News (Media Awareness Project) - US GA: Editorial: Thorough Investigation The Only Option |
| Title: | US GA: Editorial: Thorough Investigation The Only Option |
| Published On: | 2009-10-13 |
| Source: | Northeast Georgian, The (Cornelia, GA) |
| Fetched On: | 2009-10-15 10:05:58 |
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION THE ONLY OPTION
The shooting death of the Rev. Jonathan Ayers by undercover drug
agents in Toccoa on Sept. 1 calls for answers.
Certainly, the public demands it and Ayers' family and the agents
involved deserve it.
The investigation into the incident is close to wrapping up, with the
latest timetable pushing out the conclusion until around the first of
November.
While no one wants the quest for answers to drag out unnecessarily,
similarly we should not expect any less than a full and complete
investigation - one that brings conclusive answers.
Complicating the matter is a backlog of cases at the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation's State Crime Lab. Some of those cases the lab is under
court order to complete.
Further hampering a timely conclusion are state employee furloughs, a
heavy caseload for GBI agents and unfilled positions within the GBI.
We do not know what GBI will conclude at the end of its investigation.
We do not know at this time if this is, or should be, a criminal
action taken against the drug enforcement agents.
Those are things that yet are to be determined, hopefully sooner
rather than later.
But even when the investigation has concluded, the public may not get
immediate answers.
In a statement issued Oct. 2, District Attorney Brian Rickman said
that once the investigation has been completed, the results will be
turned over by the GBI to the DA's office to be reviewed by that
office and/or an outside prosecutor to determine what further action
will take place.
"At that point, a final decision will be made as to presenting this
matter to a Stephens County grand jury for review," Rickman's
statement reads. "Because the matter could be presented to the grand
jury for review, our office is unable to comment publicly on any of
the specifics regarding the evidence that has been gathered to this
point."
That means the wait may continue, but the GBI, DA's office and others
need to be aware that the public has not and will not forget what
happened on Sept. 1 and will not stop looking for answers.
The shooting death of the Rev. Jonathan Ayers by undercover drug
agents in Toccoa on Sept. 1 calls for answers.
Certainly, the public demands it and Ayers' family and the agents
involved deserve it.
The investigation into the incident is close to wrapping up, with the
latest timetable pushing out the conclusion until around the first of
November.
While no one wants the quest for answers to drag out unnecessarily,
similarly we should not expect any less than a full and complete
investigation - one that brings conclusive answers.
Complicating the matter is a backlog of cases at the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation's State Crime Lab. Some of those cases the lab is under
court order to complete.
Further hampering a timely conclusion are state employee furloughs, a
heavy caseload for GBI agents and unfilled positions within the GBI.
We do not know what GBI will conclude at the end of its investigation.
We do not know at this time if this is, or should be, a criminal
action taken against the drug enforcement agents.
Those are things that yet are to be determined, hopefully sooner
rather than later.
But even when the investigation has concluded, the public may not get
immediate answers.
In a statement issued Oct. 2, District Attorney Brian Rickman said
that once the investigation has been completed, the results will be
turned over by the GBI to the DA's office to be reviewed by that
office and/or an outside prosecutor to determine what further action
will take place.
"At that point, a final decision will be made as to presenting this
matter to a Stephens County grand jury for review," Rickman's
statement reads. "Because the matter could be presented to the grand
jury for review, our office is unable to comment publicly on any of
the specifics regarding the evidence that has been gathered to this
point."
That means the wait may continue, but the GBI, DA's office and others
need to be aware that the public has not and will not forget what
happened on Sept. 1 and will not stop looking for answers.
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