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Sheriff calls protesters' hand

January 21, 2004

Blakely-- A group of citizens stages weekly protests through the streets, claiming, among other things, that the sheriff forces jail inmates to perform personal work, but Sheriff Jimmie Murkerson says that didn't happen.

A grand jury even held hearings and refused to indict him. But the marches continue.

Sheriff Jimmie Murkerson says he wants to set the record straight about accusations he is abusing his office. "Based on legal proceedings going on, I have been reluctant to do this interview, to defend the actions of myself and my community," the sheriff said.

Each Wednesday for six months, a small group marches through downtown Blakely, holding signs calling the Sheriff a "Slave Master" and other names. Led by Pastor Cynthia Edwards of the Freedom Council in Blakely and John Cole Vodicka of the Prisons and Jails Project in Americus, the group has passed out fliers listing their complaints against the Sheriff.

Now Murkerson answers each complaint. "Threatening and intimidating black citizens," he reads from the list. "Give me one, so I can defend myself."

Another complaint: racial profiling. The Sheriff admits there are more blacks than whites in his jail. "Yeah the numbers are one sided. But then again, my African American inmates come from that high rate of poverty. They are here as a lack of resources more than they are a lack of conduct sometimes."

The next accusation: illegally searching homes. "Give me one case that has been illegally searched, and one piece of property that has been illegally seized. I don't know where it is at, but he can print this material and pass it out, with no documentation whatsoever."

There are more claims: Including barbaric jail conditions. We were invited to view the jail, and we did not find anything wrong.

As to claims he used some of his inmates for slave labor-- "Yes I helped inmates get jobs, even though some of those were with my family, but everyone got paid a legal wage." Money he says was used to help inmates pay fines to get out of jail.

The Sheriff says he has done nothing wrong-- he is just a target of self-serving people. "I think I am just a target and without a target there organization doesn't receive any recognition."

The Sheriff doesn't want to be a target anymore; he only wants the truth to be known.

The marchers want a federal investigation into the Sheriff and the Early County Jail. Sheriff Murkerson says the Justice Department is welcome anytime.

Past News 10 coverage-

7/2/2003     Sheriff says work was done for public benefit
1/14/2004   Protesters march in Blakely

posted at 5:10PM by dave.miller@walb.com