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“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
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This blog was created to foster open, uncensored dialogue among and between Mooresville/South Iredell residents. Have an opinion? I want to hear it. It's simple to do. At the end of every blog entry is a "Comments" link. Click on it, and type away. You even have the option of commenting anonymously. And, of course, if you wanna rap with me, or want me to look into something, e-mail me at jaimegatton@gmail.com.
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About Me
- Jaime Gatton
- Mooresville, North Carolina, United States
- I was a newspaper reporter in Mooresville, NC for a decade and covered local government issues from 2003 to 2006. I continued freelancing for a portion of 2007. Here are some of my accomplishments from 2004 to 2006: 3rd Place, Investigative Reporting, 2004, from the N.C. Press Association (NCPA) for series of articles titled, "Library director firing controversy." 3rd Place, Community Service Award (the highest honor the NCPA bestows on a community newspaper), 2004, for series on the Mooresville librarian firing controversy. 3rd Place, Investigative Reporting, from the NCPA in 2005 for series on Mooresville's wastewater treatment plant expansion titled "Something stinks in Mooresville." 3rd Place, Community Service Award, from the NCPA in 2005 for "Something stinks in Mooresville” series. June 2005, "Best News Story" MegAward for outstanding journalism at Media General newspapers for "Wastewater costs: Town outspending most." 1st Place, Community Service, from NCPA in 2006, for series titled "Morrison Plantation: A Deadly Intersection." September 2007, "Best News Story" MegAward for outstanding journalism for "No receipts? No problem. Town pays company's bills anyway."
55 comments:
WELL DOES THAT SUPRISE ANYONE,HE'S JUST AS GUILTY AS JENKINS
Probably out on a date with spouse abuse victim.
Is he friggin' serious? Boy, talk about digging a hole deeper and deeper.
If the current status of the Sheriff’s Office upsets you, I recommend you contact your County Commissioners. It is not until the people speak up that something will be done.
Ken Robertson ken.robertson@dsm.com
Marvin Norman norman_marvin652@hotmail.com
Steve Johnson Johnsonspartssup@att.net
Frank Mitchell mitchellmachine@bellsouth.net
Renee Griffith rgriffith@co.iredell.nc.us
I have a question I want answered. Why did Harold Miller suddenly retire? Perhaps my friend April Sloan will tell me.
Sheriff Phil Redmond is consistent about never being available for comment when people want a difficult answer. WSOC is currently trying to track him down for a second time, but having no luck. While he hides, they are asking deputies for information, asking for an attorney to talk to and even trying to get a response from county commissioners. I understand their position; they can’t get answers from Redmond so they are trying to get them anywhere they can. The only questions they need to be asking anyone is; where can I find Redmond?
The problem is that people are asking questions that only Phil Redmond can answer and nobody can make him answer. I noticed county commissioner candidate D.J. Loyd-Fuller volunteered her opinion which is to be commended. He isn’t under the commissioner’s scope of enforcement even though they could have an opinion reflective of the public they represent. He doesn’t fall under the county manager. My understanding is that the position of sheriff is the most powerful position in the county, but since he is elected, he is still supposed to answer to the public. Any answer would be better than none. Redmond personally telling the media that he can’t comment right now because of the lawsuit and because of personnel issues would still be an answer. Apparently he believes that he owes no answers. Redmond’s saying of it’s not what you do, but what people think you do isn’t working anymore. What he does is finally becoming public.
Forget their emails. Y'all need to be ringing their damn phones off the hook and politely but firmly telling them that they are accountable and they better start answering to us. Ditto for Ron Smith and Tracy Jackson.
I wonder if Prissy was the victim of sexual harassment if Phil would be angry?
Huffstickler was accused of domestic violence within a relationship and was fired.
Jenkins has been accused of using his position of trust to deliberately sexual harass and stalk a women and still has his job. Now another woman has come out. Will he lose his job now? Will he be suspended until there is an investigation? Time will tell.
Emailing the commisioners is a waste of time, I have emailed them all twice over the last month and have not gotten a single one back. Sorry guys and gal, you will not be gettin my vote come your elecyion time.
how...and why...did we ever set up a rule where the only person who has the ability to dismiss the Iredell sheriff is a coroner from another county? THAT is the law that we need to push our county commissioners to change immediately. otherwise, Redmond thumbs his nose at all of us.
I noticed that WSOC had both women on the video together. It is hard to say how many victims there are and how many more will come forward. WSOC may have to stack the victims four deep or use a wide angle lens to get them all in. Maybe they can use the bleachers at SHS.
