Congratulations to Scott Sanders and Tom Fox

The news is that Scott Sanders is not guilty, and Jim Coman is dismissing the remaining charges against Sanders and Tom Fox.

And finally, after nearly four long years--  after nearly four years of enduring an inquisition caused by our local machine-based identity politics-- the men who previously worked under David Wray are beginning to see some justice.  Congratulations to Scott and Tom.

Hallelujah!!!  And let more justice come raining down.

Update: Reactions from Sam Spagnola, Mary Johnson.

Update II: Ben Holder comments with characteristic restraint.:)

Update III: Preston Earle has more.  And so does Tony Wilkins.

Comments

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

Amen, Joe.

This is very good news.

And let more justice come raining down.

[Stormy]

If Officers Sanders and Fox are not guilty, then it would be appropriate for Mitch Johnson to reinstate them to their jobs and pay them their back pay since 2007. If he won't do it, they should sue his a.. off.

[Stormy]

Come to think about it, this may open the door for Wray to get a settlement from the city. Without one of the officers involved being found guilty, the city doesn't have much to stand on, so they should just rollover and pay. Looks like Mitch needs to be gone.

[lugnut]

I love the News2 story! About half way through in a one line paragraph it says "Fulmore is black."

[Spag]

Johnson will screw that up too and cause the City to get sued yet again.

[jc]

Can he sue for attorney fees as well?

[cm]

The City will definitely have to address reinstatement and back pay, and hopefully that'll be resolved immediately. But what about the legal bills that Sanders and Fox have accrued? Who pays those? Do they have grounds to sue the City for reimbursement of legal fees, considering the outcome?

[Spag]

Probably not Michelle because this was a criminal trial.

[Joe Guarino]

Michele, jc, Stormy, my understanding is that anyone, as a general rule, can sue for just about anything; but I do not know whether Sanders and Fox will be ultimately be "entitled" to those things. Sam knows about that much more than I do. Perhaps a city policy exists that will help them somehow.

Sanders and Fox should rightfully receive these considerations, however-- reinstatement, back pay, reimbursement of legal bills, the whole thing-- and I hope they will. The city would do well to resolve those matters quickly.

Stormy, I hope, as you suggest, this will open the door for a settlement for Wray. But I would also like to see that all of the other officers who felt pushed out, or who were demoted, will see justice as well.

Sam, the City Council has a golden opportunity to assure that the city manager does not "screw it up". Thanks for being first to report the news of the jury's deliberations.

And Mary, yes, this is great news. This is a great day. Have been nearly moved to tears.

[jc]

joe, everyone seems to be suing the city so the more the merrier!

Mitch has created this clusterf*%k and should be held accountable.

[Laura Hamilton]

Thank you so much for all the excellent reporting & thought provoking commentary that you provide, and for reporting this so promptly.I am delighted to see the good guys win one. The good citizens of Greensboro that made up the jury are to be commended, just like the good citizens who helped catch the bank robbers & the "Old Navy" killer.

[Preston Earle]

I'm glad the jury decided the way it did. I think John Hammer's article yesterday clearly explained the case and pointed to the Not Guilty verdict. Anything else would have been a travesty.

I don't believe this affected David Wray at all. IIRC, he did not have a contract and worked at the plesure of the City Manager. Mitch Johnson had the authority to fire him, for good reason or bad.

The person this affects is Nr. Johnson. it shows, again and for the umpteenth time that the firing decision was not justified by any evidence that has been produced in the last three years. The decision was so bad, and so poorly executed (changing locks and forcing resignation) that it constitutes a firing offense.

There are still some who maintain "if you knew what we know, you'd agree Wray had to go." If that is true, let them show the evidence.

If Mr. Johanson can show that the decision was the result of a measured and logical discussion with a number of responsible people (the Mayor, City Council members, other city management personnel, not including the City Attorney), I'd be willing to cut him some slack and settle for some discipline and re-education. Otherwise, I say we get the pitchforks and torches. I believe it's time for Mr. Johnson to leave.

[wayne]

What a sad day for "Political Correctness".

It must be particularly sad over at WFMY_TV and at the News and Record Offices. You have to give them both an " A " for their efforts. They really tried hard to convict this good man.

I can only imagine the hell Scott Sanders and his family have gone thru. I hope he can find a way to reward all of these idiots for this whole sordid mess.

