   Police said Cole entered Generic Pharmacies at 4500 W . Markham St. about 8:50 a.m. and told Holly Garner, 24, an employee, that he was "Larry Birthright" and that a doctor had called in a prescription for him.
   When Cole was told there was no prescription for him, he pulled a butcher knife with a 5 '/2-inch blade and grabbed Garner, police said. He told Leasure to give him all -the pharmacy's narcotics or he would cut Garner's head off.
   Police said Cole then went to the area where narcotics were stored and, still holding Garner at knifepoint, started putting drugs into a plastic bag.
   He ordered Leasure to put all of the narcotic Dilaudid into the bag. The robber then walked backward from the store with Garner, released her and ran northeast toward A Street.
   Leasure told police he grabbed a . 357-caliber Magnum revolver and followed. He said he yelled at Cole several times to stop, and he stopped behind Taco Bell.
   Leasure said Cole turned toward him, holding the knife as if to attack him, and he drew the gun and fired.
   The police were uncertain Monday night how near Cole was to Leasure.

Additional Thread Wednesday, April 29th 2002: Charges?

 That will be determined in a follow-up investigation of the county prosecutor, who will decide whether to file criminal charges.
    Larry Jegley , Pulaski County chief deputy prosecutor, said Tuesday he wasn't sure how soon a decision would be made,
    Bruce Leasure , 38, of Little Rock was released by police Monday without being charged after he fatally shot Stephen Cole, 40, of Little Rock. Police said Cole had just robbed Leasure's pharmacy of narcotics while holding a knife to a female employee's throat.
   The shooting occurred just before 9 a.m., when police said Leasure, carrying a . 357-caliber Magnum revolver, chased Cole from the store and ordered him to stop. Leasure told police he shot Cole when he turned around, holding a knife with a 5 '/2-inch blade used in the robbery.
   Police said Leasure was fired by co-owner , Generic Pharmacies at 4500 W . Markham St. Several sources said Leasure also has credentials as a lawyer.
   A message was left Tuesday at the pharmacy, where Leasure had returned to work, but he did not return a reporter's phone call.
   Police spokesman Lt . Charles Holladay said police are still not sure of the exact distance between Leasure and Cole when the shots were fired. Pressed for an estimate, Holladay said a distance of at least several feet apparently separated them.
   According to state law, "a person is justified in using deadly physical force upon another person if he reasonably believes that the other person is committing or about to commit a felony involving force or violence; or using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force."
   

This story was published Tuesday, April 28, 1992