The-Courier-04-11-19

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The

Courier

S ERVING C OLUMBUS , F T. B ENNING , P HENIX C ITY & S URROUNDING A REAS

Inspirational-Informative-Empowering...Your Source For The Truth

Vol. 14 Edition 8 Free Thursday April 11, 2019

A View From A Pew

Botanical Garden Responds To Controversy Current Board President, Jenny Adams and Past Board President Debbie Lane Sit Down For...

A Candid Conversation Dear Graduates...May I Have A Word, Please? Page 3

His Story Exposed...

Johnny Lee Gates Granted New Trial After Serving 42 Years In Jail

Systematic Discriminaton Undeniable, D.A. Slater Disagrees, Appeals Judge Allens Decision

Pages 7-11

NANBPW Honors Williams

Sickle Cell Association President Receives Recognition Page 13

PAGE 4

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THURSDAY April 11, 2019

It’s Official Countryman To Run For Muscogee County Sheriff According to the street committee it has been speculated for months but comes as no surprise. On Tuesday April 2, 2019 it became official. “After much contemplative prayer, careful reflection, conferring with family, friends, and various community leaders, I have decided to enter into the race for Muscogee County Sheriff in 2020,” the release reads. “As Sheriff, I will continue to represent and serve all citizens of Muscogee County to the utmost

The Street Committee

of my ability.” These were the words of Greg Countryman who has served as the Marshal of Muscogee County since 2005.

Request for Bids/Proposals RFB No. 19-0044 Roofing Services at Mildred Tillis Recreation Center Due: April 17, 2019 – 2:30 PM Della Lewis, CPPB Buyer Specialist This project is funded through Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. All work completed under this contract is subject to federal requirements, such as but not limited to, the Davis-Bacon Act, Section 3, and the Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference/Site Visit will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

Vendors shall convene at the Mildred Tillis Recreation Center, which is located at 1425 14th Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901. Vendors will be allowed a 10minute grace period.

RFB No. 19-0034 Athletic Equipment Maintenance/Repair Services (Annual Contract) Herbicide Truck with Roadside Sprayer Attachment Due: April 24, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer Non-Mandatory Site Visits are scheduled for 10:00 am and 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Refer to specifications for additional details.

RFB No. 19-0045 Herbicide Truck with Roadside Sprayer Attachment Due: April 24, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer RFB No. 19-0046 Traditional Utility Vehicles (Re-Bid) Due: April 17, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer RFB No. 19-0047 Utility Tractors (Re-Bid) Due: April 17, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer RFB No. 19-0048 Compact LIDAR Speed Detection Devices Due: April 17, 2019 – 2:30 PM Heather Biddle, Buyer RFP No. 19-0021 On-Call General Contractor Services (Annual Contract) Due: April 26, 2019 – 5:00 PM Della Lewis, CPPB Buyer Specialist

The Courier Eco Latino Newspaper *Any editorial content are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper, publisher or staff” The Courier Eco Latino Newspaper 1300 Wynnton Rd Suite 104 Columbus, Georgia 3190 Email: couriereconews@gmail.com Phone: 706.225.0106 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5747 Columbus, Ga 31906 Visit Us Online At: www.couriernews.org

Sealed responses must be received and time/date stamped by the respective due date shown above, by the Finance Department/Purchasing Division of Columbus Consolidated Government, 100 Tenth Street, Columbus, GA 31901. To obtain specifications, visit the City's website at https://www.columbusga.gov/finance/purchasing/docs/opportunities/Bid_Opportunities.htm, notify the Buyer via email BidOpportunities@columbusga.org, fax 706-225-3033, or telephone 706-2254087.

Andrea J. McCorvey Purchasing Division Manager

A VIEW FROM A PEW

COURIER THURSDAY APRIL 11, 2019

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Dear Graduates...May I Have A Word, Please?

In some youth sports programs there are no winners and losers and everyone gets a trophy. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life. In real life there are winners and losers.

Which leads to advice #3.

Advice #3: Life is not fair — get used to it!

Advice #4: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Advice #5: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Advice #6: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice president with an expense account until you earn it.

Advice #7: A degree does NOT automatically get you a job — get some real life experience.

Advice #8: Flipping burgers should not be beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Congratulations! In a few weeks you will be able to say you made it. As one who has been in your shoes I understand exactly how you feel. I remember how proud I felt when my name was called and I walked across the stage in front of family and friends. I also remember how, once I had that diploma in my hand, I felt that my “S&*t didn’t stink”. Nobody could tell me anything.

Armed with my “official record of graduation” I was off to “rule the world” believing that “the world was my oyster” and all I had to do was show people my diploma and it would open right up.

At the time I understood the premise behind the saying. An oyster may contain a pearl, which has great value. The oyster represents the world meaning that the world is at your disposal with your fortune somewhere out there waiting to be explored. In my naiveté, however, I had no idea how hard that “oyster” would be to open.

For the record I’m the type of person, if you tell me, “the stove is hot”, I’m going to take your word for it and not touch it. With that being said please allow me to share with you some things about life I learned the hard way but I wish some-

one had told me when I was just graduating. You can take my advice or leave it; it’s entirely up to you.

