Deputy Facing Internal Investigation the Taylor County Force During a Recent Arrest
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Taylor County Strong Look for the Helpers! Page A-6 Page A-7 50¢ Friday/ Saturday April 17-18, 2020 www.perrynewspapers.com For excessive use of force Deputy facing internal investigation The Taylor County force during a recent arrest. is being withheld until around possible improper Public Information Officer “The U.S. Supreme Court Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) According to TCSO Chief completion of the internal or excessive use of force Lt. Gina Deeson, the TCSO said in Graham v. Connor, has suspended a deputy Deputy Marty Tompkins, investigation, as set forth and conduct unbecoming of Use of Force policy states: 490 U.S. 386 (1989), that with pay pending the the deputy has been placed under the Law Enforcement an officer, and will include “Reasonable force is the the reasonableness of a outcome of an internal on paid administrative leave Officers’ Bill of Rights. a review of body camera amount of force reasonably particular use of force investigation launched until the internal affairs According to Tompkins, footage, as well as other necessary to make an arrest. must be judged from Wednesday surrounding the investigation is completed. the ongoing internal video. This is called ‘objective ➟ Please see page 2 officer’s actions and use of The name of the deputy investigation centers According to TCSO reasonableness.’ Suspect leads officers on chase through Perry with toddler in back seat By CAITLYN BURCHETT without great bodily harm, Staff writer a violation of injunction for A Taylor County man protection against domestic is behind bars after he violence and operating a reportedly led police officers vehicle without a valid on a dangerous car chase license. with a toddler in the back According to arrest seat, forcing two vehicles reports, Perry Police off the road, before the Department (PPD) Ptl. pursuit ended in a foot chase Trace Chaffin observed through the streets of Perry. Holmes, who was reportedly Rodquez Dontay Holmes, a suspect in two other 27, was arrested on April investigations, standing 11 and charged with fleeing outside of a white SUV at police with a disregard a residence on S. Byron Severe weather of safety to persons or Rodquez Dontay ➟ Please see page 3 A line of severe thunderstorms property, neglect of a child Holmes accompanied by high winds and lightning blew through the Big Bend area Tuesday, toppling this tree on Foley Cut-Off Road. Taylor County was one of several counties under Murder trial delayed a severe thunderstorm warning -- and brief tornado watch -- as The third and final A pre-trial hearing in the in the case, Henry E. the National Weather Service in suspect to face a jury for the case is set for May 4. “Teetypop” Bolden and Tallahassee warned of 60 mph winds and penny-size hail. Shown in the 2018 murder of Kashawn The two other suspects Marcques “E.I.” McGee, inset is an undated photo of the same tree courtesy of Google Streetview. “Chico” Davis has received have both already gone an unexpected reprieve through the trial process. in the wake of the current As a seven-time coronavirus pandemic. convicted felon, Bolden Gibson files to run for Jarnell “Roosta” was looking at a 30-year Coverson was scheduled prison sentence after being to stand trial next month convicted of “accessory (May), but due to the after the fact to first degree School Board District 3 COVID-19 affected court murder” for his role in docket, the proceedings Davis’ murder. The field of local among the three challengers To date, the local field have been delayed until During his sentencing candidates running for seeking to replace Darrell includes: June. hearing in July 2019, Judge office this year continued Whiddon, who did not • Taylor County Clerk “We are looking at a Greg Parker -- following the to grow, with Guy William run for re-election. Mathis of Court challengers Gary tentative trial date then, recommended minimum Gibson filing to run for received 45.52% of the Knowles Jr. (Rep.) and depending on how things scoring guidelines based the Taylor County School vote, followed by Valena Michael (Mike) Jeffrey Board District 3 seat Driggers with 30.62% and Hunter (Rep.); go,” court officials said ➟ Please see page 2 Thursday. Jarnell Coverson currently held by incumbent Alan Edwin Dodimead with • Taylor County Property Jeannie Ellen Mathis. 