Post by WaTcHeR on Mar 7, 2006 11:42:41 GMT -5
03/06/2006 - GLADEWATER — More than 50 residents looking for answers about Gladewater Police Officer Brian Naismith left Monday's town hall meeting frustrated by city officials who said they couldn't address the residents' concerns.
Mayor John Paul Tallent, mayor pro tem Walter Derrick and Councilman Scott Owens attended the meeting, organized by residents concerned about Naismith and other officers on the force. An Upshur County grand jury declined to indict Naismith in January for fatally shooting 25-year-old Jonathan King after a police chase in June. Naismith said King tried to run him down.
Tallent repeatedly told the standing-room-only crowd at Garfield Hill Community Center that he couldn't answer any questions about the police or fire departments because that authority rested with City Manager Jay Stokes. Stokes and Police Chief Jimmy Davis didn't attend the meeting under advisement of attorneys with the Texas Municipal League because of possible pending civil litigation the King family may file because of the incident.
Davis, meanwhile, has told Stokes that he will resign effective June 30 after 37 years in the department.
The meeting was called to organize "African Americans" in the community, according to a flier.
"I've always treated the blacks fair. You're the reason I got elected two years ago, and I'll always be indebted to the blacks," Tallent told the crowd. "I do not have any power over the police department or the fire department. That is solely the responsibility of the city manager. He gets paid the big bucks to do that."
Many of the crowd's questions were met with Tallent's reply: "I can't answer that."
After just 20 minutes of heated debate, resident Tyrone Ruffine shouted, "If we're not going to find out any answers, we're wasting our breath."
The crowd also raised concerns about a complaint filed by Dallas Morning News reporter Dave Michaels, who says Naismith bumped Michaels' car, threatened him and pointed a shotgun at his chest on Thursday when the reporter went to Naismith's house. The complaint was filed with the Upshur County Sheriff's Office.
Tallent told the crowd that Naismith was on vacation when the incident occurred, although the officer arrested a man for possession of methamphetamines and $18,500 this past Tuesday.
The Morning News also reported that Davis and another officer told Michaels that he had provoked Naismith by driving into his neighborhood.
"(Naismith) shot and killed a man, and now he's rammed somebody with his car and pulled a shotgun on him, and you're sending him on vacation. The best I would give him is an air-conditioned room in the jail," said resident Debra Pike.
Tallent again reiterated that he couldn't answer questions about the case, saying, "wish I could comment. I can't comment ... I couldn't answer you if I knew the answers because of pending litigation."
Ernest Deckard, president of the NAACP's Tyler Chapter, told Tallent, "There are some very serious problems here, mister mayor, and something needs to be done about it."
Tallent, Owens and Derrick advised residents to bring their concerns to the City Council by getting placed on the March 16 meeting agenda.
Mayor John Paul Tallent, mayor pro tem Walter Derrick and Councilman Scott Owens attended the meeting, organized by residents concerned about Naismith and other officers on the force. An Upshur County grand jury declined to indict Naismith in January for fatally shooting 25-year-old Jonathan King after a police chase in June. Naismith said King tried to run him down.
Tallent repeatedly told the standing-room-only crowd at Garfield Hill Community Center that he couldn't answer any questions about the police or fire departments because that authority rested with City Manager Jay Stokes. Stokes and Police Chief Jimmy Davis didn't attend the meeting under advisement of attorneys with the Texas Municipal League because of possible pending civil litigation the King family may file because of the incident.
Davis, meanwhile, has told Stokes that he will resign effective June 30 after 37 years in the department.
The meeting was called to organize "African Americans" in the community, according to a flier.
"I've always treated the blacks fair. You're the reason I got elected two years ago, and I'll always be indebted to the blacks," Tallent told the crowd. "I do not have any power over the police department or the fire department. That is solely the responsibility of the city manager. He gets paid the big bucks to do that."
Many of the crowd's questions were met with Tallent's reply: "I can't answer that."
After just 20 minutes of heated debate, resident Tyrone Ruffine shouted, "If we're not going to find out any answers, we're wasting our breath."
The crowd also raised concerns about a complaint filed by Dallas Morning News reporter Dave Michaels, who says Naismith bumped Michaels' car, threatened him and pointed a shotgun at his chest on Thursday when the reporter went to Naismith's house. The complaint was filed with the Upshur County Sheriff's Office.
Tallent told the crowd that Naismith was on vacation when the incident occurred, although the officer arrested a man for possession of methamphetamines and $18,500 this past Tuesday.
The Morning News also reported that Davis and another officer told Michaels that he had provoked Naismith by driving into his neighborhood.
"(Naismith) shot and killed a man, and now he's rammed somebody with his car and pulled a shotgun on him, and you're sending him on vacation. The best I would give him is an air-conditioned room in the jail," said resident Debra Pike.
Tallent again reiterated that he couldn't answer questions about the case, saying, "wish I could comment. I can't comment ... I couldn't answer you if I knew the answers because of pending litigation."
Ernest Deckard, president of the NAACP's Tyler Chapter, told Tallent, "There are some very serious problems here, mister mayor, and something needs to be done about it."
Tallent, Owens and Derrick advised residents to bring their concerns to the City Council by getting placed on the March 16 meeting agenda.