Happy New Year Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
Volume 18 Number 19
www.ocgnews.com
january 1, 2013
“…So help me God.”
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Rockdale County’s historic ‘Slate of 8’ sworn in By Valerie J. Morgan
CONYERS—The 141-yearold Rockdale County charted a new course in history with the inauguration of eight African Americans elected to the county’s top offices. The Democratic “Slate of 8” and two others who won last November were sworn in before a packed crowd at the Rockdale Auditorium in downtown Conyers on Dec. 30. It took roughly one hour for the inauguration, which was emceed by Channel 11 Anchor Karyn Greer. The 10 elected officials were called to the stage individually, standing with their families as they placed their hand on the bible and concluded their oaths with “So help me God.” Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein, a trailblazer in her own right, administered the oaths. Hunstein was appointed in 1992 as the second woman in history to Georgia’s Supreme Court. Rockdale CEO/Chairman Richard Oden, Commissioner Oz Nesbitt and Clerk of Courts
The African-American Slate of 8 is joined by two elected judicial officials at the Rockdale inauguration.
Ruth Wilson were all sworn in for second, four-year terms. They first made history in 2008 when African Americans were elected to serve on the County Commission, including as chairman, and to a constitutional office. This time, five more African Americans were sworn in for first terms: Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten; Probate Judge Charles Mays; Tax Commissioner RJ Hadley; Coroner George Levett; and his nephew, Sheriff Eric Levett.
Supporters were clearly eubullient over Eric Levett’s victory, cheering as he and his family stood on stage. Eric Levett’s bid for office had been the most contentious of any of those who ran for office in November: He defeated incumbent Jeff Wigington by just 33 votes. Jerome Levett, Eric’s father, said he was proud of his son and the others who were elected. He said the turnout for the inauguration showed just how
Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
“amazing” the elections really were. “We’re very proud. It was a landmark event. I think, especially in Eric’s case, he received a lot of support across the board—from blacks and whites—because that race was so close,” said Jerome Levett, who remembers a time when blacks were only allowed to sit in the balcony of the movie theater on Main Street. The other two judicial candidates sworn in with the
Slate of 8 were State Court Judge Nancy Bills and Superior Court Judge Robert Mumford. The inauguration took place on the same day that several African American churches in Rockdale united to mark the Sesquicentennial Emancipation Proclamation— the document signed 150 years ago by Abraham Lincoln that freed black slaves in this country. Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers honored Rockdale’s newly-elected officials at the community worship service before the inauguration took place. The Rev. Walter Kimbrough, pastor of Columbia Drive United Methodist Church in Decatur, applauded Rockdale for “coming together” to make history and he issued a charge to the newlyelected officials. “Remember, you represent us. And we don’t want you to forget who elected you,” Kimbrough said during his keynote address at Springfield. For more on the Slate of 8, see page 5.
Community shows outpouring of support for slain Gwinnett teen By Valerie J. Morgan
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18-year-old Stone Mountain youth loses entire family in crash
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By Joshua Smith
he Stephenson Middle School community in Stone Mountain is rallying around Nicole Mallett. The 18-year-old lost her mother, father and brother in a fatal car accident during the holidays. Mallet’s mother was an administrative assistant at the school; her brother was a 7th grade student at Stephenson. Her parents owned INSIDE
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a Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill franchise store for about seven years on Rockbridge Road in Lithonia. The family was killed on Dec. 27 when their Toyota Camry was hit from behind by a semi-tractor trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike. The Mallets were traveling home from visiting relatives when cars in front of them slowed. A tractor-trailer could not break in time to avoid hitting them, police said. Mallet’s father, Ainsworth, 51, mother Jacqueline, 49, and 12-year-old brother, Drew, were killed and pronounced dead at the scene. Nicole Mallet is physically stable, but family friends say she is devastated and still has a lot of questions about what happened to her parents and little brother. The family’s See Stephenson, page 7
eading back to school this month will be tough for Gwinnett County’s Grayson High School students. Many are still grieving the loss of 14-year-old Paul Sampleton, who was shot and killed during the holiday break at the townhome he shared with his mother Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News on Haynescrest Drive in Stephanie Stone is comforted by several people at the prayer vigil held for her slain son. Grayson. Police are still when I said goodbye to investigating several leads, including one him that it would be the that Sampleton might have been killed last time that I saw him.” over his sneaker collection. Friends said Stone was at work he owned several pairs of high-priced when her son was killed. basketball sneakers that he traded and sold She said she began over the internet as part of the so-called “shoe game.” Police are checking the teen’s calling her home around 11:45 a.m., the time she Paul Sampleton social media outlets and other tips. expected Paul to be home Sampleton was the third student at from school. Paul, who was 5-foot-8 and Grayson killed in 2012. Hope Mackenzie, 170 pounds, played on the 9th grade football 17, died in a car accident on Jan. 8 and team at Grayson. His dad was supposed to Brittany Sailors, 16, died in a car wreck on pick him up so he could work out at a gym July 2. at 3 p.m. Stone wanted to make sure he The community gathered to pray with kept the appointment. Paul Sampleton’s mom, Stephanie Stone, After several unsuccessful attempts to at a vigil held at the school. Tough football reach Paul, Stone called the teen’s father players wept uncontrollably as the students who went by her townhouse. comforted one another, trying to make Paul Sampleton, Sr. opened the garage sense of the tragic slaying of who many door and entered the kitchen. Stone said he described as a nice, fun young man. found Paul bound and called 911. Paul Sampleton, Sr. of Lithonia “He was hysterical when he called discovered his son’s body after he me. He told me that I needed to get home became worried that no one had heard immediately,” said Stone. from Paul after he finished his school Stone said she wants justice for her son. exams on Dec. 19. “I’m not going to rest until whoever “I scrambled him some eggs and made did this is brought to justice,” Stone said. blueberry pancakes that morning,” said “I feel like I’m living a nightmare. I’m just Stone. “I never knew in a million years that waiting on someone to wake me up.”