Black men killed by police - media shines light on victims first; NAACP to hold meeting

Map of Georgia highlighting Cobb County by David Benbennick
Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 

Metro Atlanta, Ga... After reading an account of a 23-year old black man killed by police yesterday, I wanted to know how Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Mike Morris was able to obtain and release the criminal record of Nicholas Taft Thomas so quickly. (http://www.ajc.com/news/news/family-of-man-killed-by-smyrna-police-call-for-fbi/nkd64/)

Morris had gone for the day, so I was able to talk to a training editor, Rodney, who told me Thomas' parents were on the scene after their son was killed and identified him, providing the media with his full name. Then the newspaper "ran his name through records" and printed the criminal history of Mr. Thomas before an official police report or the man's name were released.

"The police take their time in verifying that information," Rodney informed me. Wingcom Watchdog searched for police records online and found no arrest records for Nicholas Taft Thomas in Fulton Sheriff records. (http://mugshot-record-search.com/mugshot/GA/Fulton-County-Sheriff-Office/2013-Nov-03/6086275/NICHOLAS-THOMAS) Thomas' mother said he was being issued a warrant for a traffic violation. A search of the Fulton County Jail records turned up no records for Nicholas Taft Thomas (http://justice.fultoncountyga.gov/PAJailManager/JailingSearch.aspx?ID=400).

Another search of Nicholas Thomas found this record: http://justice.fultoncountyga.gov/PAJailManager/JailingDetail.aspx?JailingID=532674) Wingcom Watchdog cannot confirm that this was Nicholas Taft Thomas. A search of Cobb County Sheriff's office website did not reveal an arrest record for Thomas. The department has discontinued putting photos on the site.

The newspaper, however, did not release information on the officers who killed Thomas. The system is first shining the light on the victim instead of the killers.

I talked to Cobb County NAACP President Deane Bonner who questions why it took five policemen to serve a warrant and why bullets were in the side and back of car if Thomas was allegedly trying to run over police. The media has reported that Thomas was allegedly trying to back up over police who said he was trying to use the car as a weapon.

"I feel for the grieving mother," Bonner said. She also informed me that the Smyrna police chief called her office shortly after the incident occurred. The NAACP will be holding a meeting to discuss these matters at 6:30 p.m. at their offices in Marietta at 605 Roswell Street. I went to this location, and the office was closed.

For more information on community policing, go to: http://www.alex-vitale.info/protest-policing-reports.html