Mississippi sheriff to be prosecuted.....

[dwbakerjr]

.... for saving peoples lives...???

This one might stir up a bit of debate....


Updated: 3:21 p.m. ET March 24, 2006
JACKSON, Miss. - Randy Walker swears he would have died from his diabetes after Hurricane Katrina had a sheriff not seized two FEMA trucks filled with ice and distributed it to residents, many of whom had to keep their insulin cold.

Now, that sheriff could be prosecuted on charges of interfering with a federal operation.

Forrest County Sheriff Billy McGee commandeered two 18-wheelers full of ice from Camp Shelby, a Federal Emergency Management Agency staging area, after five days passed with little relief for residents living without electricity in the wake of the deadly storm.
“Man, I was wanting to hug Brother Billy when I saw that ice. We were glad somebody was there to help us,” Walker, who would not give his age, said Wednesday.

McGee had worked out a deal to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering, intimidating and impeding a federal officer, but U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton withdrew from the case without explanation and the Justice Department sent it to federal prosecutors in Louisiana.

U.S. Attorney David R. Dugas in Baton Rogue, La., said he has not decided whether to prosecute McGee.

McGee and his attorney declined a request for an interview.

The ice trucks had been sitting idle at Camp Shelby, a National Guard base just south of Hattiesburg, before the sheriff ordered them sent to the towns of Petal and Brooklyn on Sept. 4. McGee has said his deputies detained a National Guard soldier who tried to interfere.

Residents of Forrest County have circulated a petition in support of McGee, who has been in office since 1991, and some have collected money for his defense.

“If it hadn’t been for him, I’d be dead right now and I know that,” Walker said. “I’ll go to court for him or whatever it takes. I don’t want to let him down as much as he has done for me.”

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., a critic of the federal government’s response to Katrina, has urged the Justice Department not to pursue the case.

The congressman said he is “convinced that there’s not a jury in the state of Mississippi that would convict the sheriff for doing what he did under the circumstances.”

Even though Forrest County is some 60 miles inland, the hurricane downed trees and destroyed roofs, and the power was out for weeks in much of the area.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


----

Fire away, everyone....

 

[GreatDane]

I wish people at all levels of Government had shown the initiative that the sheriff did.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wow---great job, Sheriff! He deserves a medal of honor. Not a trial!

 

[Rajah]

Wow---great job, Sheriff! He deserves a medal of honor. Not a trial!

 

[PattnFmly]

Yeah, considering they had to destroy an ice stockpile that was stored in Maine for the Katrina aftermath. It never made it down there, they said it wasn't needed after all ..... Definitely more people needed to show some initiative like that sheriff .....

 

[disneymac]

Shouldn't they be prosecuting the people who gave the order that the ice just sit there, instead of someone who actually got something accomplished? Bureaucracy is a wonderful thing...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wonder if he can countersue the governmetn on behalf of the city for mishandling of resources that were going unused.

 

[kimkarli]

That is just crazy!!!!! He was doing what had to be done in an extremely horrific situation. He took care of business and helped people.

 

[dixipixi]

I just have to say that even though I live in Louisiana, I'm not far from Forrest County. We love to go shopping in Hattiesburg. Why? The people are friendly, it's a nice, safe town, and things are well maintained.

That's usually the kind of people who get things done when things need to be done. Community oriented people who actually KNOW their neighbors. They know that the lady down the road will die without her medication. She won't just be a casualty number when the final tally is made. They'll be responsible for telling her family members (half of whom they probably go to church with), "sorry, we just couldn't break the law and give your mom some ice."

And I just love how people are always saying, "it's 60 miles inland". Like that makes a difference. We're 60 miles inland here as well and we were devastated. No water, just wind.

I also think he should be given a medal, maybe even a parade!!!!!

 

[olena]

I doubt a jury will convict him.