Scottsboro, Alabama City Council Meeting, Work Session 4-17-17

Scottsboro City Hall  photo by G.Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

April 17, 2017 Jackson County Commission Work Session, Citizen Presentation - Justice for Stacy UPDATE: Justice for Stacy - April 21, 2017

North Side Jackson County Courthouse photo by G. Morgan

UPDATE: Justice for Stacy - April 21, 2017 - The autopsy results for Stacy Sullivan have been released. The investigation is closed, because of concerns for the family, the cause of death and contributing factors will not be released by this writer. 

JUSTICE FOR STACY

On or about April 21, 2016  Ms. Stacy Sullivan's death is still unresolved due to dysfunctional state leadership which has failed to place sensible priorities on important law enforcement critical areas, specifically Forensic Sciences. 

There will be a candlelight vigil for Stacy at the north entrance of the courthouse on Friday, April 21 at 6 PM. 

Interview with Judy Nichols Hayes at the Jackson County Commission

Scottsboro, Alabama; sister of Stacy Sullivan; "A Scottsboro woman’s death is still unsolved a year later due to long wait for forensics report." http://whnt.com/2017/04/13/a-scottsboro-womans-death-is-still-unsolved-a-year-later-due-to-long-wait-for-forensics-report/ Over one year waiting for autopsy results, family suffers, politicians make excuses. Presentation to Jackson County Commission and Sheriff. Yes politicians you are responsible, as you are the representatives of the people of Jackson County Alabama. Times 12- It has been stated there are 12 unresolved probable murders in Alabama due to the State Forensic Lab budget cuts/failures. 

                                               AGENDA

Commission Meeting Video

Scottsboro City Council Regular Session April 10, 2017

Scottsboro City Hall photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

Jackson County Commission Regular Session April 10, 2017

South Side Jackson County Courthouse, photo by G. Morgan

As a reminder, renovation around the square is scheduled to begin on April 17, 2017 at the southeast corner, the east side will be renovated first.

AGENDA

VIDEO

Cancellation of Scottsboro Downtown Market Event Associated with Protest of Sheriffs Department Officer Involved Shooting in Pisgah, Alabama; Release of Officer Shooting Video, Allegations of Davis's Family Suggests Failure to Secure Evidence, Coverup?? - UPDATES (1215 4-5-17) (4-11-17): Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen Provides Information, (4-11-17) New Video - UPDATE - March 1, 2021 - National Drug Threat Assessment- DEA

Facebook cropped photo of Alex Davis, Fair Use for non-profit news reporting.

According to various news reports 18 year old Alex Davis, a Pisgah High School Student, was shot and killed by a Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy in Pisgah, Alabama on February 7, 2017 after responding to a "fight call" on County Road 60. 

 Al.com news reported the deputy responding found a man bleeding from "a hammer blow to the head." The responding officer attempted to subdue Davis by using non-lethal force via a "stun gun" to subdue Mr. Davis. It was reported the non-lethal force was not successful, "the deputy then "fired his gun." http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2017/02/high_school_student_killed_by.html

WHNT-TV Huntsville, Al. News report stated - "According to the Sheriff’s Office, Davis came at the deputy with a board. The deputy asked him to stop repeatedly. He also tried to subdue the teenager with his stun gun twice. Investigators say Davis was able to regain strength and pull the electrodes off him to pursue the deputy again. That’s when the deputy shot Davis, who died at the scene." http://whnt.com/2017/02/07/1-person-killed-following-deputy-involved-shooting-in-pisgah/

(UPDATE) Chief Deputy Harnen stated to me in the phone conversation that the deputy involved in the shooting had expended all of his taser cartridges in the attempt to subdue Davis with non-lethal force. 

WRCB-TV Chattanooga, Tn. "The NBC affiliate in Huntsville, WAFF 48 News, spoke with the young man's bus driver. Melissa Morgan said he was very friendly and a good friend...Neighbors learning about the shooting are questioning why someone had to die." http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/34454946/pisgah-hs-student-shot-killed-by-jackson-county-deputy

UPDATE: 12:15 PM Wednesday April 5, 2017 - Phone Conversation From Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen of the Jackson County Sheriffs Department

Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen, Jackson County Sheriffs Department. (Photo by Jackson County Sheriffs Department - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary.)

Not All is Apparent in the Video Released

Chief Deputy Harnen stated: The board displayed by the concerned relative in the below video is not the board which the suspect utilized to strike the auto or threaten the officer - "That board is in the possession of the ABI (Alabama Bureau of Investigation) as evidence. There were several boards in the yard area."

