28 DEC 07: ACQUIRED IMMUNITY IN DRUG STING

What do you know? Columbus has an AIDS case on its hands. And of all things, it involves the Kenneth Walker case -- or did you put together the initials in our title today?

Another round of confusion was added to the Kenneth Walker case Thursday. Federal Judge Clay Land ruled two law officers had a "reasonable suspicion" to stop Walker's car four years ago - but he also said the informant who tipped off the officers is "no longer worthy of belief." This is a bit like buying your parents an anniversary gift, after they insist they want nothing.

For those who came in late: an informant told undercover drug officers to follow Kenneth Walker and three other man out of an apartment complex in December 2003. Their vehicle was pulled over on Interstate 185, a sheriff's deputy shot and killed Walker, but then no drugs were found. Well, a trace of cocaine was found in Walker's body - but how do we know drug reports weren't adjusted back then, too?

The confidential informant (whose name we still don't know) was questioned recently by the Walker family for a civil suit - and civil rights leaders soon leaked the news that the informant had admitted giving false information to the undercover officers. If Bill Madison is ever removed as NAACP President, he should do undercover work himself - as an investigative reporter.

(Isn't it interesting that the name of the deputy who shot Kenneth Walker was kept secret for two months - but this informant is still a mystery after four years? Ten years from now, we all may be amazed to discover Willie Dozier still is running the Columbus Police Department from his home.)

But when the informant was brought before Federal Judge Clay Land last Friday, he/she sang a different tune. The court was told he/she signed an affidavit without reading through it, and some of the details were incorrect. You're left to wonder if the informant also has a sub-prime mortgage....

The issue in all of this was whether Columbus Police officers Jim Price and Rick Stinson could be declared immune from the Walker family civil suit. Judge Clay Land said Thursday they can have "qualified immunity." Former deputy David Glisson does NOT have this, because he fired the qualifying rounds.

Clay Land's ruling says there was "other information available" to officers Price and Stinson, which justified stopping Kenneth Walker's vehicle. For one thing, someone else who left the apartment complex that night was found with cocaine. I've never heard that name, either - so when this suit finally comes to trial, we may have more new characters than the coming season of "Law and Order."

The confusion over the two police officers doesn't end there. Details of the Walker family's civil suit are pending in federal appeals court. If the case is returned to Judge Clay Land, the qualified immunity could take effect - but the Ledger-Enquirer reports that could be appealed as well. There are college basketball teams with less motion than this....

And on top of that, all the pre-trial wrangling over appeals and immunity could hurt the Walker family's lawsuit against David Glisson. That's because I'm hearing Glisson is in failing health. Why, he hasn't even been hired by a church to watch over a pastor during worship services.

Someone told me Thursday not many people care about the Kenneth Walker case anymore. But considering the turnout at the memorial service two weeks ago, I don't think that's true. I'd say most African-American people in Columbus still care, while most white people don't. Those white people tend to move on quicker - and they're on the Zachary Allen cocaine crash already.

Now for other headlines from Holiday Bowl Day 2007:

+ WLTZ reported Columbus Police officer J.D. Hawk is on administrative leave. I'm not sure if it's because of that 103 mile-per-hour speeding ticket from October [23 Dec], or the report that Hawk phoned the state trooper who gave him a ticket and left an answering machine message. How much DID that trooper pledge to the Fraternal Order of Police?

+ Phenix City officials and Rep. Leslie Vance met with Alabama Governor Bob Riley. They want state help in obtaining two million dollars, to buy land along the riverfront. Imagine what would happen if the governor proposed a local sales tax on coffee sales....

+ The President of Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain told the evening news his complex has video cameras - but for watching customers and guests, not the animals. So please don't walk up to the tiger cage, and accuse the animals of not being as good as the Carver Tigers.

(GPB's "Georgia Traveler" also happened to visit Wild Animal Safari, and noted some of the animals are yaks. If only Columbus radio had a talk show to put there, for regular interviews....)

+ A panel of psychics told the Atlanta newspapers Georgia's capital could face a serious crisis in early March. Hmmmm - I thought the PeachCare funding was safe until the end of that month.

+ Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn ruled out retirement, saying he doesn't want to go out at the end of such a disastrous year. So we can cross his name off the list of potential head coaches....

+ Instant Message to Charter Cable of Columbus: You had some terrible timing Thursday morning. CNN was showing the breaking news about Benazir Bhutto and a human bomb - and every half-hour you kept showing the "boom-boom" and "bang-bang" ladies from Fireworks Outlet.

2007 IN REVIEW, CONTINUED: October began with this blog on vacation for a few days, and so - hey, you know what? We never told you about our vacation at Panama City Beach. Someone told me the condominium market there is five years overbuilt, because of the troubled housing market. Would any transferring Fort Knox soldiers might a four-hour commute to Fort Benning?

We returned from vacation to the e-mail firestorm over Cascade Hills Church, and a change in its bylaws. It led to perhaps the only interview Pastor Bill Purvis gave a local journalist all year. What followed may have been the biggest change of mind by a minister since Martin Luther posted his complaints on a church door.

Columbus Police had an unusual October Saturday, when a man robbed a bank dressed in women's clothing. It was the closest thing Columbus has had yet to a "gay pride weekend."

The Metro Narcotics Task Force acquired a new helicopter in October. I think it's already proving beneficial - or at least, I'm assuming officers are seeding the clouds to bring those rainstorms.

Talbot County had another embarrassing moment in October, when the mayor of Woodland was arrested for impaired driving and speeding. Put him together with the troubled mayor of Talbotton and the dismissed chief county investigator, and it's a wonder State Representative Debbie Buckner hasn't been put in charge of everything.

If that wasn't enough, a Russell County pastor was arrested at his own church in October on disorderly conduct charges. Well, at least the criminals have moved out of the school system....

And one of our regular blog e-mailers had legal trouble in October. Hurtsboro Constable R.J. Schweiger was found in contempt to court, and given a suspended sentence of "five days' hard labor."

The long-lasting drought forced the "Fountain City" to turn off all its fountains in October, to conserve water. Things were SO DRY that the usual year-end Xmas tree never went up at Heritage Park downtown. I thought that tree was artificial....

The drought lingered so long that Rep. Richard Smith called at the end of October for a one-cent sales tax to fund a water management plan. So that's one cent for water, one cent for public safety, one cent for education - and Columbus only has two cents left for taxing soft drink sales.

Local car dealer Rob Doll made a surprising statement in October, declaring some people are "scared" to fly to the Columbus Airport. Which was strange, because I don't think a murder has been committed there all year....

The Muscogee County School Board approved the destruction of the old Sears building on Macon Road in October. Yet the department store chain refused to change its slogan to, "Sears -- where it ends."

October was a big month for nature lovers, as Interstate 185 was declared a "scenic byway." In fact, there now are signs along the highway saying that - so there's one thing to stop and watch right there.

A TV star came to Columbus in October, as Erik Estrada helped install children's car seats. It's a wonder he didn't also appear at Peachtree Mall, promoting his secret to shiny white teeth.

But another entertainer's planned visit to Columbus was suddenly canceled in October. Rapper T.I. was arrested - and if he's eventually convicted, those initials will stand for The Inmate.

A Columbus restaurant won a national contest in October, when the "Steve Harvey Show" on radio named Chester's Bar-B-Q the best in the country. Loyal customers of Country's and Mike and Ed's Barbecue probably felt like someone was pulling their pork.

COMING THIS WEEKEND: Warning signs.... outside a doughnut shop?!

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