TENSE CROWD LISTENS, PLEADS

Officers field questions, many share stories

With tension in the air Wednesday and tears on a few faces, people
came to hear what NAACP Columbus chapter president Edward DuBose
called a meeting to "shed light on law enforcement misconduct and
mishandling."

"In memory of Kenny Walker, we have to find resolve in all of these
cases," DuBose said.

Six weeks after the fatal shooting of Kenneth B. Walker, 39, by a
Muscogee County Sheriff deputy, people came to tell and hear stories
of what they felt may be police misconduct.

Columbus Police Chief Willie Dozier, Muscogee Sheriff's Capt. Joe
McCrea, District Attorney Gray Conger and Marshal Ken Suddeth sat in
the front rows ready to answer questions posed by a panel of NAACP
representatives. Other law enforcement personnel sat toward the back.

Bill Madison, NAACP Columbus chapter vice president, started the forum
at 6 p.m. by warning the evening may be a long one. At 9:15 p.m. the
meeting was still going on.

The first person to speak was the Rev. Wayne Baker of Spirit Filled
Ministries. Baker told how a Sunday morning worship service was
interrupted by sheriff's deputies who were trying to serve a civil
warrant to a church member.

Afterward, McCrea stood to explain the sheriff's department's side of
the story before an antagonistic panel and crowd. At one point, McCrea
pointed to a deputy in the audience, who was at the scene, to help
explain what happened. The deputy shook his head and left McCrea to
fend for himself.

Several people filled out forms but did not tell their stories, like
Ricky Muhammad and a young man who wished not to be identified. He sat
in the foyer, writing about what he said was an illegal search of his
house. He said he now faces a charge of possession of marijuana with
intent to distribute.

Marjorie Barker-Jackson of Columbus said she showed up to show support
for law enforcement officers.

"I think some people are just trying to pull things out of a bag,"
Barker-Jackson said. "There doesn't seem to be much concern about
officers' safety."

She suggested that an officer who deals with community relations would
be helpful.

Jimmie Johnson of Columbus said she could see both
sides.

"They are only human beings trying to stay alive," Johnson said. "But
there seems to be some racial profiling."

Tamika Phillips, 26, came to see if other people were having the same
issues with local law enforcement that her husband was having.

"I came simply because my husband has been pulled over several times,"
Phillips said. "There's a lot that needs to be done."

She said she had learned a lot from listening to others who had
complaints and law enforcement. She noted the importance of filing a
complaint when she feels she has been mistreated by police.

Katherine Santos, a 20-year-old junior criminal justice student at
Columbus State University, was taking notes on what she saw and heard.

"I want to observe and see what issues we have in our community," she
said. "I want to see if there is anything I can do to help out."