The West Metro NAACP of Paulding and Douglas County will be calling for the resignation of City of Douglasville Magistrate Court Judge Keith Rollins tonight at a 6:30 p.m. press conference, according to West Metro NAACP President Kimberly Alexander.
The NAACP contends Reverend Kenneth Freeman was unfairly tased in August of 2011 and then he and his son, Curtis Freeman, were charged with disorderly conduct and sent to jail Thursday. Reverend Freeman was fined $500, sentenced to six months probation and 10 days in jail. Curtis Freeman was fined $450, sentenced to six months probation and four days in jail.
of the New Beginnings Sanctuary Faith Church in Douglasville, told the Douglasville city council he wants justice after a police officer tasered him twice during a traffic stop of his son on Chapel Hill Rd.
"He tased me for no reason at all," Freeman said. "Not just one time but he did it twice. I'm a citizen here in this city and I will not tolerate no type of treatment like that."
In a press release issued by the West Metro NAACP, the group said it is "appalled at the sentence and incarceration of a Minister and his son...This appears to be retaliation against the Freeman Family due to their publicly highlighting their accusation of excessive force case against the Douglasville Police Department."
In the release, the incident was described like this: "Jermiel Freeman was pulled over by Officer Sam Crosley on Aug. 25, 2011 for a tag issue. During the traffic stop, Jermiel contacted his Father, Reverend Kenneth Freeman, to bring the car registration papers to the vehicle. Upon arrival at the scene with another one of his sons – Curtis Freeman, Reverend Freeman was then tased by Officer Crosley. As a result, Reverend Freeman and both of his sons were arrested. Jermiel later pleaded guilty to a tag issue and disorderly conduct with a fine of $700 and six months’ probation."
The release goes on to state: "The trial for Reverend Freeman and his younger son Curtis was heard in front of Judge Rollins. Reverend Freeman and his son were charged with disorderly conduct and represented in court by their attorney. Throughout the court hearing there were discrepancies in the Police testimony presented in court versus what was presented in the internal affairs investigation. Additionally, the testimony was inconsistent with what was written in the initial incident report. After all evidence and testimonial was presented, Judge Rollins found both Father and son guilty."
Also, the release says the organization would like for the City Council and Mayor to implement a citizen review board and reconsider Judge Rollins' contract with the City.
Isn't this what we are seeing? Blame Bush... blame anyone but the person or people who are actually responsible. People make mistakes. Take responsibility for them and learn from them! This could have been a simple traffic stop but others came into it and they made bad decisions and it wasn't simple anymore. Enough. Do the crime, do your time and learn from it and end it.
A recent thing in this county, I think not. This has been going on for a long long time. I understand that no one can pick and choose the laws however the sentencing can be controlled.
It's not about race. it's about bad things happening when people decide to commit crimes. By the way, I know a guy who is a manager at a pizza place that got his "Reverend" status through the mail, so he could marry his friends. Perhaps the Reverend in this case should have acted like one.
I have dealt with Rollins as an real estate atty back in the late 1990's, when I refinanced my mortgage. In all the legal paperwork he described me erroneously as a black female. Less than 10 years later I called him about a legal issue with a child support/bankruptcy problem and he said now I was in bankruptcy I had MORE money to pay child support, even though I was earning less than half what my child's father earned. I am surprised to hear that one such as that is now a Judge. I wonder how many cases he has handled erroneously since he became judge? nderstand that I have it from reliable sources that the Douglasville police are arresting people who shouldn't be arrested in order to make more money and "prove" that they need a bigger jail. Such republican corruption. The former Mayor, Mickey Thompson, is running for a rep position. Don't vote for him or former rep Bob Snelling.
And no one gets a chance to vote him in or out of office at the polls. He is appointed by the city council.
Many judges at all levels of government within the United States are appointed. Appointed judges - especially life-long appointments - do not have to bend to the political winds that may be blowing in order to garner favor with the voters. This is a good thing, unless you are in favor of mob rule.
"Many judges at all levels of government within the United States are appointed. Appointed judges - especially life-long appointments - do not have to bend to the political winds that may be blowing in order to garner favor with the voters. This is a good thing, unless you are in favor of mob rule." Unless I am in favor of mob rule? Are you kidding? Fred, maybe you believe in the divine right of kings and that the people should not be allowed to influence their government or vote. Since you are not for mob rule, then why would you support actually allowing the people to elect their representatives? With a position as important as a judge, the judge should have to answer to the people he judges. The problem with our government is that too few people are informed and too few participate.
Who appoints judges? Elected officials. How do those officials get their jobs? The people vote. If you think that having every judge weighing every decision that they make against their ability to please their constituency then I guess you feel that the Federal Courts need improvement. Would there have been any progress in civil rights if the judges that ruled discriminatory laws unconstitutional had to please the majority of the voters so they could keep their jobs? For the judges that do face the voters we equivocate by declaring their office's "non-partisan" as if that distinction has a real meaning. Do you think that money and power sways elected legislators and executives? (you should) How is a judge immune to those forces when he has to rely on the same system to keep his job? I am 100% in favor of electing our legislators and executives. While most people would describe the USA as a democracy, they would be wrong. A democracy IS mob rule. The USA is a representative republic. It is an important distinction, and I suggest you look it up. I agree with your last statement but you do not take it far enough: The problem with our government is that too few people are informed and too many uninformed people participate.
I could go on, but you get the picture. By the way, Fred, how did you like the US Supreme Court decision that said government could seize private property for economic development in the Kelo case? That was a shocker, huh.
I think it is shameful to treat a man of God, this way, tasing him like a common crimal.I think the officers involved in this such in fact be fired. And as for the Judge he should be fired as well, The comment by D,C wait till something like this happen to your family and love ones, then i want to know how would you respone then. this is a man of God. he did not deserve to be treated that way.
Faced with having to please the voters the Federal Courts would not have been exanding the rights of opressed citizens over the last 220 years. Do you really think that Jim Crow would have died when it did if the citizens voted on it? Are the jurists perfect? No, just human.