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Criticized by NAACP for man’s jailing, Fayette sheriff has different viewTue, 03/24/2009 - 4:05pm
By: Ben Nelms
Questions have arisen about the arrest of a man by Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies on Nov. 28 and his subsequent incarceration. In a press release last week by the Fayette County Branch of the NAACP, Steve White was said to be homeless, allegedly the subject of racial profiling and jailed for more than two months while never being charged. He was released on March 2 and subject to hefty impound fees for his vehicle. A check of the records in the case reveal a different picture of the situation than the one painted by the civil rights organization. According to the Nov. 28 supplemental case report on the incident at the BP station at Ga. Highway 314 and Ga. Highway 138, written by Deputy Jeremy Liggett, White had backed his vehicle into a parking space out of the view of store employees. Forty-year-old White kept looking back and forth around the area in a manner that appeared suspicious and seemed nervous and edgy, according to the report. Deputy Liggett parked his vehicle and observed White’s behavior, noting that at one point White exited his vehicle and walked to the front door, only to turn around and go back to his car, where he continued to look back and forth in both directions. Liggett in the report said White’s behavior appeared to be consistent with the behavior of an individual under the influence of methamphetamine. Liggett in the report said he approached White in his car and made contact with him. In response to saying “good afternoon,” White yelled, “What the f—, boy, I don’t have any money, I am jobless and f— poor.” Upon being asked to lower his voice, White said, “You’re lucky I am taking deep breaths because I wanna hurt you.” Liggett called for backup, and, when officers arrived, asked White if he could search his vehicle. Upon obtaining permission, Liggett found gloves and a pellet pistol altered to look like a real firearm, the report said. Asked what he was doing at the convenience store, White responded, “I am eating lunch, I work in Peachtree City, I am on lunch.” White was arrested at the scene for loitering and obstruction and his vehicle was impounded. Asked for his place of residence, White said he was homeless, but also told officers he resided in Griffin. Asked his occupation, White initially said he was a male stripper, but later said he worked construction. Sheriff Wayne Hannah said Deputy Liggett went before Magistrate Judge James White on Nov. 29 and subsequently served Steve White with a warrant. White had a first appearance hearing Dec. 1 and was officially accused by the Solicitor’s Office on Dec. 15. The bond set for the two offenses was a $650 cash bond for each or a $1,300 property bond on each count. White did not bond out, meaning he stayed in jail, Hannah said. White at some point obtained the services of a public defender, who on Feb. 3 waived White’s arraignment and put a jury trial on the March docket. The public defender and the prosecutor met March 2 and the prosecutor elected not to prosecute. White was released March 2. The wrecker company had reduced the charge on White’s impounded vehicle and he picked it up on March 17. login to post comments
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