Miami Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Saturday, May 23, 1970
Age: 21
Tour of Duty: 8 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 23, 1970
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Committed
Police Officer Rolland Lane was shot and killed by a suspect while responding to a report of a disturbance at a hotel at 50 NW 8th Street.
He was shot in the back and leg as he entered the hotel by a former member of the Black Panthers who had just fire-bombed a local business. The suspect was later arrested at the Orlando Airport as he boarded a plane bound for New York. The 26-year-old suspect was found incompetent to stand trial and committed to a mental institution.
In 1977 the suspect was found competent to stand trial, was convicted of Officer Lane's murder, and sentenced to life. He received an additional 10 years for the fire-bombing. In 1981 the Florida Court of Appeals threw out the conviction and the Florida Supreme Court subsequently refused to hear the case.
Officer Lane had only served with the Miami Police Department for eight months.