[YB Normall]

Mitchell Johnson, Mayor Johnson, Diane Bellemey-Small, Goldie Wells, Robbie "Wolf In A Sheep's Clothes" Perkins and Zach "Mini-Perkins" Matheny all owe Scott Sanders an apology. More apologies to Sanders should come from News 2's Frank Mickens, and the group of nitwits at the News & Fishwrap, led by that arrogang stuffed shirt John Robinson and that yellow-journalism hack Lorainne Ahearn.

This has been nothing but a smear job on a decent cop. Scott Sanders should sue this city for everything it has and ram the Courthouse flag pole up Mitch Johnson's keister for good measure.

A pox on all their houses. They are horrid, horrid people.

[keith]

that is great news and let's see the backpedaling begin. Joe, you have been on this since day one and you can take a bow for all your post on this issue and I am sure more analysis to come. Great job.

[Fred Gregory]

Okay Robbie Perkins, now is there still something you know that we don't. I don't think so !!

What a blessed relief for Sanders, Fox and their families who have suffered this uncecessary ordeal. As others have said they shoul be made whole again without delay.

[keith]

on news 2 they say that Mary Rakestraw wants mitch johnson fired, and she was the only city council member in courtroom

[Joe Guarino]

The N&R reports Sanders has been asked to report to work Monday.

[Brenda Bowers]

Am happy for the verdict clearing Det. Sanders and that the charges were all dropped on him and Fox. But nothing can repay him and his family for what they have gone thru. Hope he sues and names names and refuses to settle out of court so they all have to defend their actions on the witness stand. And, like Wray he should sue for discrimination.

An election is coming up and all City Council members will be on the line. City elections have been so very nice and civil and polite with no one willing to point out what unethical humanoids these people are. Trudy Wade went after Sandy C. and won, Mary Rakestraw ran on Get Mitch! and won. They win on name recognition when the public only has the stories in the N&R and biased TV stations to inform them. I hope this year anyone running gets the truth out and takes the chance of being called out for dirty politics. This is the only way the Dirty Politicians will be ousted. BB

[Joe Guarino]

Laura and Keith, thanks for the kind words, but there are some real heroes in this whole story-- not me. The list of heroes begins with the police officers falsely accused, and their families.

And then there are the key media voices who took some huge risks and enabled the truth to be reported-- Jerry Bledsoe, John Hammer and Ben Holder.

There are the attorneys who have worked with the implicated, stigmatized police officers-- including the man of the hour, Seth Cohen.

Sam and Roch brought the suit against the city that resulted in some important information being disclosed.

These are all some key people who helped this story turn around from the travesty it once was.

[Stormy]

Jerry B.,

With a few more "wins", your story may come to a happy ending soon, after all. Pretty much due to you and your courage here, Mitch and Company didn't get one win in this whole sad episode.

[Joe Guarino]

Preston, I agree it is time for pitchforks and torches. But they should be pointed at certain council members as well as the city manager.

Wayne, you are right. These officers and their families have been through hell. And in addition to the environment of race-based machine politics we have here, another culprit is, as you suggest, the prevailing media environment of political correctness. Maybe some media figures around town now will finally take hold of their senses.

YB, I agree that many, many apologies from the parties you list are in order. But I might also add Keith Holliday and Sandra Groat to your list.

Fred, yep, maybe now ole' Robbie will let us in on his little secret. And yes, everything all these men lost should be restored.

Brenda, you are right about the upcoming city council election season. During the last cycle, some challengers were doing their best to be circumspect and diplomatic-- and some, silent-- about this situation. They need not any longer. The gloves need to come off.

[cm]

Joe: "The N&R reports Sanders has been asked to report to work Monday."

N&R: "...Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw told him to report to work Monday morning. He thanked Rakestraw, who delivered the news after a brief call with city attorney Terry Wood."

So the word to come back to work came from a supportive Council member and not from the City Manager or Chief? When Sanders shows up for work? Awkward...

[Beau D. Jackson]

This pleases me greatly I can only, with great anticipation, wait to hear the spin. Beau

[Joe Guarino]

Michele, I am just guessing, but maybe they decided this would be the least awkward way of communicating it, given the circumstances.