This is not isolated to just this one agency.....one only has to look to our local SHP to find similar and MORE disgusting sexcapades within the high ranks there...it is unreal what they think they can do.....so close to the Secret Service behavior
All those cash campaign donations probably seemed like a great idea at the time. Who would have thought things would turn out like this?
Where was Bill Hamby and Julie Gibson? How can you not know this level misconduct was going on right under your nose? That trailer is small enough to keep up with their 5 "underlings" Step up your game SVU!!
This is Ken Robertson's response to my email requesting that he look into what's going on
"When a county employee is involved in an active lawsuit where county paid attorneys are responsible to handle the legal matters, I cannot comment on the merits or validity of the case.
The Sheriff does not report to the County Manager or the County Commissioners. We have no legal operational control over the Sheriff or his department. Because the Sheriff is not required to report to us, he does not report to us. Therefore, he has not engaged his legal counsel to brief us on this lawsuit. We have never been briefed on this or any other lawsuit filed against the Sheriff's Department.
I hope you can understand our legal limitations in this matter." My future emails regarding this matter will be directed directly to the Sheriff's Dept (hopefully I will never need their services)
Exactly who does the sheriff answer to? Does this mean he answers to no one? He gets to do as he damn well pleases? Well, that explains a lot.
Good thing Jenkins didn't do this during an election year, otherwise he would have been fired..
Folks this snake has been in office too long. By the way, where are all of his followers now?
I have heard Darren Cambell has said he has aspirations of one day being Sheriff. God help us if he gets there, it will be Redmond all over again. He is just a chip off the old block.
Anyone who is curious to know what you get when you make a public records request from Phil Redmond can friend me on Facebook. You can decide if our Sheriff is transparent.
Facebook
John Thomas Smith
(boxing profile picture)
2nd email response I received from Ken Robertson:
"The DA is the only office that can investigate.
Good luck.
Ken"
The only person the sherriff answers to is the voters, every four years.
About the only way to remove a county sheriff is to have a local recall election bill passed in the general assembly. This question needs to be posed to all of those running for the NC General Assembly.
10:22 redmond reports to a coroner in neighboring county as stated above. Wilkes, I think. seriously....that's the only person by law that can dismiss him.
Just a few noteworthy observations. First, the County Commissioners only provide financing to the Sheriff's Office and they have no control over his office's operation, as he is elected just as they are. The Sheriff will likely claim that Ben Jenkins has already been disciplined for his actions. He was only disciplined over the first matter, not the second and others to follow. The Sheriff should immediately suspend Jenkins and ask for an outside investigation into these claims, which could be criminal in nature. If not, the District Attorney should do her duty and immediately seek to remove the Sheriff, as she has the power to do it. Redmond is the most powerful politician in Iredell County and all the County Commissioners want to keep his support or risk not being re-elected. I would be shocked if any Commissioner said anything about Jenkins or Redmond. During the last election, there were no other candidates, outside Cheek, that were worthy of any consideration. Cheek never made it out of the primary. A viable candidate for the 2014 election needs to present him/herself.
§ 128‑16. Officers subject to removal; for what offenses.
Any sheriff or police officer shall be removed from office by the judge of the superior court, resident in or holding the courts of the district where said officer is resident upon charges made in writing, and hearing thereunder, for the following causes:
(1) For willful or habitual neglect or refusal to perform the duties of his office.
(2) For willful misconduct or maladministration in office.
(3) For corruption.
(4) For extortion.
(5) Upon conviction of a felony.
(6) For intoxication, or upon conviction of being intoxicated. (P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 20; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3208; 1959, c. 1286; 1961, c. 991; 1973, c. 108, s. 82.)
§ 128‑17. Petition for removal; county attorney to prosecute.
The complaint or petition shall be entitled in the name of the State of North Carolina, and may be filed upon the relation of any five qualified electors of the county in which the person charged is an officer, upon the approval of the county attorney of such county, or the district attorney of the district, or by any such officer upon his own motion. It shall be the duty of the county attorney or district attorney to appear and prosecute this proceeding. (P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 21; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3209; 1973, c. 47, s. 2.)
§ 128‑18. Petition filed with clerk; what it shall contain; answer.
The accused shall be named as defendant, and the petition shall be signed by some elector, or by such officer. The petition shall state the charges against the accused, and may be amended, and shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the superior court of the county in which the person charged is an officer. The accused may at any time prior to the time fixed for hearing file in the office of the clerk of the superior court his answer, which shall be verified. (P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 22; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3210.)
§ 128‑19. Suspension pending hearing; how vacancy filled.
Upon the filing of the petition in the office of the clerk of the superior court, and the presentation of the same to the judge, the judge may suspend the accused from office if in his judgment sufficient cause appear from the petition and affidavit, or affidavits, which may be presented in support of the charges contained therein. In case of suspension, as herein provided, the temporary vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided by law for filling of the vacancies in such office. (P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 23; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3211.)
§ 128‑20. Precedence on calendar; costs.
In the trial of the cause in the superior court the cause shall be advanced and take precedence over all other causes upon the court calendar, and shall be heard at the next session after the petition is filed, provided the proceedings are filed in said court in time for said action to be heard. The superior court shall fix the time of hearing. If the final termination of such proceedings be favorable to any accused officer, said officer shall be allowed the reasonable and necessary expense, including a reasonable attorney fee, to be fixed by the judge, he has incurred in making his defense, by the county, if he be a county officer, or by the city or town in which he holds office, if he be a city officer. If the action is instituted upon the complaint of citizens as herein provided, and it appears to the court that there was no reasonable cause for filing the complaint, the costs may be taxed against the complaining parties. (P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 24; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3212; 1973, c. 108, s. 83.)
The Sheriff does NOT answer to a Coroner in another county.
§ 162‑5. Vacancy filled; duties performed by coroner or chief deputy.
If any vacancy occurs in the office of sheriff, the coroner of the county shall execute all process directed to the sheriff until the first meeting of the county commissioners next succeeding such vacancy, when the board shall elect a sheriff to supply the vacancy for the residue of the term, who shall possess the same qualifications, enter into the same bond, and be subject to removal, as the sheriff regularly elected. If the board should fail to fill such vacancy, the coroner shall continue to discharge the duties of sheriff until it shall be filled.
In those counties where the office of coroner has been abolished, the chief deputy sheriff, or if there is no chief deputy, then the senior deputy in years of service, shall perform all the duties of the sheriff until the county commissioners appoint some person to fill the unexpired term. In all counties the regular deputy sheriffs shall, during the interim of the vacancy, continue to perform their duties with full authority. (1829, c. 5, s. 8; R.S., c. 109, s. 11; R.C., c. 105, s. 11; Code, s. 2071; Rev., s. 2811; C.S., s. 3929; 1973, c. 74; 1983, c. 670, s. 2.)
I was out with a girlfriend running errands this afternoon and that took us to just outside Statesville. A sheriff's car pulled up beside us and we found ourselves looking at the driver and wondering if we would be safe if he decided to pull us over for whatever reason he desired. Isn't that sad that a couple of women out alone can't feel safe now around law enforcement? It's sick.
You are exactly correct. The comment above about SHP is correct as well. Thank your lucky stars one of those guys didn't pull you over. One of the local "Bears" in high rank ended up divorced after pressuring his wife into swapping sex with his buddies and threesomes with his girlfriends....this is according to his former wife!! They ARE the worst by far!!!
Just saw on WSOC that this will be going to federal court. Don't think Phillip will be able to back slap and wink his way out of this one. The feds are not going to take this bullshit quite so lightly.
It's official. The Iredell County Sherriff's Department's reputation is in the toilet. What an embarrassment to the entire county.
Didn't see that thing about this going to Federal Court. Plus it was filed in Iredell County, so that doesn't make any sense.
Is in? Lord, where have you been? This entire county is number one on the hit parade of laughingstocks in this state. It has been for quite awhile now. Tommy Adams. Donna Swicegood's phone. The steam engine. That little alienation of affecting judgement. Do I need to go on? Or should I just leave this open so y'all can add to the list?
We voted early last time it was offered but this time we have waited and it may well turn out to be a good thing. We have changed our minds and are now firming up who we are voting for on Tuesday and this is factoring into it in no small part. Anyone with a whiff of connection to Redmond will not get our votes. Grey Mills is the son-in-law of a big ole Friend of Phil's so no favorite son for us. That is just one example. Y'all do what you want. We may be just two people but we are sending our message. Maybe some of the rest of you would like to join in.
The link.... you don't go to Federal court if you don't have something.
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/iredell-deputys-harassment-suit-moving-federal-cou/nNWgy/
Renee isn't doing too well on the R&L poll. Loudmouth Ken "I have stats" Robertson is in the lead with 17%
Alice Stewart 14%
Gene Houpe 14%
Bill Brater 13%
David Boone 12%
Dennis Moody 8%
Scott Brown 6%
D. J. Fuller 6%
Renee Griffith on the bottom at 4%
Not good Renee. Maybe you should get Phil to drive you around. Of course that good old boy stuff might be backfiring huh? You better hop on the R&L and vote for yourself some more to get your numbers up. Hey Ken do you have a graph for Renees votes? If loudmouth Robertson gets in I hope that Fred Coggins will win a slot to jump his ass every time he opens his mouth to talk.
Ken Robertson and Renee Griffith need to go. Anybody for county commissioner but them.
I can't believe we are going to be stuck with that arrogant gasbag Robertson with all his graphs and bullshit again. Someone pull the plug out of his backside so he will just deflate and fly into the sky and disappear like a balloon. Maybe Fred Coggins will go to every commission meeting and call old Kenny on his bullshit. I may just vote for Fred, after all.
Bill Brater
13%
David Boone
11%
Scottie Brown
6%
Fred Coggins
5%
Renee Griffith
5%
Gene Houpe
14%
Deborah Loyd-Fuller
7%
Dennis Moody
8%
Ken Robertson
16%
Alice Stewart
15%
Total number of votes: 257
It's just a poll in the fishwrap, right? Ole Kenny Boy is probably voting for himself over and over. Then Phil and Donna are voting for him too I'll bet. Probably Jenkins and Rick and the rest of that bunch as well. Birds of a feather...
Renee, hopefully you have learned that your association with Redmond hurt you. I hate that happened. Try again when you have the balls to tell it like it is.
Hmmm....apparently her association with the sheriff worked out pretty well for her. Just sayin'
WCNC, channel 36, made the sheriff and old Ben their bitch tonight. They implied their were others and I'm betting they probably have some info up their sleeves. I'm guessing it's going to be a short trip now to Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams. Maybe even Anderson Cooper.
The longer he hides, the worse it's going to get for old King Redmond.
I can't believe it. We are now stuck with "Stay In Your Lane" and the woman who was so concerned about gay marriage and prayer at public meetings (and not making her house payments but we can trust her with the county finances) to get informed on the biggest mess in this county in like forever. Can you say vote for the other team, boys and girls? Maybe it's high time there is some balance. Crap won't just get rubber stamped like in Mooresville like with our old boy Carney
I don't think Renee being buddy with the sheriff was in her favor. It did not help Jim Pendergraph in his run for congress. Good thing she did not do a photo of her shaking hands with him like Jim did. He got his ass kicked by somebody I never even heard of.
Sounded like WCNC quoted the attorney as saying that Redmond doesn't need to work there either.
There was a strong implication on the WCNC report that there were others unnamed in the suit.
I'll bet the lawyer has something up his sleeve. Wait until the discovery phase. Phillip will be toast.
He'd damn well be available for comment or he damn well wouldn't be getting his paycheck. Don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have a government job and if I don't show up and I don't explain my actions, I don't have a job.
Since he works for us, I'd say we have a right to hear from the chump.
Wonder if Redmond and Jenkins spent the day with their mothers? Their moms must be ever so proud of their boys who clearly honor women. Not.
I have been studying on the Redmond deal today and concluded that much of the damage that comes from bad leadership is division. It doesn’t matter if you are running a business, a church or a large law enforcement agency; if it is run unfairly and unethically there will be division among people who would normally get along pretty well.
When things are done fairly, there will always be some unhappy people as you can never please everyone; overall though, people are content and less likely to fight among themselves. There isn’t a reason to choose sides and fairness doesn’t breed anger and resentment either.
If the person in a position of leadership is about themselves, then the people under that leadership also become about themselves and their survival. Trust erodes and teamwork gives way to a free for all. The ensuing chaos and conflict between underlings overshadows the real cause of the problem; poor leadership.
Ultimately it turns into us against them, the accused against the accusers. And, those who only want the truth to come out don’t fit on either side which actually causes a three group division that affects not only the place of origin, but also families and communities.
Sheriff Redmond’s self-centered leadership has caused many divisions over the years. The worst of all has been caused by him not answering to the public that he is supposed to serve and not defending those who have been accused. He has no comment, no public opinion and no answers. His silence creates more questions and he dodges responsibility while the community is left struggling with the mess he has caused.
I really wish people who posted on here would take the time to research government rather than making stupid uninformed comments. The Sheriff of Iredell County answers to "THE PEOPLE". We elected him. The County Commissioners dont have a damn thing to do with him. Robertson was correct in his answer. You want justice?? Go after Redmond. I think its asinine he doesnt report to someone specific but thats the way its set up. Get it changed if you dont like it!!!
First Off, we have to find Redmond to go after him. I don't think he's been seen since he posed for a picture with that bigot Pendegraph in April and I'm not sure that counts.
Wait a minute. I do believe we have the old boy for dereliction of duty.
Regardless of the issue going on,it is graceless,tacky and very calloused for anyone to bring up any ones mother or children etc..It hurts people.If everyone is griping on here because they are GOOD PEOPLE who want a change for the BETTER,what does it speak of your characters,to down ones not even directly involved?
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