Advice #1: Life Ain’t No Dress Rehearsal. You can’t push a button and think you can do it over. You will make mistakes so don’t whine about them, learn from them.

Advice #2: Your school or the youth sports programs you participated in may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.

Advice #9: The world doesn’t care about your self-esteem.

The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Advice #10: You will have a greater appreciation and respect for your parents when you are responsible for paying for your own clothes, groceries, insurance, car note, rent, and furniture.

Advice #11: You will wish you were nicer to the nerds in your school. Chances are you will end up working for one.

Advice #12: Don’t make a permanent decision based on a

temporary situation. Times are going to be tough, you will face adversity. There will be times when you will wonder how you will be able to make ends meet.

That guy or that girl you thought was the love of your life might disappoint or even leave you.

Please believe me when I tell you, it won’t be the end of the world. Never give up or give in. Your life is too important to just end it.

Advice #13: It’s not always about racism. As graduates entering the world you need to be aware of the minefields that await you and the stereotypes and perceptions you can’t feed into if you want to move forward in life. There is a level of racism that we all have to overcome but that doesn’t mean that every single issue is race related. Sometimes it is about how you represent yourself. It is about how you present yourself. Not being hired may have nothing to do with the color of your skin but rather the way you came to the interview inappropriately dressed. Not being hired may have more to do with you not having command of the English language instead answering the interviewers questions with street slang.

Advice #14: Find your passion and you will find your paycheck. If you can find something you would wake up every day and do it for free that should be your career choice.

Advice #15: Pray daily, the most important rule of all. Give it to Him and He will give it back to you like you will never believe.

Whether you take my advice or not is on you. I still offer my congratulations and wish you a great and wonderful life! after all “the world is your oyster”

Wane A. Hailes

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A CANDID CONVERSATION

April 11, 2019

The Columbus Botanical Garden Responds To Controversy Current and Past Board Presidents, Jenny Adams and Debbie Lane Sit Down With Courier Eco Latino Publisher, Wane A. Hailes shared, although they may have some “Black” friends or have gone to school with “Black” people, clearly showed me that they do not understand “Black” people.

Secondly, for individuals who have worked in corporate America, Jenny Adams an attorney and Debbie Lane, formally employed with Blue Cross Blue, you would think they would be aware of corporate protocol. This is especially the case given that Ms. Lane has owned an executive coaching firm that works with many of Columbus’ largest employers.

On Friday March 29th I received an email from Jenny Adams stating: “I am the current president of the Board of Directors at the Columbus Botanical Garden. I would appreciate the opportunity to sit down with you regarding your recent editorials regarding the CBG.” A meeting was scheduled where Ms. Adams and the past Board president, Debbie Lane would attend.

Generally when I offer an individual the opportunity to “give their side of the story” I am left feeling differently about the individual or their opinion. Most of the time our conversation leaves me with a better understanding of their decision or viewpoint. If nothing else we have always been able to walk away, able to agree to disagree without being disagreeable.

For the first time in 14 years, after countless conversations, I left this conversation angry, confused, and feeling far less positive about the organizations recent decision to terminate their Black employees.

With the individuals permission I tape all of my conversations. When I started to review this particular conversation, two things became more apparent to me. One, Jenny and Debbie, like most White people, just don’t understand. Some of the comments they

The bottom line is that my articles would never been written and this conversation would not have been necessary had the Garden provided the employees with a graceful departure written in a way that highlighted their contributions to the organization like corporations do.

I will stop here, for now. The following is the “Candid Conversation” that took place on Wednesday April 3, 2019.

Jenny Adams: First of all I want to thank you for agreeing to meet with us. We are aware of your recent articles regarding the Garden and we wanted to have an opportunity to share with you our concerns regarding some of the inaccuracies that exists in them. It is our hope, as a result of this meeting, we can form a partnership and you would be willing to assist us in our efforts to reach out to the African American community.

Hailes: I appreciate that but first let me share with you my thoughts. As a newspaper I have been covering the African-American and Latino communities for well over a decade. Therefore, it is important for the Courier Eco Latino publication to report on things of interest and things that our community should be aware of, good and bad.

That is why, when word began to circulate in the community that the Columbus Botanical Garden had recently fired all of its Black employees includ-

ing, Danita Gibson Lloyd, Victor Coppins and Willie Feggins, I had to investigate.

What I found didn’t make sense thus my last two articles about the situation.

This was especially upsetting being that just last year it appeared the Garden made a serious attempt to engage the minority community by hiring Danita Gibson Lloyd as its Development and Marketing Director.

Having served as either a consultant or in a leadership capacity for numerous organizations in the African American community we know all to well the value of Danita’s vast marketing experience, communication skills, strong work ethic, professionalism and dedication to excellence.

It is because of this knowledge, when Danita called and informed me she was now working for the Garden and needed my support personally and through our publication, I did not hesitate to offer my assistance. Likewise when she approached me with her vision of holding a “Jazz in the Garden” event that would introduce more African Americans to the grounds I again said; what can I do? I had no idea she would ask me to serve on her committee and ultimately host what eventually was a sold out event; “Rhapsody In Bloom…Jazz In The Garden.”

I will not attempt to speak for anyone else but for me, for the very first time, I felt included and welcomed there. And my wife will tell you I am not a flowers or garden visiting kind of guy.

