Alleged OBSESSIVE Force
We think they meant "Excessive"
Selma Police Department Personnel Completely Out Of Control: MARTIN MUST GO!
3-20-07
Police Chief Martin has lost any control that he ever had over personnel in his department. HE MUST BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY, or his unqualified policemen are going to kill someone and/or get the City sued again and again. The older man that Martin's flunkies, including Hardy and Calhoun, beat up on West Street has an excellent reputation in the community and has worked for Harrell's Refrigeration for years; and is given the HIGHEST commendation by Mr. Harrell.
His grandson, who is mentally deficient, was driving without a tag about a block or two from his grandfather's house. KNOWING THE MENTAL DISABILITY OF HIS GRANDSON, THE GRANDFATHER ASKED SELMA'S FINEST TO LET "HIM" PUT THE YOUNG MAN IN HANDCUFFS AND GIVE THE GRANDSON INTO THEIR CUSTODY. Martin's cronies refused to do that and proceded to beat the grandfather with their batons, throw him to the ground, throw him in a police car, and take him away in handcuffs! The grandfather had a spray for asthma, which was in his pocket, BUT THE POLICE REFUSED TO LET HIM USE IT WHILE THEY TOOK HIM AWAY!
THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR SELMA. This is not the first incident of this kind which has happened in recent weeks with some SPD personnel that MARTIN hired. These people Martin has brought here, especially from Marion, ARE NOT TRAINED. They are not qualified to be police officers and MARTIN is solely responsible for their conduct.
It is no telling how much this is going to cost the City of Selma's insurer (Does anyone remember how much this was worth to Rodney King?). The grandfather and grandson have excellent cases against the City for police brutality. This case is tailored made for Rose Sanders and J.L. Chestnut.
This whole brutality mess lies at the feet of our spineless Mayor, James Perkins, JR., who insists on keeping an incompetent Jimmy Martin as police chief. Some of the people Martin has brought in here and hired as officers are inadequately trained and are little more than THUGS themselves. Perkins wrongly thinks he can shield Martin by asking the ABI to investigate this matter. If Perkins had "a pair", HE would investigate this matter himself, get rid of Martin and everyone else who is guilty of brutality!
Mayor, this one isn't going to go away! If you think the $310,000 judgement against the City in the Kindaka Sanders brawl was big, WAIT TILL YOU GET THE BILL FOR THIS ONE! Fire Martin, Calhoun, and Hardy; Take responsibilty for what your HIRES do!!
