BIASED INVESTIGATION
When police officers are fired from one department and rehired by another neighboring department, you can be guaranteed problems will follow the officer. When you have police investigating fellow officers then you can be assured their will be no accountability and a BIASED INVESTIGATION. When you have taxpayers paying for police cameras and then the police withhold the footage, you have no transparency. When all of these facts come together you have a police state where the police are no longer public servants. When you have a sheriff that is the most powerful POLITICIAN in the county, 10 to 1 he is also the head of the good ole boys that run the county. When you have a sheriff that eliminates any competition for his office by supporting legislation that disqualifies most candidates for his office, you have corruption, some would say fixing an election.
As long as all the above remains true a very few bad police officers are going to tarnish the reputations of good officers.
How many people need to die before citizens can see some justice?
Baldwin County MCU Lt. Andre Reid has said officer body camera footage of the incident will not be available during their investigation and the officer will not be named to “respect privacy.” Reid said Bay Minette Police can decide to release footage at the conclusion of the case. An Alabama Supreme Court ruling last summer, however, has effectively stripped the media and the public of any right to sue to see police body camera footage.
Unlike Kenneth Sikes’ shooting, there’s been backlash stemming from French being killed. Family, friends and the local community have demanded answers — but they’re getting nothing. The city, police department and the Baldwin County Major Crimes Unit (MCU), which is investigating the shooting, all refuse to even release the name of the officer involved.
Lagniappe reporter Scott Johnson called law enforcement officials, Bay Minette City Council members and even Mayor Bob Wills seeking the officer’s identity. In most cases, those he contacted either hung up on him or pretended there was something that prohibited them from answering.
The County Commission should intervene and insist that the Major Crimes Division not be charged with investigating fellow officers.
This podcast covers the death of 8 individuals killed by BCSO and Mr O J French of Bay Minette.
All were unarmed only one person had a gun and he fired a single shot. Deputies returned 114 rounds through his home which was demolished killing him.
This case was over an eviction?
No bank robbers, no car thefts, no big time drug dealers, no felons. These were people that encountered the police on the wrong day and paid with their lives. The fact that this has been going on for so long calls into question police protocol and training. Why were these incidents meet with lethal force and not some type of non-lethal weapon?
The citizens of Bay Minette have had enough and formed the Bay Minette Justice League. If you think this does not involve you as a citizen of Baldwin County you are sadly mistaken. The Mayor and his yes sir council have acted as indifferent to Mr French’s death as they have to the numerous complaints filed against Bay Minette Police prior to his death.
The city of Bay Minette has refused to inform the public who the officer was that shot and killed Mr. French. It has also been reported that the officer has been reinstated and is currently working. How can he be reinstated if the investigation is on going?
Please support the BMJL community, this is a Baldwin County problem not just Bay Minette.