The Habbersham County officials, in particular Sheriff Joey Terrell, have been all over the map with their justifications that led to a 19-month-old toddler clinging to life as a result of a severely flawed 3am “No Knock” SWAT raid.
If you have followed this story from the beginning you’ll notice the familiar pattern of false stories which initially surface by police now being entirely contradicted. Check out this ABC report with about a half dozen inconsistencies noted from initial justification.
The terrorized family now has legal counsel after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation previously denied to listen to their pleas for an investigation. And friends have put together a donation site to support the family in their immediate needs HERE.
Radio Talk show host Michael Graham shares:
CLARKESVILLE – Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman says his office will review the early-morning drug raid near Cornelia Wednesday that resulted in burns to a 19-month-old child.
Members of the Habersham Special Response Team, comprised of Habersham County sheriff’s deputies and Cornelia police officers, executed a “no knock” search warrant at a home located at 182 Lakeview Heights Circle outside Cornelia.
During the team’s forced entry, a flash bang grenade, also called a stun grenade, was used as a diversionary device. That device burned 19-month-old Bounkham Phonesavanh.
Given that Sheriff Terrell was insisting yesterday that his office had been entirely cleared by the DA, this is an important first step. Unfortunately it appears to be a very small step:
Rickman stressed his office will not be the one to determine whether policy was followed, or to question the manner in which the raid was conducted.
“It’s a lot different than what some people think,” Rickman said. “Our sole function in a situation like that is to determine if there’s any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.”
Rickman said the review by the D.A.’s office is specifically to determine whether a crime was committed.
“What could warrant any criminal wrongdoing would be if this was intentional,” Rickman said. “The only way it would be criminal is if there was some kind of gross, absolute disregard for safety, or clearly if an officer intended it.” (link)
This is the problem with having the D.A. involved. By definition, he’s in the “prosecute crimes” business, as opposed to reviewing police actions and tactics and determining if they were negligent/over the top/incredibly stupid.
Yes, the case can be made that throwing a grenade into a room full of sleeping kids and innocent family members is “gross, absolute disregard for safety,” but I’m not looking for cops let away in handcuffs.
I want police departments–these small-town, podunk departments in particular–to lay off the “Let’s Play SWAT Team With Our High-Tech Toys!” approach to their jobs.
Say what you want about Barney Fife, but he never got anyone killed.
So what agency in Georgia is going to answer the REAL questions?
- 1. Why a “no-knock” warrant on a low-rent meth dealer well-known to the cops?
- 2. Why bust in at 2AM? What’s wrong with 2pm?
- 3. Why throw incendiary devices into a home when the perp isn’t even there? Did the cops have ANY intelligence before acting?
- 4. Why throw a flashbang into a bedroom? Into a crib? Did the cops not know a family was in the house? Did the cops have any ACCURATE intelligence before acting?
- 5. Why was the “no-knock” warrant issued in the first place? What did the cops tell the judge? Or is the judge a “Let’s Roll!” type, too?
Once again, the goal isn’t to turn these cops into criminals. It’s to hold them accountable for their actions, policies and consequences. Nobody needs to be prosecuted, but someone definitely needs to be fired. [Michael Graham link to website]