I can tell you for a fact that the vast majority, if not all, of the African Americans who have purchased memberships to the Garden this past year did so because of their relationship with Danita Gibson Lloyd. But now, to be honest, after hearing that Danita and the others are no longer there I have received numerous calls from individuals saying they are canceling their memberships. Quite frankly since their termination, without cause there is zero outreach, inclusion and appeal for people of color to return to the garden.

Whether you realize it or not, you have caused a rift in the African American community and a degree of animus that was unnecessary.

The sad part is the African American community was looking forward to “Jazz In The Garden” this year. We would annually purchase a membership just to attend this one event each year.

So today's meeting for me is even larger than what appears to be serious employment discrepancies along racial lines, it's about African Americans in the garden period. Is there a place for African Americans at the Columbus Botanical Garden?

Given that you’ve terminated all of the African American employees and then when I look on your website and see that all of your board members are White, that is troubling to me. Surely with African Americans making up 47.6% of this community you couldn’t find one Black person to serve? I question are you about inclusion or exclusion? Well I’ve talked enough, let me be quiet and listen to you.

Debbie Lane: If I could address some of things we want to make sure you know are inaccurate. We have the same issues in Columbus, Georgia that Gardens like us have all across the country regardless of the demographics they tend to be all Caucasian.

Continued on Page 5

Page 5 We are aware of it. Inclusion is something that all Gardens struggle with and we have made it one our goals to address.

There are a couple of other things I’d like to address that are inaccurate in your article. We currently have six full time employees and a third of them are classified as minority. So regardless of their classification or title all six of the employees are extremely important to making the Garden successful.

The editorial stated that our former Development Director raised $6 million when in fact $5 million was raised before she ever came on board; volunteer board members raised the other $1 million. She was there for that last million and she provided record keeping and support but she was not responsible for raising that money.

You stated that all of the Blacks were terminated we have an administrative assistant that has been there since September of 2018. She has received a promotion since that time and more duties because is considered a valuable resource to the Garden.

Regarding the board members, this year we had four positions available. We asked seven people to join the board, three of which were African American.

They all turned us down either for personal or professional reasons but they still support the Garden and are members of the Garden.

One of the problems we recognize is what you mentioned, people don’t know enough about us. Since Stefan has joined us, our new executive director, he has seventeen years of experience, he’s concerned about the way the Garden and the board looks. So we’ve got the same goals we need help trying to figure it out. And we are hoping that maybe you could help us do that.

Hailes: Let me ask you for those who are considered minorities are they Black or Hispanic?

Debbie Lane: One is Black and one is Latina.

Hailes: And that one Black is the secretary?

Jenny Adams: She’s actually the office manager.

CONVERSATION CONTINUED Hailes: Was Danita’s termination a board decision or Stefan’s decision?

Debbie Lane: That was an executive committee decision. Let me say that the Garden has a new strategy. We have a grand master plan and in order to achieve that we have to have certain skill sets. With everyone at the Garden, since Stefan has come on board, there has been a conversation that things are different, here are the skill sets that we need to be successful, how can I help you get those skill sets.

So it was not like a blank decision was made a lot of thought went into it.

Stefan is actually a very compassionate, inclusive kind of person if you were to know him. I think you would find him a different person than you have portrayed him to be. I do want to emphasize that any decision made about an employee, there is a communication about what’s required and how we can help them get those skill sets.

Hailes: So if I’m hearing you correctly Stefan is looking for someone who has a different skill set than what Ms. Lloyd possesses? And personally speaking as I stated earlier, and yes I may be bias toward her, but it will be extremely difficult for you to find anyone better qualified in this community when it comes to marketing and communication. If I’m honest the optics of the situation makes me believe that Stefan may have a problem working with an African American woman.

Jenny Adams: Mr. Hailes you talk about optics but what we want to talk with you about are facts. The fact is you mentioned the term termination and Danita was an independent contractor who maintained her business while she was working at the botanical garden.

So we did not terminate her employment we simply chose to not renew a contract that expired on its own. So I take issue with the way some of this is being framed. I’d also like to point out from a marketing perspective we are doing a whole lot to reach out into the community beyond memberships and events, which are both important to the lifeblood of any non-profit organization.

But we are also trying to find different constituencies in the community with whom we can partner and be of service. For example we are providing New Horizon’s with a garden specific for mentally disabled individuals in our community. It was created at their site. We

grow and provide hundreds of pounds of fresh produce, that are distributed through Mercy Med the local healthcare organization in Bibb City. We are always looking for opportunities to partner with different organizations for two reasons, one it does address the problem you identified, that the folks don’t know who we are, what we are about and what we stand for but more importantly it’s the right thing to do. And that’s how we operate and make all of our decisions within the organization about projects, about events, about personnel, about everything we do. We try to do what’s good for the community and the organization.

The rest of the conversation centered on suggestions I could offer to assist them with Black board members. I reiterated that it is going to be difficult be cause the African American community is truly upset at this point and they will not be able to recruit Black members let alone board members.

April 11, 2019 On an additional note, as a result of my mention of Sam Wellborn in my last article I received a call from one of his close friends assuring me that he was no longer serving on the board.

