Pubdate: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 Source: Toccoa Record, The (GA) Copyright: 2009 The Toccoa Record Contact: https://secure.townnews.com/thetoccoarecord.com/forms/letters.php Website: http://www.thetoccoarecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5073 Author: Lila Windus Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Jonathan+Ayers (Rev. Jonathan Ayers) GRAND JURY UNDERTOOK A THANKLESS TASK I have, for months, held my tongue in the Ayers case, as I wished to have the full story before 'shooting off' my mouth (or pen as it were). I have sat by as person after person has belittled and acused the officers involved. I have read as only a few have stood up for those who risk their lives daily to keep us safe. I have, out of respect for the family of the deceased, not ventured to say anything which might add to their pain. I see that my fellow county members have not awarded the police officers or their families the same courtesy. But now the self-proclaimed omniscient, omnipresent members of our small society are attaching the character, intellegence and motives of the grand jury members as well. I know some of those who served on this prestigous body. I know their families and their integrity. I also know the dilemma a juror feels. But the law is clear and regardless their personal compassion and bias, they must uphold the law. If the evidence showed that the police officer had reason to beleive that he or his partner was in eminant danger, he not only had the right to shoot, but it was his duty to fire his weapon in warning if not to kill. The fact that the person shot was a preacher is sad and is unfortunate, in more than one way, but it does not (nor can not) alter the law and there was no way for the officer to know this as he fired. Nor had he known the identity of the person would it have altered his duty under the circumstances. It is a tragedy that a pastor was shot. The real travesty would be that those officers would have to worry about being prosecuted for doing their job and proecting the citizens of our community from drugs and prostitution, afraid to to be proud of who they are and what they do. It would be a tragedy if the grand jury members were harrased for doing their job (a hard and unrewarding, apparently unpopular job). What a sad state we would be in without both the officers who daily place their life in jepardy to allow us to live in a secure and peaceful mindset, or the jurors who give of their time, for very little pay, to see that everyone gets a fair trial and that justice is done. Where is it written that pastors are more righteous and holy than the police officer, who places his faith in the same God or the juror who does likewise? I know many of the city and county officers as well as some of the GBI. Many of them are exceptional Christians, serving God and us in the duties they perform daily. I know many of them agonize over those whom are unreachable and taking a life is not an easy thing to do. They are forced to do so to protect themselves, their partners and us, the citizens. They do not have the luxury of knowing the life history of everyone they are faced with in times of decisions. They must use their training and the knowledge they see before them at the moment. I, for one, applaude the fine officers on the city, county and state levels who selflessly protect me daily. I pray that they know that not all of the people in this area are given to pios absurdities of grandure. We do not all think that we are omniscient and that they should be as well. Some (many) of us appreciate their sacrifice and dillegence. We pray for their safety and we defend them to those who would persecute them. We applaude the jurors who did a very difficult job under unpleasent circumstances and we pray that you do not take to heart the detriment of misinformed, misguided tunnel-visioned people who are unwilling to do what you spent four days doing (examining all the evidence and evaluating it before forming a conclusion on this case). Thank you. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake