WebAAL_02_17

son just could not understand
the Crips, the Bloods
and, the other gangs who
infested the jail.
Before, Deputy Sheriff
Carter was appointed
to his position he was the
head of the courts for the
department. Equal to Chief
Nelson on the executive
chart. He testified when
he was promoted to Deputy
Sheriff, Nelson then
was ordered to report to
him now and not Sheriff
Jackson. He further confirmed
the defense theme by telling the jurors, “Nelson was not
interested in the people.” “He was not a leader”. Carter was now
making out Nelson’s work schedule. This would have been starting
in late June. Before this time Nelson testified Sheriff Jackson
assured him he set his hours and could work weekdays and have
weekends off. Deputy Carter gave him a month’s schedule with
multiple back to back hour days. Someone without sleep apnea
would have trouble with.
Sheriff Jackson took the stand as the final witness and testified
for many hours and never had any good things to say about Nelson.
During cross the judge admonished the Sheriff to answer
the question many times. Not even when plaintiff ’s attorney presented
the federal court Monitor’s written report in July: Calvin
Lightfoot wrote, “The Sheriff is to be commended for appointing
Fulton County Government
Payouts for Reverse Discrimination.
Source AJC April, 2013
No other core metro county, nor the city of Atlanta, has
a workforce demographics so divergent from the people it
serves. There are indications that the imbalance is exacerbating
resentments in a county polarized along racial lines and
leading to discriminatory employment practices that are costing
taxpayers millions of dollars in lawsuit payouts.
1.2 million in 2013 snubbed for a job being white and male.
1.5 million when the former Human Services Deputy Director
lost a director’s job to a black woman in 2007. A federal
jury found in his favor.
18 million in 2003 to settle a lawsuit alleging that seven
white librarians were demoted and moved to outlying branches
and that one black employee was punished for speaking up
against the transfers.
1 million in 2000 eighteen Fulton County Sheriff ’s Department
staff won a reverse discrimination case in federal court.
Portion of Monitor’s Calvin Lightfoot’s report.
Chief Nelson”. The report when on to state; The Monitor acknowledges
the professional and progressive administration
of Chief Jailer, Dennis Nelson. The Sheriff ’s story told to
the jury was Nelson was actively seeking the position and
only met once. Further, the Sheriff worked with Nelson sister
in the U.S. Attorneys Office and she vouched for him.
The jury did not here the rebuttal testimony of Didi Nelson
who told the magazine, “ The Sheriff actively recruited her
brother for weeks until he finally excepted the Chief Jailer
position”. The magazine confirmed with County Attorney
Patrise Perkins-Hooker the position was not posted and
there were very, very few people qualified for the position.
When pressed did not give one name of another who was
interviewed for the job and, left the impression there was not
even a second person considered.
The jury verdict found Nelson was disabled under the
American with Disability Act but found the Sheriff accommodated
his disability and did not retaliate against him. A
juror who spoke with the magazine had these comments.
The jurors were split 6 – 2 on all four questions. The 2 varied
based on the questions. Jurors felt the enormity of the case.
But, ultimately reached a unanimous decision on all questions
based on finding Nelson did not work the greater hours
necessary to do the job during that strenuous time of being
under a consent decree.
Judge William S. Duffey on one of the last days of the trial
gave Sheriff Jackson outside the courtroom these words of
encouragement, “This, too, shall pass.”
Now, Mark Adger, Chief Jailer and thirty year veteran of
the Sheriff ’s Department sets his own hours and primarily
works the day shift. Deputy Chief Carter no longer makes
out a multi-shift schedule for the Chief Jailer. Sheriff ’s Jackson’s
para-military executive staff has twelve persons of
whom one is white. Dennis Nelson back in 2010 was the one.
Juror number one in the jury pool, his prejudice, was having
one brother who has sleep apnea disability.
References:
1. NPR Transcript 9-15-2016 The racial cleansing.
16 | www.atlantaattorneymagazine.com