[Joe Guarino]

Beau, think about all the sound and fury, for all that time, directed against Sanders, Fox, Wray, and the rest. Right now, with this verdict, it all amounts to nothingness.

All that pseudomoral rectitude is in the toilet. After all this time, if this verdict is all they could come up with from a criminal standpoint, something is seriously wrong. But of course, most of us felt we already knew that. Today provided affirmation.

I suspect you're right, Beau, that there will be some perceived need to spin. It will be interesting to watch, and to comment upon.

[Dan Edwards]

"Wray should have been forthright with me"

Mitch the Bi... says;

At no time from July 8, 2005 until approximately one to two weeks after his resignation did Chief Wray provide an explanation to me or anyone else regarding the creation and use of the “black book”. Something that he could have done as early as July 9th 2005 and very well might have prevented this entire situation.

But........

July 11, three days after learning about the casebook, Wray had his regular monthly meeting with Mitch Johnson to update him about what was happening in the department. During that meeting, he told Johnson about the photo arrays of black officers that had been shown to prostitutes in criminal investigations, and Johnson expressed no concern about it.

Now who should we believe, a 22-yr veteran of the GPD with a sterling record or an incompetent power-hungry computer programmer. I ask ya... which one....

[Joe Guarino]

The former, Dan, the former.

[Milo]

Dr. Joe,

Your efforts are right up there with Bledsoe, Hammer, & Ben -- take your bow sir as it's deserved. Spag too.

[Cyndy Hayworth]

Joe:

Any thoughts as to the climate Mr. Sanders will return to work? Do you think the current leadership at the GPD will actually let him do his job? Do you think there will be any "jumping off the sinking ship" from this verdict?

[wayne]

Joe
I agree with Milo. Take your bow. You have steered the course with dignity in confronting these idiotic people. Thanks also too Spag and Roch. I believe their suit forced Mitch to admit all of this amounted to nothing.

Have you considered running for Mayor or City Council?

[Joe Guarino]

Thanks, Milo. There is a big difference between spouting one's opinions, on the one hand-- as I have done-- and doing all the heavy lifting associated with primary research and reporting, and taking all the risks associated with that-- as Bledsoe, Hammer and Holder have done. I tip my hat to all three of them.

But the unsung hero at this moment is Seth Cohen. Although I was not in the courtroom, he must have presented an excellent defense for this outcome to have been achieved. It was a brilliant, counterintuitive stroke, for instance, to call Gary Hastings as a DEFENSE witness, and to use the computer search in which he engaged to point out a huge double standard. Remember that Hastings has been on the other side.

Cyndy, I am sure Sanders will be treated well by some, and as persona non grata by others. I am not sure what position they will have him assume; and unless there is a huge change of heart, I doubt it will be in a similar capacity to what he was doing previously. We need to remember that there were other officers involved in this thing beside Sanders and Fox. We need to remember that others have been mistreated and demoted because of all this mess, and are still working on the force. (And of course, others felt pushed out.) So there are many injustices that remain to correct, and Sanders' situation, while the most prominent in some ways, is one of many.

Do I think there will be any "jumping off the sinking ship"? There should be, but I really don't know. As we have seen many times, the power of the machine is irresistible for some. In a situation such as this, we can only say, "thank goodness for the courts", because in this case they provide the only refuge from all the corruption.

[wayne]

By the way, has anyone else noticed the silence at Ed Cone & JR's blogs?

[Joe Guarino]

Wayne, thank you. And yes, Sam and Roch made an important contribution in bringing the truth to light-- and Spagnola donated very generously of his professional time and expertise. I am flattered you suggest a run for office-- not this year; but maybe one day? But I hope some principled people-- people with integrity-- will be stepping up and running. Cyndy has already announced she is challenging Zack Matheny, and that is a good thing.

[Cyndy Hayworth]

Joe:

Thanks for mentioning my run for District 3 Council seat. I will tell you that until our City Council is seated with members that are there for the right reason - and that reason being - to be a voice for the citizens - then nothing will change. It's pretty plain and simple - for the people...of the people...and by the people. That's my platform in a nutshell!

Cyndy

[wayne]

We need to organize and defeat ANYONE who supports Mitch Johnson in the coming election and I mean ANYONE. I have several friends on the current Council but I am through with all this total ineptitude. No more.