23.86%. Appraiser challengers Gibson is the 28th Since no one received Shawna Beach (Rep.), candidate to file to run for a more than 50% of the vote, Shelton Jerry Register Sr. Testing continues in Taylor; city or county race this year. a run-off was held during (Rep.) and Abbey Lundy Mathis was first elected the 2016 general election, Tharpe (NPA); in 2016 and is seeking a with Mathis winning the • Incumbent Taylor still only one positive case second term in office. In seat after garnering 53.41% County Sheriff Wayne the 2016 primary, Mathis of the votes compared to ➟ Please see page 3 With one pending counties continued to the state with just a single received the most votes Driggers’ 46.49%. test result outstanding, climb. case. Taylor County’s number As 10 more local test According to figures of confirmed cases held results filtered into the released by the DOH at 11 steady at just a single case Florida Department of a.m. Thursday, 139 people New extension agent ready to help Thursday, while positive Health’s (DOH) coronavirus in Taylor County had been COVID-19 (coronavirus) system Thursday, Taylor tested for coronavirus. That cases in neighboring County remained one of the number was 10 more than Taylor County residents, farmers Jefferson and Madison lowest-infected counties in the 129 that had been tested as of Tuesday. When Lisa Strange role formerly held by he retired last year. Fellow Of the completed tests, applied for and was longtime Agricultural Taylor County Nutrition 137 have returned negative selected to fill the open Agent Clay Olson, who Extension Agent Lori COVID-19 BY THE for coronavirus. One test agricultural and natural also held the title of Wiggins was selected by has returned positive for the resources agent position extension director up until the University of Florida virus, and one test is still with the Taylor County to succeed Olson as NUMBERS pending. Extension Office, she extension director, and Taylor County’s only had no idea she would then the university set out positive test to date was be starting her new job to find a new agricultural reported on April 8 and is in the midst of stay-at- agent. a 29-year-old female who home orders and a global Earlier this year, resides in Taylor County. pandemic. UF selected Strange, CASES The individual is isolated Although she is still and the Taylor County WORLD UNITED STATES and receiving care in her in her first week on the Commission ratified that home. job, it is clear she’s not decision. 2,101,164 641,166 Local DOH officials letting that stop her from Speaking to the report the patient is “doing hitting the ground running Perry News-Herald on well and is checked on -- while working from Wednesday, Strange said FLORIDA TAYLOR COUNTY daily.” home and minding social she was on “Day 4” of All four of Taylor distancing, of course. ➟ Please see page 2 22,897 1 Lisa Strange ➟ Please see page 3 Strange steps into the Index One section 131st Year, No. 16 Weather Looking Back ......... A-4 Entertainment ........ A-8 Friday 80˚ Saturday 82˚ Sunday 83˚ Religion .................. A-5 Classifieds ......... A-11 53˚ 65˚ 66˚ Community ............ A-7 10% 70% 50% A-2 Perry News-Herald April 17-18, 2020 Supervisors seek flexibility for upcoming elections Although Florida’s on April 7, the Florida is asking Gov. DeSantis to “All 67 Florida counties level of in-person voting consolidation of polling primary election is not Supervisor of Elections allow each county’s election successfully completed will continue, we believe places, suspend the until August, and the Association, of which Taylor supervisor to designate the March 17 Presidential that based on our March 17, provisions of sections general election won’t County Supervisor Dana additional “Early Voting” Preference Primary,” the 2020, election, alternatives 101.001 and 101. 71 (1), follow until November, the Southerland is a member, sites, open “Early Voting” letter begins. “However, or additional voting methods Florida Statutes, which state’s election supervisors requested several emergency sooner and extend it through due to the COVID-19 must be available to counties. require there to be one are petitioning Gov. Ron changes to Florida’s election 7 p.m. on election day, situation and concerns of We must also advise you that polling place in each DeSantis for relief from laws in order to conduct allow for the relocation the public, Supervisors Florida is not in a position, precinct. This will allow what they fear will be a both the primary and general and/or consolidation of of Elections encountered at this time, to conduct the supervisor the option severe shortage of poll elections with their usual polling locations and to significant challenges with an all-mail ballot election to relocate or consolidate workers. number of poll workers. relax “Vote-By-Mail” ballot polling places becoming this year. Supervisors of polling places with Early In a letter sent to DeSantis The statewide association requirements. unavailable, difficulty in Elections must be made a Voting sites. acquiring hand sanitizer priority for the acquisition • Suspend the provisions and other supplies, and of supplies like hand of section 101.62(4)(b), Unreasonable force is ‘either substantial numbers of sanitizer and other resources Florida Statutes and allow poll workers deciding not to ensure in-person voting is the county supervisors to to work, many at the last in accordance with CDC and mail any requested Vote- punitive or used when there minute.