In fact I have learned that Wellborn broke ties with the Garden in December of 2018. That included no longer chairing their capitol campaign. This, given his community service to this community, speaks volumes. It’s one thing to excuse yourself from a board but to step down as chairman in the middle of a capitol campaign tells me their may be a difference of opinion with leadership.

According to the street committee it is alleged that Stefan has banned him from working in the part of the Garden that bears his name unless he gets approval from him. But that’s just street committee talk.

We’ll wait to see what steps the garden takes to include us in the future.

Courier Thursday April 11, 2019

PAGE 6

F RIENDSHIP B APTIST C HURCH

831 6 TH AVE C OLUMBUS , G A

Early Worship 8am Breakfast 9am Sunday School 9:30 am Morning Worship 11am Wednesday Prayer Meeting/Bible Study 7pm Thursday Noon Bible Study 12 noon Sunday Child Day Care Services Available For Those Attending Our Worship WEBSITE : friendshipbchurch.org (O FFICE )706.323-6996 (FAX ) 706.322.7596 (PASTOR ’ S HOME )706.561.6733 friendshipbaptistcolumbus@gmail.com or friendshipbc@juno.com Transportation available, must contact church office by Friday at 12:00 noon.

R EV. D R . E MMETT S. A NITON , J R PASTOR

First African Baptist Church 901 5th Avenue

Columbus, Georgia

Sunday Worship 8am Early Morning Worship Sunday School 9:30am Morning Worship 11am Transportation Provided

Call 706-323-3367 Sr. Pastor Roderick Green

Metropolitan Baptist Church 1635 5th Avenue . Columbus, Georgia

706.322.1488 Service Sunday School 9:30 A.M Monday Night Tuesday Bible Study Pastor Curtis Crocker, Jr.

Schedule Sunday Worship 11:00 A.M Prayer 6:00 P.M 12:00 P.M & 5:30 P.M

Mission Statement A growing church for growing Christians attempting to grow the Kingdom, one soul at a time.

Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church Corner of 3rd Avenue and 5th Street Rev. Dr. J.H. Flakes Jr. Way Columbus, Georgia 31901 706.324.2055 Rev. J.H. Flakes, III -Pastor Rev. Dr. J.H. Flakes, Jr. - Pastor Emeritus

P ROGRESSIVE F UNERAL H OME Evergreen Covington, CEO

4236 St. Mary’s Road Columbus, Georgia

706.685.8023 evergreenfc@mediacombb.net

THE JOHNNY LEE GATES

Page 7

STORY

April 11, 2019

Johnny Lee Gates Granted New Trial After Serving 42 Years In Jail Systematic Race Discriminaton Undeniable D.A. Julia Slater Disagrees, Appeals Judge John D. Allen’s Decision

Superior Court Judge John D. Allen

By Wane A. Hailes The biggest crime in the criminal justice system is that it is a race-based institution where African-Americans are directly targeted and punished in a much more aggressive way than white people.

Now I know saying the criminal system is racist may be politically controversial in some circles. But the facts are overwhelming.

in jury selection and a current D.A. who refuses to do the right thing even though she has irrefutable evidence of systematic discrimination and exculpatory DNA results.

Once you have read the following information for yourself I want you to decide if Johnny Lee Gates should be exonerated, and if so, I want you to do something about it.

The Facts Historically, a disproportionate number of African-Americans have been wrongly convicted of crimes due to false confessions, incriminating statements, and other dubious evidence.

I want to tell you a story. It’s an all too familiar one. It is a story of an intellectually disabled black man incarcerated for 42 years who was wrongly convicted. A story of destroyed evidence, a corrupt judicial system where assistant district attorneys engaged in blatant race discrimination

District Attorney Julia Slater

Johnny Lee Gates

On November 30, 1976, Katharina Wright, a 19-year-old white woman, was sexually assaulted and shot to death in her Columbus apartment. She was found on the ground near her bedroom door, bound with black military neckties and a white bathrobe belt.

Officers from the Columbus Police Department responded to the scene and collected evidence. They searched for fingerprints but did not find any prints of value. However, they found a “relatively large spot of smeared blood” on

the bedroom door, next to where the body was found.

A sample taken from the smear was determined to be Type B blood. This is significant because Katharina Wright had Type O blood; thus, the Type B blood likely belonged to the perpetrator.

The following day, a 19-year-old white man named Lester Sanders was discovered “fondling the body of Wright as it lay in the coffin” at a funeral home. Sanders was arrested by police and confessed to following Wright home, knocking on her door, tying her to her bedroom door, and shooting her in the temple. At Sanders’s preliminary hearing, officers testified that Sanders revealed information to them about the crime scene that only the killer could know. However, Assistant District Attorney William Smith asked the grand jury not to indict Sanders, and the grand jury obliged.

Continued on Page 8

Johnny Lee Gates Crime

1976

Arrest

1977

Conviction

1977

Sentence

Death

Years Served

42

Charges Armed Robbery Rape Volumtary Manslaughter Conviction Factors Official Misconduct False Statement Race Discrimination Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Flawed Eyewitness Identification Incentivized Informants

THE GATES STORY CONTINUED

Page 8

Courier Thursday April 11, 2019

Doug Pullen Prosecutor

Cold Case Reopened The case appeared to have gone cold when, months later, one young man facing criminal charges unrelated to Wright’s murder tried to win favor from the police department by conveying that he had information about the unsolved murder that had stumped the department for months. The incentivized informant told police that Johnny Lee Gates—a black man—had raped, shot and killed Katharina Wright, then threw the gun into a creek. On January 29, 1977, the Columbus Police arrested and interrogated Gates, who was 21 years old and had an IQ of roughly 65. By the time police realized their informant had lied and the gun in the creek was not the murder weapon, Gates had already given a false confession. The resulting inaccurate confession was later described by a judge as “hard to believe.”

During the interrogation, an officer typed up a confession for Gates. No officer ever read the typed confession out loud to Gates. Instead, an officer handed the typewritten document to Gates, and Gates looked at the pages and signed the document that the officer had written. Officers then took Gates to the crime scene in order to videotape Gates giving another confession.

she had no money to give him, After having intercourse with the woman, he demanded money again, and she gave him some money, - He bound and gagged the woman on the bed and was about to leave when she told him that she would identify him, and - He shot the woman on the bed and fled the apartment.

In his confession, Gates stated that:

This videotaped confession was not consistent with the crime scene. For example, the victim was not shot on the bed, and the bedsheets had no blood on them.

- He went to the apartment and told the woman who answered the door that he was from the gas company, - The woman said she had called the gas company earlier, and she invited him in, - The woman handed him a can of oil, and he began working on the heater, - He told the woman that he was robbing her and wanted money, and she responded by offering him sex since

Although Gates’s fingerprints were not found in the apartment on the day of the offense, the police claimed to have discovered a fingerprint just one hour after the police took Gates to the apartment for his videotaped confession. That print matched Gates and was used

against him at trial. At trial, fingerprint technician Eddie Florence testified that he was summoned to the apartment on January 31, 1977, two months after the offense, and the detective on the case showed him exactly where to look for fingerprints.

After securing Gates’s videotaped confession and the new fingerprint, the police conducted a line-up identification procedure with Donald Hudgins, a man who lived in the same apartment complex as the shooting. Hudgins had informed the police two months earlier that he had seen a man he thought was the killer in the apartment building on the day of the crime. Hudgins had described that man as 5’9” or 5’10” and approximately 170 pounds. Yet at the line-up, Hudgins identified Gates (who was 5’5” and 133 pounds at the time) as the man he saw two months

Continued On Page 9

GATES CONTINUED...

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Courier Thursday April 11, 2019

William Smith Prosecutor

earlier. Hudgins gave this identification only after he saw Gates with the police giving his videotaped confession.

The Trial Gates went to trial on August 30, 1977.

Prosecutors William Smith and Douglas Pullen represented the State at the trial. When selecting a jury, Smith and Pullen got rid of all four black potential jurors from Gates’s jury pool. Gates was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death by an all-white jury, a white judge, and white prosecutors.

The only reason Gates was not executed is that the State later agreed to remove the death sentence after a seven-day intellectual disability trial.

Meanwhile, less than two years after the trial, the State destroyed critical physical evidence from the case. The destroyed evidence included the rape kit, Caucasian hairs collected from the victim at the crime scene, and the Type B blood sample taken from the bedroom door, near where the body of the victim was found. As noted above, the victim had Type O blood. Gates also

had Type O blood. Therefore, Gates was not a match with the bloodstain found next to the victim’s body, which further suggests that he was not the perpetrator. None of this evidence can be tested now.

The State also claimed to have destroyed the black neckties and white bathrobe belt used by the perpetrator to bind the victim. However, in 2015, two interns from the Georgia Innocence Project located the bindings in the District Attorney’s Office.

The Georgia Innocence Project decided to test those bindings for Gates’s DNA. The Argument For A New Trial: Exculpatory DNA and Race Discrimination In 2018, the DNA test results came back – they were exculpatory with respect to Mr. Gates. In other words, Mr. Gates’s DNA was not on the white bathrobe belt or the black necktie used by the perpetrator to bind the victim.

And if Gates had committed the crime, his DNA would have been on that evidence.

The problem with Gates’s case is not only that he is innocent, but also that he was convicted through race discrimination.

Also in 2018, Gates’s lawyers shed light on evidence that the prosecutors who tried Gates, Douglas Pullen and William Smith, engaged in systematic race discrimination in capital cases involving black defendants, including during Gates’s 1977 trial.

Court records show that from 1976 to 1979, Pullen and Smith prosecuted black defendants in seven capital cases in Muscogee County. In case after case, Pullen and Smith got rid of all of the black potential jurors in order to try all of the black men in front of all-white juries. Together, the prosecutors struck 41 black prospective jurors across seven different cases, including Gates’s case. A mathematician calculated the probability that would happen, without considering race, as 0.000000000000000000000000000004.

The prosecutors then capitalized on their racial discrimination in jury selection by appealing to racial prejudice in their closing arguments. For example, in the

closing argument in one case, the prosecutor referred to the defendant as a “wild beast” and told the all-white jury, “It took more courage to build this great nation and it will take courage to preserve it, from this man and his like.”

In several closings, the prosecution employed “us” versus “them” language that only works when arguing to allwhite faces. In Gates’s case, the prosecutor inquired of the all-white jury, “Do you feel as free as you did ten years ago?” referencing the desegregation period from 1967 to1977.

In addition to getting rid of all of the black potential jurors before trial and making the racist arguments made at trial, the prosecutors also took notes during jury selection. Have you ever wondered what the prosecutors are writing down about you when you have to go for jury duty? Well, now we know.

The notes showed that Muscogee County prosecutors: - Labeled the white prospective jurors as “W” and the black prospective jurors

Continued On Page 10

Page 10

THE GATES STORY CONTINUED...

as “N”; - Singled out the black prospective jurors by marking dots in the margins next to their names; - Identified one white prospective juror as a “top juror” because he “has to deal with 150 to 200 of these people that works for his construction co.”; - Described black potential jurors as “slow,” “old and ignorant,” “cocky,” “con artist,” “hostile,” and “fat”; - Tallied the race of the final jurors selected to serve, with twelve marks in the white column and no marks in the black column; and - Ranked black prospective jurors as “1” on a scale of 1-to-5 without any further explanation.

thing and let Johnny Lee Gates out of prison today—or at least give Mr. Gates a fair trial.

The Decision: Gates Given A New Trial On January 10, 2019, Honorable John D. Allen granted Gates a new trial.

A Call To Action

Even though the Court found that the evidence of systematic race discrimination during jury selection in Gates’s case is undeniable, Gates was not given a new trial because of that discrimination because he did not meet the legal requirements. Essentially, the Court said that Gates should have brought up the discrimination before 2018, but didn’t. So he lost on that.

However, Gates did get a new trial because of the exculpatory DNA evidence. The Court ruled that the perpetrator’s DNA would be on the neckties and bathrobe belt, and Gates’s DNA was not on them.

The Court also found that the State should not have destroyed the other important evidence from the crime scene, including the Type B blood that did not match the victim or Gates.

The Appeal: Julia Slater’s Decision Today the ball is squarely in District Attorney Julia Slater’s court. As the District Attorney she can make the decision right now whether to do the right

Not Gonna

With all that she knows regarding how African Americans were treated in that era; how the jury was stacked against Johnny Lee Gates; how the DNA does not match, she could wipe his slate clean.

But instead, our District Attorney Julia Slater has decided to appeal Judge Allen’s order to the Georgia Supreme Court. In essence she is saying: “Judge Allen you got it wrong,” despite all evidence to the contrary.

She didn’t have a choice with what happened back then, but she has the power right now to right an egregious wrong, to say not on my watch. Instead she is moving forward as if she is upholding the banner of the confederacy. She is leading the charge with an attitude that exculpatory DNA evidence be damned.

Gates’s lawyers presented both the DNA evidence and the racism that ultimately convicted Gates to a judge in May of last year.

Courier Thursday April 11, 2019

Here is what we know. Julia Slater holds the reigns. She can, at any point and time, withdraw the notice of appeal.

She doesn’t need to get permission from any one else. It is her conviction and she can withdraw the notice of appeal right now, today.

As Black folks in this community we have always been quick to call for accountability when it comes to our B l a c k elected officials, often holding them to a higher standard than their Caucasian counterparts. Well it is way past time for us to hold our elected District Attorney Julia Slater accountable for her actions. It is time that we unite as one;

Happen,

Not On My

Watch!!!

Free Johnny Lee Gates

Free Johnny Lee Gates Free Johnny Lee Gates

Free Johnny Lee Gates

An Innocent Black Man Johnny Lee Gates Incarcerated 42 Years

Free Johnny Lee Gates Undeniable Evidence of Systematic Race Discrimination

Free Johnny Lee Gates Exculpatory DNA Evidence

Request for Bids RFB No. 19-0042 Sign Truck Due: May 1, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer RFB No. 19-0042: A Non-Mandatory Site Visit is scheduled for 11:00 AM (Eastern) on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at the Traffic Engineering Shop, 601 11th Avenue, Columbus, GA.

RFB No. 19-0043 Removal of Residual Ground Material (Annual Contract) Due: May 1, 2019 – 2:30 PM Sandra Chandler, Buyer Sealed responses must be received and time/date stamped by the due date shown above, by the Finance Department/Purchasing Division of Columbus Consolidated Government, 100 Tenth Street, Columbus, GA 31901. To obtain specifications, visit the City's website at https://www.columbusga.gov/finance/purchasing/docs/opportunities/Bid_Opportunities.htm, notify the Buyer via email BidOpportunities@columbusga.org, fax 706-225-3033, or telephone 706-225-4087.

Andrea J. McCorvey Purchasing Division Manager

Page 11 the IMA (Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance), the NAACP, the Urban League, the Divine 9, and the Black elected officials along with a community-wide grassroots effort to put pressure on D.A. Slater to do the right thing and let Johnny Lee Gates go free.

There is no mistaking that 2020 will be an important year nationally. I contend that given the racial make up of our community and the positive strides we have made toward getting our people to the polls, it can also be an important election for us locally.

If District Attorney Julia Slater cannot see fit to withdraw her notice of appeal based on the evidence of systematic race discrimination and the grounds that the newly available DNA evidence is exculpatory then we have no other choice than to play, not the race card, but our voter registration card.

Time will tell.

In the meantime I have included a letter that I am hoping the administrators and members of the IMA, NAACP, Urban League, Divine 9, Black elected officials and grassroots individuals will cut out, sign and mail or email to District Attorney Julia Slater.

Her mailing address is: District Attorney Julia Slater 100 10th Street Government Center-3rd Floor Columbus, Georgia 31901 Her email address is: jslater@columbusga.org Phone: 706.653.4336 Whether you reach out by mail, email or phone, it’s time to hold District Attorney Julia Slater accountable for doing the right thing.

On her face book page Julia Slater writes: “Our criminal justice system should do more than provide justice to criminals. It should also provide justice to innocent crime victims.”

Johnny Lee Gates has been an innocent victim of a crime he did not commit for the past 42 years based on irrefutable evidence of systematic race discrimination. Now we have exculpatory DNA evidence. It is time to let Johnny Lee Gates go free.

GATES CONTINUED...

Courier Thursday April 11, 2019

District Attorney Julia Slater 100 10th Street Government Center-3rd Floor Columbus, Georgia 31901 jslater@columbusga.org Dear District Attorney: We are writing to ask that you not appeal Superior Court Judge John D. Allen’s order granting Johnny Lee Gates a new trial.

Judge Allen’s order speaks out against the race discrimination at Johnny Lee Gates’s trial and offers him a new trial based on exculpatory DNA evidence.

We are not surprised to learn that Mr. Gates’s conviction had problems because race discrimination has pervaded the entire criminal justice process.

Some of us attended Mr. Gates’s hearing in May of 2018. At the hearing, we were waiting for you to say something that would show you understand just how painful and devastating this discrimination is to our community. But you were silent.

As the current District Attorney it is your responsibility to reject race discrimination in our criminal justice system, no matter when that discrimination occurred. That being said, you have before you two choices. You can choose to continue to defend a conviction that was based on the discrimination of the past or you can rewrite a new chapter in the story of our community and ensure that the peoples’ faith in the criminal justice system is restored.

District Attorney Slater, we are asking you to choose the right path and accept Superior Court Judge Allen’s order.

Respectfully Submitted,

Courier Thursday

PAGE 12

Destined Des D to Succeed Whatever your child wants to be is within reach when you are ed. Your engagement in involved.

Your engagem their education will prepare them future.. for the future Too learn more about the Every SStudent tudent ct (ESS SA) A) and how you can Act (ESSA) Succeeds A advocate for your children, visit us at www www.nnpa.org/essa .nnpa.org/essa Sign-up for our ESSA ESSA alerts at www.nnpa.org/essa www.nnpa.org/essa

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April 11, 2019

Page 13

April 11, 2019

Local National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women Honors Lois Williams

The Greater Columbus Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women Club, Inc on March 29, 2019 presented Mrs Lois N Williams M.S.R.N. a certificate of appreciation for her commitment, dedication and contributions, in the field of health, to the Community.

Lois has made great strives in the

Lower Chattahoochee Region serving as the President of the Sickle Cell Association. She is also the current President of Greater Columbus Club of NANBPWC, Inc. Lois is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, and Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. Her education includes an M.S. in Health Services Administration, B.S.

Health Services, from Columbus State University, R.N. from the Medical Center School of Nursing.

She's an active member of Fourth Street Missiona ry Baptist Church where she is a member of and heads numerous ministries.

Pagina 2

11 de abril 2019

Lo que debe saber toda familia acerca del desarrollo infantil (StatePoint) Como padre, probablemente está siguiendo cada movimiento que hace su hijo pequeño, prestando especial atención a los hitos del desarrollo, como sentarse, ponerse de pie y hablar.

“Aunque el ritmo de desarrollo varía de un niño a otro, los padres deben prestar atención cuando las cosas parecen ir mal. A veces, la causa de un retraso es un problema médico, y en muchos casos, la intervención temprana es importante”, dice el Dr. Garey H. Noritz, pediatra que cuida a niños con discapacidades y que fue autor de un informe clínico sobre retrasos motores para la Academia Estadounidense de Pediatría (AAP). “Usted es el mejor experto en su hijo, de modo que si tiene alguna inquietud, debe abordarla con su pediatra”.

El Dr. Noritz ofrece el siguiente consejo para los padres de niños pequeños que tienen inquietudes sobre el desarrollo intelectual o físico de sus hijos: • Haga una cita: No espere hasta su próxima cita programada para hablar con su pediatra acerca de sus preocupaciones. Haga una cita tan pronto como sea posible.

• Utilice los recursos gratuitos: Los recursos en línea pueden ayudar a los padres a prepararse para la consulta con su pediatra. Una de estas herramientas, “Retrasos en el desarrollo físico: a qué estar atentos”, una lista de comprobación en línea de la AAP disponible en healthychildren.org/motodelay.e s, es un buen recurso para los padres y cuidadores de niños menores de 5 años. Disponible en inglés y español, la herramienta interactiva está dismuchos años.

Finalmente decidí mudarme a Columbus GA . En Columbus GA es donde pude cumplir mi s u e ñ o Americano, abrir mi propia panadería.

El Panes "Panadería" Armando Lopez Sueño Americano (Sí, se puede) Mi nombre es Armando Emigré y vine a los Estados Unidos desde Guatemala a la edad de 15 años con mi padre y aterricé en Baxley Ga. Mientras crecía en Guatemala mi interés es hornear, después de ver a mi madre preparar pan para nuestra familia de 9 hermanos y hermanas, Fue entonces cuando decidí que quería ser panadero y tener mi propia panadería algún día. He trabajado en varios restaurantes como panadero durante

Hace dos años murió mi padre.

Hoy el nombre mi panadería se llama “El Panes “(pan), trabajo diariamente con mis colegas Jaime Medina y Francis López para alimentar y servir a la comunidad de Columbus Ga,Opelika Al y otros pueblos alrededor, tal como "Jesús alimentó a su Pueblo" La Panadería está ubicada en 3473 North Lumpkin Road, Suite E, Columbus GA.Tel 706 507 0878.

The Bread "Bakery" Armando Lopez American dream (Yes, we can) My name is Armando Emigré and I came to the United States from Guatemala at the

eñada para mejorar la identificación temprana y la atención del retraso del desarrollo motor.

A través de una orientación en pantalla, los padres pueden identificar temas para comentarlos con el pediatra de su hijo.

• Solicitar pruebas genéticas cuando se confirme un problema del desarrollo: Cuando se trata de retrasos y discapacidades intelectuales, tener un diagnóstico correcto por parte de un profesional médico ayuda a las familias a obtener el apoyo y la información que necesitan a fin de administrar la atención a la salud de su hijo y ayudarle a alcanzar su máximo potencial. Los pediatras pueden desempeñar un papel fundamental al trabajar con los padres con objeto de identificar los retrasos intelectuales.

Una de las causas heredadas más comunes de la dis-

capacidad intelectual, el síndrome de X frágil (FXS), sólo puede confirmarse con la Prueba de ADN FMR1 para X frágil (en inglés).

“Todos los niños con retrasos en el desarrollo, discapacidad intelectual o trastorno del espectro autista deben ser tenidos en consideración para una evaluación genética”, dice el Dr. Robert A. Saul, pediatra y genetista médico, miembro de la AAP. “Aunque las intervenciones terapéuticas son de vital importancia, una evaluación genética diagnóstica también lo es. Aunque no hay cura para el FXS, con un diagnóstico podemos ofrecer tratamientos de apoyo importantes y abordar enfoques educativos y terapéuticos. Tener un motivo para las discapacidades intelectuales y los problemas conductuales de un niño puede ser tranquilizador para las famil-

ias, y un diagnóstico les permite recibir asesoría para la planificación familiar, la participación en investigaciones clínicas si lo desean, y la conexión con grupos de apoyo”.

Se pueden encontrar más consejos, herramientas, recursos confiables e información sobre el desarrollo infantil y otros problemas pediátricos para las familias en healthychildren.org/es. Hay información sobre el FXS para médicos y otros proveedores de atención a la salud en www.aap.org/fxs (en inglés).

Recuerde, hay muchas maneras en que puede ser proactivo sobre el desarrollo motor e intelectual tempranos de su hijo. Si tiene alguna preocupación, busque herramientas, recursos y el consejo de su pediatra lo antes posible.

age of 15 with my father and landed in Baxley Ga. While growing up in Guatemala I became interested in baking at the age of 10 after watching my mother prepare bread for our family of 9 brothers and sisters. It was then that I decided that I wanted to be a baker, and have my own Bakery one day. I have worked in various restaurants as a baker for many years, and eventually decided to move to Columbus. It was in Columbus that I was able to fulfill my American Dream and open up my own Bakery.

Taylor funeraria se esfuerza por proporcionar a quienes servimos un servicio completo en cada detalle e impecablemente ejecutado en honor de una vida que ahora puede ser sino un grato recuerdo. Ofrecemos la mayor calidad en servicios profesionales, instalaciones y equipos.

Two years ago my father died. Today the name of the bakery El Panes (bread) I work daily with my colleagues Jaime Medina and Francis Lopez to feed and serve the community of Columbus GA,Opelika AL and surrounding , just has "Jesus fed his people".

The Bakery is located at 3473 North Lumpkin Road, Suite E, Columbus GA.706 507 0878

Proporcionamos un servicio de "Viva la vida".

También ofrecemos, sin cargo, Pre arreglado y Pre-Funded planes funerarios, seguros de consultoría, servicios de notario y apoyo de duelo.

www.thetaylorfuneralhome.com taylorfuneral@bellsouth.net Telephone: 334-298-0364 Fax: 334-298-0186 1514 5th Avenue P.O. Box 2333 Phenix City, AL 36868

Eco Latino Vol. 14

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S ERVING C OLUMBUS , F T. B ENNING , P HENIX C ITY & S URROUNDING A REAS

La voz de la comunidad hispana

Ediciรณn 8 Gratis

Jueves 11 de abril 2019

The Tree of Life Healthcare Hosted Free Healthcare Screenings

Recognizing Our Youth Join Us April 20, 2019

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Page

9

Board President of The Columbus Botanical Garden Addresses Controversy

See Courier Page 5

Lo que debe saber toda familia acerca del desarrollo infantilTree of Life Healthcare Hosted Page 2