Grand Jury: Investigate Cops, M.E.

Tracey Christensen

DECATUR -- A civil grand jury looking into a rash of police-officer involved shootings in 2006, including 12 fatal ones involving just DeKalb County police officers, has recommended criminal investigations in three of those cases.

'We will act on that investigation," said Gwen Keyes Fleming, the DeKalb County District Attorney.

A criminal grand jury will be convened to consider an indictment against DeKalb County Police Officer T. Thompson, who was involved in the fatal shooting of robbery suspect Lorenzo Matthews on September 12, 2006. The grand jury also recommended that former medical examiner's director Dewey Brown be investigated for evidence tampering.

The other fatal case recommended for further review by the grand jury involves U.S Marshals who were serving an outstanding federal warrant in October 2006.

The third case, which was not fatal, involves a DeKalb County police officer.

The grand jury looked at 31 cases from 2006, 24 of which involved just the DeKalb County Police Department. Of those 24 cases, the grand jury found 19 of those were justified but did not recommend further review for three that were not. "This is a report, 33 cases. How can you make a report on 33 caes? This is white wash," said Iris Muhamed, whose son Abraham was shot and killed by a female police officer on August 24, 2006.

The grand jury also reviewed other shooting and non-shooting incidents in the county, including three fatal shootings by officers assigned to other law enforcement agencies.

The grand jurors were asked to determine three things:

Were the officer's actions justified?

If they were not justified, should the officer be the focus of further criminal investigation?

Was there a pattern of abuse by the police?

The grand jury met two days a week for the past twelve months at the request of authorities under fire for the bulk of police shootings. The findings were released during a news conference late Thursday morning.

"It was their job to find the truth," said Keyes Fleming.

The grand jurors also looked at one in-custody death involving a DeKalb County police officer and one involving Chamblee Police but the grand jury found that the officers' conduct did not contribute to the suspects' deaths.

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