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18 APR 04: PIECE DE RESISTANCE?
It took four months, but Kenneth Walker's family finally may have seen the "cop-cam" video of his death. One lawyer for the family is talking as if he's seen it. But then again, I've seen "The Practice" enough times to know attorneys don't always tell the truth.
Former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, who's part of the legal team for Kenneth Walker's family, says Walker did NOT resist arrest on the night he was shot. To which former deputy David Glisson's attorney probably is saying, "Of course not.
He was too stoned."
While Bill Campbell says Kenneth Walker did not resist arrest last December 10th along Interstate 185, the Muscogee County Sheriff's Department contends he showed "some level of resistance." This sort of dispute sounds familiar - for instance, if your four-year-old child is sitting in a corner for misbehaving.
Bill Campbell says the Sheriff's Department dashboard camera reveals Kenneth Walker was surrounded by "two or three officers" at gunpoint. Well, David Glisson's lawyer DID say the camera's view was obstructed. So which officer is overweight?
Bill Campbell also says Kenneth Walker was pinned to the ground when he was shot -- which seems to be a point on which all sides agree. Now all we need is for costumed sailors at Port Columbus to develop a reenactment....
WRBL's interview with Bill Campbell did NOT address the rumor that's been spread by law officers - that David Glisson shot Kenneth Walker after tripping over something. Even though it was December, TV news footage indicates the side of
Interstate 185 seemed open. No one was selling recliners, scooters, or even Confederate flags along the roadside.
One of the biggest sticking points in the Kenneth Walker case probably will NOT be resolved by the "cop-cam" tape - whether Walker's right hand was open or closed. If we knew that, we'd obviously have an open or closed case....
Meanwhile, WRBL is going back to court to seek access to another tape - this time a "bus-cam" view of whether a Troup County bus driver ordered a student off, and made him walk for a couple of blocks. Considering WRBL's legal appeals for the Kenneth Walker case went nowhere, the station's lawyer must be quite a salesman.
Now other, nicer notes from a picture-perfect spring weekend:
+ A little girl went skipping through the foyer at the Captain D's in Phenix City - and her mother warned, "It's not easy to skip in your flip-flops." Mom has a good point. If you don't watch your step, you'll simply flop.
+ The country band Alabama's farewell tour stopped at the Columbus Civic Center. Somehow this didn't feel quite right. If the ministers hadn't reserved the Phenix City Amphitheatre for a crusade, the band actually could have played IN Alabama.
+ Alabama state regents voted to change the name of Troy State University to simply "Troy University." I can already hear the refrain from struggling college football coaches - if at first you don't succeed: Troy, Troy again.
(Is this really a good sign for the state of Alabama - that Troy University doesn't want people associating it with the state at all?)
+ The Columbus Wardogs whipped Cape Fear in their home opener, and scored a record 62 points. This arena football team may be ready for the big time - and may be able to outscore the Atlanta Hawks.
(C'mon, Cape Fear - in 2004, the best team nickname you can come up with is "Wildcats?!" My old high school had that name 70 years ago. How about "Wild Bunch" or something?)
+ Instant Message to area Walgreen's stores: Thank you for selling milk this past week for $1.99 a gallon. With supermarket prices going above three dollars, and reportedly heading even higher, I urge you to quarantine your cows - and take special care with them.
(CBS News warned milk prices may hit four bucks a gallon by summer. It's almost enough to drive a middle-aged man like me to drink coffee for breakfast, after all these years....)
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