GRAND JURY UNDERTOOK A THANKLESS TASK

I have, for months, held my tongue in the Ayers case, as I wished to
have the full story before 'shooting off' my mouth (or pen as it were).

I have sat by as person after person has belittled and acused the
officers involved. I have read as only a few have stood up for those
who risk their lives daily to keep us safe.

I have, out of respect for the family of the deceased, not ventured
to say anything which might add to their pain. I see that my fellow
county members have not awarded the police officers or their families
the same courtesy.

But now the self-proclaimed omniscient, omnipresent members of our
small society are attaching the character, intellegence and motives
of the grand jury members as well.

I know some of those who served on this prestigous body. I know their
families and their integrity.

I also know the dilemma a juror feels. But the law is clear and
regardless their personal compassion and bias, they must uphold the law.

If the evidence showed that the police officer had reason to beleive
that he or his partner was in eminant danger, he not only had the
right to shoot, but it was his duty to fire his weapon in warning if
not to kill.

The fact that the person shot was a preacher is sad and is
unfortunate, in more than one way, but it does not (nor can not)
alter the law and there was no way for the officer to know this as he fired.

Nor had he known the identity of the person would it have altered his
duty under the circumstances.

It is a tragedy that a pastor was shot. The real travesty would be
that those officers would have to worry about being prosecuted for
doing their job and proecting the citizens of our community from
drugs and prostitution, afraid to to be proud of who they are and what they do.

It would be a tragedy if the grand jury members were harrased for
doing their job (a hard and unrewarding, apparently unpopular job).

What a sad state we would be in without both the officers who daily
place their life in jepardy to allow us to live in a secure and
peaceful mindset, or the jurors who give of their time, for very
little pay, to see that everyone gets a fair trial and that justice is done.

Where is it written that pastors are more righteous and holy than the
police officer, who places his faith in the same God or the juror who
does likewise? I know many of the city and county officers as well as
some of the GBI. Many of them are exceptional Christians, serving God
and us in the duties they perform daily.

I know many of them agonize over those whom are unreachable and
taking a life is not an easy thing to do. They are forced to do so to
protect themselves, their partners and us, the citizens.

They do not have the luxury of knowing the life history of everyone
they are faced with in times of decisions.

They must use their training and the knowledge they see before them
at the moment. I, for one, applaude the fine officers on the city,
county and state levels who selflessly protect me daily.

I pray that they know that not all of the people in this area are
given to pios absurdities of grandure.

We do not all think that we are omniscient and that they should be as
well. Some (many) of us appreciate their sacrifice and dillegence. We
pray for their safety and we defend them to those who would persecute them.

We applaude the jurors who did a very difficult job under unpleasent
circumstances and we pray that you do not take to heart the detriment
of misinformed, misguided tunnel-visioned people who are unwilling to
do what you spent four days doing (examining all the evidence and
evaluating it before forming a conclusion on this case). Thank you.