Chief Deputy Harnen also stated in regards to the video shown in the links: "The video displayed is not the entire video, there is more, hours." I asked, "how much of the video did you watch?" Chief Harnen's reply, "I watched about 30 minutes." Chief Harnen mentioned there were different angles. I asked: "Were there more than one camera?" His reply, "yes."

March 27, 2017 Video Surfaces

WZDX - Huntsville, Alabama and RocketCity.Com reports on March 27, 2017 that a video surfaces in the officer involved shooting. "The Jackson County DA took the case to a grand jury where evidence was presented. That jury decided against indicting the deputy. Davis' biological mother, Mandy Carrasco is now speaking out and showed video of the encounter between Davis and the deputy."  http://www.rocketcitynow.com/news/exclusive-video-from-officer-involved-shooting-in-jackson-co/681520288?utm_medium=social&utm_source=WZDX_Huntsville

WZDX Video -  http://www.rocketcitynow.com/news/exclusive-video-from-officer-involved-shooting-in-jackson-co/681520288?utm_medium=social&utm_source=WZDX_Huntsville

Home Security Video of the shooting displays disturbing revelations. (Update} But as the Chief Deputy points out above, the entire video is not shown.  http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/6847151

(Update} It is important to point out that the deputy was cleared of any wrong doing by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's investigations division. There has been no release of forensic information regarding toxicology testing of Mr. Davis. 

UPDATE - April 11, 2017 Jackson County Commission - J.J. Hicks Speaks to County Commission, New Video, Not Seen, Released By Permission.

April 4, 2017 Downtown Scottsboro Reports on Weekend Market - Cancelling the Market Due to Protest About the Officer Involved Shooting

https://www.facebook.com/downtownscottsboro/

(Fair use of public Facebook photo of ad for non-profit news reporting and commentary)

"Downtown Scottsboro regrets to announce the postponement of Market on the Square on April 8th. We have been made aware of a planned protest to be held on The Courthouse Square on this same date. In an abundance of caution, we feel it is in the best interest of our vendors and our community to postpone Market until further notice. As soon as that date is determined, we will let everyone know.
 All vendor fees will be returned ASAP by U.S. mail."

"Thank you for your understanding and your continued support." 

Quite a few people had a comment about the cancellation of the Scottsboro Downtown Market event, including myself. Several postings were censored/removed.

My initial comment to questions regarding permits for a protest - Answer to the question asked: "There is no requirement to have a permit to protest. I have discussed the right of protest with county and city public officials and protested on the square and in front of city hall regarding political issues. Here are some basic rules. 1) Protesters may not be armed; 2) Protestors may protest on public property but may not interfere with the rights of others as to egress or regress into or out of buildings or obstruct the flow of traffic. 3) Protesting does not mean inciting riots or facilitating violence. 4) Communications of threats is against the law. 5) Laws apply anywhere including a protest, it is not against the law to express speech. The cancellation of the market is typical of those who have a right wing agenda facilitating fear regarding the rights of citizens. To say protestors will be violent is a ridiculous, assuming statement. The protesters have achieved one of their goals, bring attention to what they believe is a problem. The smart thing to do would have been to hold the market and have the Sheriff and a representative of the DA's office present to discuss the situation with the protestors and hold a press conference. Act smart, not ridiculous by demonstrating fear to our nations most time honored traditions."

It was also revealed that the Sheriff's Department had not been contacted by the Downtown Scottsboro group to determine if there was a security problem or to ascertain the Sheriffs thoughts about security. 

UPDATE - March 1, 2021 - National Drug Threat Assessment- DEA  - https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/DIR-008-21%202020%20National%20Drug%20Threat%20Assessment_WEB.pdf

Sickness - City and County Government Meeting Reports for Monday April 3, 2017

Photo by G. Morgan with with wood bear.

Went to the ER at Highlands Saturday with terrible whooping cough and upper respiratory infection symptoms. I'll be going to my family physician to determine a more definitive diagnosis regarding pertussis, whooping cough, the cough has grown severe enough to make me sick. Pertussis in adults. http://www.healthline.com/health/new-baby-vaccination-guide/pertussis-in-adults-signs-symptoms#overview1

Folks - for those which follow my reports and videos within, I will not be videoing and reporting on this Monday's county and city government meetings.

It is interesting to note that "whooping cough," pertussis, is on the rise in our nation. CDC report on the disease - https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/causes-transmission.html Pertussis is a reportable disease.