Citizens of Rockdale County, this is by far the most disturbing act that I have ever seen from an elected official.
On June 9, 2018, a peaceful march was conducted at the Rockdale County Jail, because two people died at the hands of Eric J. Levett and his jail staff. The death of Shali Tilson and Jamie Henry came as a direct result of negligence and a clear cut lack of compassion for a fellow human being.
What you did not know:
Eric Levett had a plan drawn up and executed by his S.W.A.T. commander, Lieutenant Jason Welch. They deemed it necessary to put a sniper armed with a high powered rifle on the rooftop of the Sheriff's administration building during the Tilson & Henry march. They also had the S.W.A.T. team armed with fully automatic rifles, tasers, paper spray, batons and plastic shields ready to possibly take another life.
Eric Levett also had undercover deputies blending into the crowd. They too were armed and looking for potential targets of interest, or as they called them "agitators".
Why all this force?
Because citizens exercising their First Amendment right to march for justice and transparency was a threat to the sheriff; who has done nothing but hide and cover up the facts on how Shali Tilson and Jamie Henry died in his jail.
Peaceful assembly is a right that Eric Levett swore an oath to the citizens of Rockdale County to protect, but now he is all too willing to violate those rights to protect himself.
These are not the actions of a public leader.
The First Amendment gives the people the right to petition the government for redress of a grievance. Simply put, this means that citizens have the right to make a complaint against the government without fear of punishment or reprisals.
" We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Questions to ask Eric J. Levett and His Administration:
1. Why was it necessary to put snipers on the rooftop for a peaceful protest?
2. Why was it necessary to have a S.W.A.T. team on standby to possibly use force on people who were exercising their First Amendment right?
3. Did Eric J. Levett bring other law enforcement agencies to aid in possibly using force on peaceful protesters?
4. Does Eric J. Levett think he is not responsible for the deaths in the jail that happened on his watch?
5. Is Eric J. Levett ever going to take full responsibility for the mismanagement and unprofessionalism coming out of the Sheriff’s Office?
See Eric J. Levett's document" June 9, 2018 Protest- Civil Unrest Operation Plan" below.
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