Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jun 2014
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2014 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: T. Dennis Bickham III
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n481/a09.html

HABERSHAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE SURVEILLANCE

All citizens should be outraged by the Habersham County Sheriff's 
office. ("Toddler severely hurt in police raid," News, May 30). 
Police officers stormed a house and threw a "distraction device" into 
a 19-month-old boy's playpen. The child now has a 50 percent chance 
of survival and extensive facial injuries for life and possible brain 
damage, assuming he survives. Apparently Sheriff Joey Terrell relied 
on a confidential informant to get a "no knock" warrant for a house 
where the informant allegedly bought drugs. Apparently no 
surveillance was done prior to busting down the door and inflicting 
carnage on an innocent baby boy. The person the sheriff wanted to 
arrest was not even home and those who were there were visitors from 
Wisconsin. They had no connection to the alleged drug activity. If 
the sheriff's office would have simply done some cursory surveillance 
it would have discovered the van parked in front of the house had 
infant car seats and other indications of the baby being there. If 
they would have staked out the house to determine if and when the 
person they were looking for was there, they most likely would have 
discovered the baby and family.

T. DENNIS BICKHAM III, ATLANTA
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