Wayne Stutts
273-3930

[Stormy]

Want a good laugh today?

"The state put forward its best case, said Jim Coman, senior deputy attorney general. He added that it wouldn't have been appropriate to go forward with the other charges against Sanders and Fox in light of the jury's decision and in the "interest of justice" and "letting this community heal."

So, when you know you don't have anything, your position is to let the community heal. So, where has that been the last 2-3 years? This community won't begin to heal until Mitch Johnson is history and several of the other players here hit the road as well. But, I don't see that happening any time soon, although Mitch might be thrown under the bus.

[YB Normall]

The silence from John Robinson's blog is deafening. He is a coward and a hypocrite. Robinson and his sorry excuse for a daily painted Scott Sanders as the second coming of Bull Connor. It was character assassination, without apology or fear of reprisal.

Robinson sent his capo regime, Lorraine Ahearn, to do a hit job on Det. Sanders. With the kind of negative publicity generated by this wannabe "investigative journalist," it's amazing that Sanders was declared innocent by a jury of his peers. Sometimes justice actually wins out.

I am waiting for Robinson and Ahearn to admit they were wrong and to apologize. I fully realize that I have a better chance of winning the lottery than hearing those words.

Until then, the blogosphere should hold Robinson's feet to the fire.

[Bubba]

"Cyndy has already announced she is challenging Zack Matheny, and that is a good thing."

D3 has been poorly served by Matheny since the last election.

He clearly was the candidate of choice for the Cabal, as evidenced by the magical influx of campaign funds and the influence of the Old Boy Network, as represented by Perkins and Phillips.

Ask Joe Wilson about the conversations the Old Boys had with him during the course of the last council general election campaign.

[Joe Guarino]

Cyndy, I think "for, of and by the people" is a great plumb line. If you work real hard, plan well, raise some money, and get some good help, I think you have a chance.

Wayne, I agree the city council elections need to be the object of some intense, concentrated effort directed toward unseating those who allowed this to happen; and toward assuring that no future clones win a seat.

Stormy, I agree that Coman's decision to drop all charges was an acknowledgment that he didn't have anything. I think what happens politically will depend upon whether the people of the city of Greensboro continue, out of ignorance, to assign their vote to the two joint ruling groups-- neither of which merit the support of the people. Overcoming that will require some real sustained effort.

[Milo]

Dr. Joe,

There's still something to be said for civility and common sense and you get your point(s) across using both. Thank you.

[Joe Guarino]

Bubba, I agree Matheny is aligned with the Melderec con Simkins forces, and has been from the start. And remember the News and Record loved the fact that he was young.

This is a district that should be able to produce good representation. There is lots of room for improvement over what the district has right now.

[Stormy]

Check out Ben's dialogue with Bellamy as related on his blog. Bellamy really doesn't have a clue. Officer Sanders is found not guilty and he thinks he needs to complete his internal investigation. As Ben suggests this is the longest investigation in the history of GPD. Talk about dense.

Me: "When will they get to come back to work?"

Timmy: "Well, we will have to finish our internal investigation."

Me: "It sure does talk you a long time to do an investigation. It has only been a few years. When do you think you will be done?"

Timmy: "It should take a couple of weeks for them to wrap it up."

After this point in the conversation we talked about several different things and it would be impossible to repeat it word for word. I asked about Goldie Wells reporting to the public that people should call Timmy instead of 911 when they need help. Timmy said something about some meeting at A&T. It seems as if people over there can't get the GPD to do anything either. I did tell Timmy that I thought Captain Gary Hastings was illegally listening to peoples phone calls and I asked about the non-police issue scanner that was left in the bathroom of the MMOB. I asked Timmy if Tater passed his physical fitness test and Timmy said he did.

I ended the conversation by telling Timmy that I did not think Gary Hastings could find his ass in the daylight. I told him to make sure he wrote that down so he could report to council that I said ass again. I also told Timmy to send Tater out more because I missed seeing his big fat ass wobbling around. Our conversation ended after we made plans to go to lunch. Seriously, Timmy and I are going to lunch. Maybe he will bring his cousin Dianne Bellamy-Small. I hear she loves lunch and from the looks of things I imagine that is the case. Pass me them grits, baby.

At 3:13pm Timmy said Fox and Sanders would have to be investigated for a few more weeks. However, soon after that he learned from Terry Wood that he needed to shut up and follow the law or his stupid ass was going to look even more stupid. Presto! Fox and Sanders are coming back to work! What was it we were supposed to see? Tom Phillips and Keith Holliday really screwed up and wasted lots of peoples time and money over this.

[Joe Guarino]

YB, I just commented on the previous thread here (about the trial coming to a close), and I will repeat that comment here:

You may have noticed that Sanders' acquittal was given front page placement this morning. That is good. But it does not compare with some of the more dramatic, bold, banner headlines we have seen in the past highlighting the alleged problems that Wray and his men had caused.

And a much larger banner headline above today's story about Sanders features a mushy "analysis" piece on the economy. At one time, we were told that the front page would primarily be for local news.

It would be good if this entire matter triggers some introspection and accountability at the N&R and at WFMY. It is ironic that, with all of the cutbacks and downsizing we have seen, some of the worst perpetrators of agenda-driven news still retain their positions.

I will be looking forward to the paper's editorial on this development, and what it means in the larger picture of our local political and media environment. They really need to get it right.

[Joe Guarino]

Stormy, I have to confess I laughed audibly as I read throughout much of Ben's post. A guilty pleasure, I guess.

But the portion you highlight once again highlights concern regarding the current leadership of the police department. Time has made clear that is part of the problem we now have.

[Jerry Bledsoe]

Scott Sanders’ acquittal doesn’t mean that troubles are over for him and his former sergeant, Tom Fox. Both are still facing internal investigations that have gone on now for more than three years. Tim Bellamy inserted a hand-picked black detective, Trey Davis, back into Internal Affairs to be involved in the resolution of these investigations.

Davis was the IA detective who put Cathy Vance through an ordeal in an attempt to get her to admit that Sanders had forced her to record black community leaders for malicious purposes. During that inquisition he asked her what was wrong with an officer or police department employee supplying confidential documents or information to a friend or acquaintance, even if that person is boasting of associations with drug dealers. At the time Davis was putting Vance through this ordeal, Bellamy and Capt. Gary Hastings (now asst. chief) knew that no black community leaders had been under surveillance or deliberately recorded.

It is normal for an IA detective to attend all criminal trials of police officers. The IA sergeant sat in on portions of Sanders’ trial, as did another IA detective. But Davis was in the courtroom all week.

Don’t be surprised if Sanders and Fox are fired within a few weeks and forced to go to court to try to get their back pay.

[Joe Guarino]

Mr. Bledsoe, thanks for that sobering piece of information. I will post it separately.

I guess we all need to keep our guard up. There is, after all, seemingly no limit with respect to the depths to which various forces will stoop.

[Dan Edwards]

One of the most annoying and frustrating by-products of this whole mess, is the fact that whenever the N&R writes a lie and prints it, the AP picks it up and it gets propagated throughout the nation. The lie about Det. Sanders being tried for corruption is now spread from coast to coast. Every website from the Rocky Mountain News to the Seattle Times has picked this lie up from the AP. The damage done as a result of this is incalculable.

[Joe Guarino]

There is a lot of damage, Dan. There is serious damage to the long careers of officers who have put themselves on the line to protect others. There is serious damage to their families. There is damage among the remaining group of officers, and to the tone within their respective work units. And there is damage to the people of the city of Greensboro, who are enduring high levels of crime in this community, and knowledge regarding the nature of its police department, partially as a consequence of the manner in which this whole mess has been handled.

[Stormy]

Dan,

The damage done to which you refer is that to the image and reputation of the city of Greensboro. When the AP spreads this sludge throughout the nation, all that is achieved is to convince potential employers and residents to avoid this city like the plague. It is with some irony that the very actions that the people who would like to develop and enhance the attractiveness of Greensboro as a relocation destination are accomplishing just the opposite. Is there any doubt why Greensboro is becoming the most vacant city in the nation? Without a doubt, when people up north look south to relocate for a better life, it won't be to Greensboro. Phony incidents such as the Wray Fray and the Duke Lacrosse case are great deterrents to people.

I recall that the McKinsey Study, commissioned 10 years ago to determine what Greensboro should do to become more attractive to business relocation, recommended actions that could change the "image" of Greensboro. That study has resulted in nothing to change the image of Greensboro, nor has it changed the reality.