WE WERE WONDERING...XIX
10-18-07
WHY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL JACKSON TURNED THE ABI REPORT ON THE POLICE BEATING OF HOLIMAN AND GORDON OVER TO ATTORNEY GENERAL TROY KING? Why won't the D.A. do anything about local police beating up citizens? We are supporters of Michael Jackson as D.A. and his tough approach in dealing with criminals; HOWEVER, in this instance, JACKSON IS WRONG AND HE IS WRONG FOR THE WRONG REASON.
We are told that the D.A. appeared before the Selma City Council a few months ago and said that there were major problems in the Selma Police Department and with some of the officers in the Department. But now that he has the opportunity to deal with wrong doing by the SPD, he heads for the "high weeds" and passes on the job to the Attorney-General.
Our opinion is that Attorney-General Troy King will do little or nothing with the ABI Report. For more than 4 years, KING HAS REFUSED TO PROSECUTE EVEN ONE CASE REFERRED TO HIM BY THE ETHICS COMMISSION. He had some falling out with the Ethics Commission a few years ago AND NOW REFUSES TO DO HIS DUTY AND PROSECUTE CASES REFERRED TO HIM SUCH AS THE CRENSHAW AND LEASHORE VIOLATION OF THE ETHICS ACT BY BEING ON THE WATER BOARD. The Ethics Commission referred the Crenshaw and Leashore complaints to King months ago, but he has done nothing to prosecute these or other cases. We predict he will do nothing about the SPD officers who beat up Holliman and Gordon.
The question D.A. Michael Jackson SHOULD answer is "why" he turned this over to the A.G. rather than presenting this to the Dallas County Grand Jury. We think we found the answer-though it is unsatisfactory to the public. The wife of Selma Police Lt. John Brock works for Jackson. LT BROCK WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THESE BEATINGS IN ANY SHAPE, FORM OR FASHION; however, Jackson is using the fact that an officer's wife works for him AS HIS EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING HIS DUTY.
While nothing is done about the beatings, Perkins and Martin continue their tyrannical wrecking of the SPD. After some criticism appeared in the newspaper about police using city cars for personal use-which some surely are doing-Martin issued a memo that no one was to take cars home. Like everything the incompetent and inept Chief does, apparently this directive does not apply to his favorites, WHO STILL USE POLICE CARS FOR PERSONAL USE AND ARE TAKING THEM HOME. When the directive was issued forbidding personal use of city cars, we wondered if PERKINS WOULD ISSUE A MEMO THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYEES COULD NOT GO TO THE GAMBLING CASINO IN WHITE HALL ON CITY TIME?
Perkins continues to interfere with the running of the police department. The City is buying 8 new police cars. We are told that PERKINS HIMSELF is directing which of his flunkies in the SPD get the new cars. We are also told that one has gone to the poster boy for beatings, Jeff Hardy. We knew that Hardy had quit the force a few months ago-supposedly over $10,000 in robbery or drug money missing. Now he is back-and apparently with a new car to drive. We are told the second car is going to Officer Tubbs. Didn't Tubbs receive $5,000 from the city program for a down payment on a house? We wonder who the other 6 flunkies are of Perkins will get the new cars?
We urge the following:
1. Michael Jackson to do his duty and present the ABI Report to the Grand Jury and help clean up the SPD.
2. AG Troy King to do his duty and start prosecuting ethics cases such as those against Crenshaw and Leashore which the Ethics Commission sends him.
3. Mayor Perkins to make the ABI Report PUBLIC. What is he afraid of the people knowing about HIS police department?
4. The Selma Times-Journal to take an active role in this and call for the release of the ABI Report.
5. The Holliman and Gordon families to sue the City, Martin, Perkins and the officers involved in the beating so the truth can finally be made public.
Selma will never recover from 4 more years of James Perkins, Jr. as Mayor!!!
