Pubdate: Fri, 20 Feb 2004
Source: Ledger-Enquirer (GA)
Copyright: 2004 Ledger-Enquirer
Contact:  http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/enquirer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/237
Author: Muriel Tan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Kenneth+Walker

DEPUTY WHO SHOT WALKER FIRED

Sheriff Dismisses Deputy Who Shot Kenneth Walker

Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson on Thursday fired David Glisson, the 
deputy who fatally shot an unarmed Columbus man more than two months ago.

The announcement came at a brief news conference during which Johnson did 
not provide reasons for the termination. The shooting is under 
investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The termination comes about a week after Glisson was interviewed as part of 
an internal Sheriff's Department investigation into the shooting.

"Having received notification that the GBI investigation was nearing 
completion, I decided the time was appropriate to resume our internal 
administrative investigation so that it could be brought to conclusion," 
Johnson read from a prepared statement.

Glisson shot 39-year-old Kenneth Walker during a stop along Interstate 185 
shortly before 9 p.m. on Dec. 10. Before being stopped, Walker and three 
friends, Warren Beaulah, Anthony Smith and Daryl Ransom, had been riding in 
a gray GMC Yukon seen leaving an Armour Road apartment under surveillance 
by Metro Narcotics Task Force Agents, according to official accounts.

All four men were ordered out of the vehicle, and during the ensuing 
moments, Walker was shot. An autopsy report shows that he received two 
gunshot wounds to the head, Muscogee County Coroner James Dunnavant said. 
Walker was pronounced dead a few hours later at The Medical Center.

No drugs or weapons were recovered from any of the occupants of the Yukon.

The sheriff said the final piece of the department's internal investigation 
into the shooting was the interview with Glisson, who had been placed on 
administrative leave with pay since the shooting.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling, Garrity v. New Jersey, Johnson said the 
deputy was "compelled to give an interview." Johnson did not elaborate on 
the content of that interview.

The 1967 ruling "compels a deputy to come forward and answer questions" 
pertaining to official acts or duties that he is under investigation for. 
Though the employee can be fired from his job if he does not provide a 
statement, the statement cannot be used against him in subsequent criminal 
proceedings.

Reached Thursday afternoon, Glisson's attorney, Richard Hagler, said his 
client had been "in full compliance with all the requirements of the 
Garrity Act" and had spoken with sheriff's investigators.

"It's an enormous injustice and we are extremely disappointed," said 
Hagler, who added that he was "looking at any and all alternatives with 
respect to David's employment."

Among those alternatives could be an appeal to the city's Personnel Review 
Board, Hagler said.

"I don't mean to lessen or lighten the death of Kenneth Walker, but every 
time a man dies, it doesn't mean there was a crime or that there was an 
intentional act," Hagler said. "The fact of life is that when people die, 
many times others will jump to the conclusion automatically that there was 
a crime."

Of his client, Hagler said Glisson was "extremely traumatized by all of 
this and the fact that the sheriff took this action against him."

Though the announcement did not come as a surprise to the veteran attorney, 
Hagler said the termination was an inevitable result of political pressure 
on the sheriff.

"The truth is that political realities, which have been a dominant factor 
throughout, determined this," Hagler said.

The lead agent on the GBI's investigation, Chris Hosey, confirmed late 
Thursday that the agency had concluded its investigation without an 
interview from Glisson. That report is expected to be delivered to District 
Attorney Gray Conger today.

Reaction

Within days of the shooting, community and civil rights groups convened in 
rapid succession, holding demonstrations and rallies, calling for the 
sheriff's resignation, for the name of the deputy involved and for his 
termination, and for the disclosure of the sheriff's department videotape 
of the incident.

Since then, Johnson has released little information on what took place on 
the interstate that night, citing ongoing investigations by both the GBI 
and by the FBI.

"I have struggled over the fine balance of the public's need to know and 
the importance of protecting the integrity of the investigation," the 
sheriff said Thursday. Johnson acknowledged that the public reaction has 
been "vocal" but reiterated again that "in order for justice to be served, 
due process must first be allowed."

Asked how the decision affected him, the sheriff said, "When an employee is 
terminated, it is always a difficult decision."

"My heart and prayers go out to both the Walker family and the family of 
Deputy Glisson," he said.

Among those in attendance at the news conference was local NAACP President 
Ed DuBose.

"We still have a long way to go, but it's good to see that a process has 
finally started," said DuBose, who added he was satisfied with the decision 
but nevertheless repeated his call for Johnson to step aside.

"There still is a leadership change needed," he said.

Wayne Baker, president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and 
another outspoken critic of the sheriff, called the decision "a very 
positive step for Ralph Johnson."

"The termination of Glisson says to the watching world, there is not going 
to be a cover-up in any kind of way," Baker said.

Columbus Councilor Nathan Suber -- who had previously raised the 
possibility of the city firing Glisson because of what he described as 
Glisson's failure to cooperate with the GBI's investigation -- said the 
sheriff had "done the right thing for the community at this time."

"He was getting paid in his absence and I didn't think it was right," Suber 
said.

City Attorney Clifton Fay told the councilor that the city could not revoke 
Glisson's pay since money given to the sheriff's department could not be 
taken back.

Fraternal Order of Police President Randy Robertson said members of his 
organization had "kept close watch over the situation and we're saddened at 
the loss of the Walker family and now of the loss of the officer. Our 
prayers go out to both families."

Asked about the action taken against the deputy, Robertson said, "I have no 
comment on that because I don't know the facts."

- -- Staff writer Kelli Esters contributed to this report.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom