WELLNESS
YOUTH
Farm fresh affair
Page-turning vacations
The DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market will offer 50 percent off all produce when it kicks off the 2017 season on May 20. 6
Brockett Elementary students are getting a new backpack and three books as part of the school’s summer reading initiative, Get Georgia Reading. 9
Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2017 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
May 13, 2017
Volume 23, Number 2
www.crossroadsnews.com
Campaign freeing jailed moms for Mother’s Day By Angelina T. Velasquez
Lenore Goshay, who is Gate’s partner and has been caring for Cherish, says the girl cries daily for her mother. “She does not understand why her mother has not come home,” Goshay said May 11, hours before Gate’s release. “I try to tell her that her mother is busy and just had some things to take care of, but it’s hard to see her crying because she misses her mom.” Gate is one of about seven women that Atlanta grass-roots group Southerners on New Ground posted bonds totaling $25,000 for May 11-14. Mary Hooks, the group’s co-director, said
Mary Hooks, co-director of Southerners on New Ground, said Black Mamas Bail Out is a call to action. “We want to use this as a day of healing and help people get on their feet.”
After 25 days separated from her daughter, Timika Gate will be spending Mother’s Day with 7-year-old Cherish on May 14 when families nationwide celebrate their mothers. Gate, 40, of Atlanta had been in the Fulton County Jail since April 17 on a disorderly conduct charge. Even though it’s a misdemeanor, she stayed in jail because she couldn’t afford the $1,000 bond to get out. On May 11, organizers of the inaugural Black Mamas Bail Out got her out of jail and reunited her with her family. Please see BAIL, page 2
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Sheriff being investigated for suspension Deal appoints panel following indecency charge
“He [Mann] asks that you respect that this is a personal matter, which should have no bearing on the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and its staff. He has great respect for the men and women of law enforcement and he asks that you continue your support of them and the public service they provide.”
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey Mann will be investigated for suspension in the wake of indecency and obstruction charges brought against him by the Atlanta Police Department. Gov. Nathan Deal issued a May 11 executive order appointing Attorney General Chris Carr, Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese and Newton County Sheriff Ezell Nathan Deal Brown. They have 30 days to complete their investigation and report to Deal. Mann, who has been DeKalb’s sheriff since Aug. 20, 2014, was arrested May 6 in Atlanta after an 11 p.m. foot chase from “an area known for sexual acts after dark” in Piedmont Park. The Atlanta Police offense report says that a male – who was later identified as Mann – ran from the park into nearby streets after he “completely exposed his penis and was masturbating (stroking) with his right hand while walking” in the direction of the police officer. The officer said that when the male got about 7-10 feet from him, he shined his flashlight on him. “The male immediately fled on foot,” the report said. “I ran behind the male while yelling, ‘Police, stop!’ The male looked back at me multiple times but continued to run toward the sidewalk and the street. He then ran across 10th Street and its traffic. I chose not to run into traffic but kept up with the male by running through the park.” The officer said Mann was apprehended a quarter-mile from the original location and he had to walk him back in the same direc-
Jeffrey Mann’s police mug
Noah Pines, Jeffrey Mann’s attorney
to request the district attorney of the county of the sheriff ’s residence to bring a removal petition against the sheriff and for the chief judge of the Superior Court of the county of the sheriff ’s residence to appoint a person who meets the qualifications for sheriff to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chris Carr Terry Deese Ezell Brown office of sheriff during any period of suspension. tion to his patrol vehicle. In a May 7 statement, the DeKalb Sheriff ’s A security video from a resident’s home that Mann ran past, aired on WSB-TV news Office said Mann “is working with the city of on May 9, showed Mann running away and Atlanta to clear these charges.” On May 8, Mann’s attorney, Noah Pines of the office leading him back in handcuffs. Mann had bonded out of jail on May the Atlanta law firm Ross & Pines, said Mann 7. It was unclear Thursday if he has been will continue to run the Sheriff ’s Office. “He asks that you respect that this is a arraigned on the charges, which are misdepersonal matter, which should have no bearmeanors. ing on the DeKalb County Sheriff ’s Office and its staff,” Pines’ statement said. “He has Sheriff’s group requested probe Deal’s executive order comes after Deese, great respect for the men and women of law who is president of the Georgia Sheriffs’ As- enforcement and he asks that you continue sociation, requested the investigation, per your support of them and the public service they provide.” state law, in a May 9 letter. Pines said he has instructed Mann not The law disqualifies individuals who have committed “any offense involving moral tur- to make any statements regarding “the ordinance violations he is facing.” pitude” from holding the office of sheriff. He declined further comment, saying Under the law, if the investigating committee recommends the suspension of the that, as is his general practice, he will not sheriff, the governor can authorize suspen- discuss the charges at this time. This week, Mann kept a low profile and sion of up to 60 days with the option to add skipped the county’s annual ceremony recanother 30 days. The law also provides for the governor ognizing fallen officers on May 10.
Jeffrey Mann in uniform
Responding to questions from CrossRoadsNews on May 11, Cynthia Williams, the Sheriff ’s Office public information officer, said that Mann is not on leave and has been in the office this week. “Sheriff Mann is maintaining a regular work schedule, being in and out of the office depending on obligations,” she said.
‘It is so uncharacteristic of him’ Mann, 55, is a lawyer and was a former assistant county attorney in 2001 when former Sheriff Thomas Brown appointed him first as his director of labor relations and legal affairs and then his chief deputy in 2004. When Brown left the office in February 2014 to run for Congress, he appointed Mann interim sheriff. In May 2014, Mann won the special election against six opponents. He was re-elected for a full four-year term in 2016. There were calls this week for his resignation, but John Evans, founder of the civil rights group Operation LEAD, said people should not rush to judgment. “He is innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “That’s all I have to say to that.” DeKalb District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, who has known Mann for years, said “it’s very unfortunate that this would happen to such a good person.” “It is so uncharacteristic of him,” she said. “I will not judge now. I will wait until the facts all come out. I wish Jeff the best.”