Police Chief Green Keeps Abusive Cop

Police Chief Green Keeps Abusive Cop


Americus Police Chief James Green	Kisha Burwell, good cop Green fired.	Michael Middleton, bad copGreen kept.
Staff Reports

The local in NAACP has reported that Chief James Green of the Americus Police Department has refused to discuss citizens complaints. President Matt Wright said, "When I first took office Chief Green had offered an open door policy and did discuss some of the issues concerning the Eddie Bridges beating by Officer Michael Middleton." Wright continued by stating, “Things changed between Chief Green and me as more complaints came in and my questions to Green became more direct. Chief Green closed his door to me and directed the City Attorney, Jimmy Skipper to use legal tactics to skip around answering my questions,” said Wright.

Wright said that two former Black police officers have made complaints with his office for race and sex discrimination. Former police Officer Kisha Burwell was fired after she spoke-up about not being promoted when she was passed over by Chief Green. Burwell, a Black female officer had scored higher on tests given to both male and female officers in the Americus Police Department who had taken the test. Wright states that after Burwell spoke-up for her violated rights she went from best cop to worst cop in less than one month. The case is currently under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). When President Wright was asked how he felt about the outcome of the case, "Without a doubt we will win this one," said Wright.

The other case involves a Black male Officer Marcus Wise who was forced intoresigning by Major Richard McCorkle and Chief Green when he accidently fired his weapon at the scene of a crime. Officer Wise stated that he volunteered to take a polygraph test to prove that his statement concerning what actually happened at the crime scene was true. However Chief Green and Major McCorkle refused to give him one and took the word of a lowering ranking White male officer who reported to Officer Wise. President Wright states that this is indicative of how Chief Green and his subordinates continue to do their discriminatory business as usual. This case is also being investigated by the EEOC.

Wright also stated that a Black female local citizen, Sekeithia Sims was pushed around by Officers Timothy Green #671, Alfonso Ross #679, William

Gosa #617, and Jackson #650 while she was pregnant and had to be rushed to the Emergency Room immediately after the incident. This was reported and given to Chief Green on September 23, 2009 and he has not responded to the NAACP concerns about this woman.

Also on September 23, 2009, Ms. Sims' mother Diane Ross filed a similar complaint with the Americus Police Department and sent it to Chief Green and has not received an answer from the Chief yet.

On March 31, 2010 Samantha Ingram was arrested and handcuffed at her deceased aunt's repast. Ingram was supposed to have had a warrant issued for her arrest. However, it was discovered that the information that had been provided by Officer James [Duck] Walters #644 was not true. Ingram was released before she was booked. Chief Green has not responded to that complaint either.

On March 12, 2009 a local back female, Natasha Robinson was assaulted by Officer Michael Middleton #634, the same officer who wrongfully beat Eddie Bridges who subsequently died. The complaint was given to Chief Green on March 25, 2009. Robinson was injured in the attack by Middleton and needed medical attention and therapy for several months after the attack. Chief Green has not responded. On August 28, 2008 Chief Green allowed his department to misplace Clarence Smith's driver's license that led to Smith being fired from his job. President Wright states that this incident became highly contested and that Chief Green had the City Attorney Skipper to respond for him [Chief Green] on January 21, 2009, but never explained what happened to Smith's drivers' license. Chief Green never made an attempt to help Clarence Smith get his job back.

On January 07, 2009 Crystal Harvey Woodham's son was attached by her White neighbor's dog and needed sixty-four (64) stitches to repair the severe wounds on one leg. Officers White and Michael Middleton #634 came to the scene and never arrested the White dog-owner and later charged him with the least of charges that could be found in the law. Chief Green has not responded to the complaint to this date.

On July 28, 2010 a Black female citizen Daphne Snipes was handcuffed and given a citation by Officer English #631 (White) when he assumed that a White citizen had been attacked by her dog. However, English later discovered that he had arrested the wrong person and released Snipes but still gave her a citation. This complaint was given to Assistant Chief Nelson Brown and he stated that the complaint is under investigation. Snipes' was also injured by English and had to receive medical attention.

On April 19, 2010 Victoria Burrell's juvenile son was arrested by a White female Officer Bonnie Jones #675 even after the witness told her that Burrell's son never left his grandmothers' yard. Records show that the juvenile is an excellent student and is on the honor roll at the Americus High School South Campus. Burrell reports that the Public Defender's office and the DA's office continue to offer plea deals but she says that her son will never plea to something that never happened. This is clearly an injustice. President Wright stated that it seems to be a conspiracy to lock-up Black innocent males and females even when they have not committed the crimes APD alleges.

Wright said, "We will support this family and help make sure that this young man's life is not ruined before it starts." Assistant Chief Nelson Brown received this complaint on July 22, 2010 and promised to give a follow-up report.

This is just a sampling of the complaints made through the local NAACP. President Wright states that "his office will not stop the pursuit for a fair resolution of these complaints." We also note that police officers Keisha Burwell and Marcus Wise were terminated by Chief Green but no White officers have been fired.

Contact the Americus Sumter Observer at

(229) 924-0880 or by email at obserj@bellsouth.net we have affordable prices for all your advertising needs!

Americus Sumter Observer 217 Forrest St.

Americus GA 31709

Send announcements, weddings, anniversaries,

corrections, story ideas and letters by the 25th of the month at: obsvrj@bellsouth.net