VALDOSTA — The death of 59 year-old Samuel “Sammy” Baker after an altercation with a Quitman police officer, in which a Taser was reportedly used, has left several members of the Brooks County community troubled and in search of answers.
At 6:30 Monday evening, several people, led by Minister Greg Hamilton and Willie Head, 1st VP of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, met at the Shumate Church of Christ in Quitman and marched to the convenience store where the incident between Baker and the officer took place. As participants marched toward and through the community, African American residents, both young and old, left their front porches to join the march.
The group also stopped in front of the police department, where George Rymes called out the names of African American victims of violent crimes in Quitman, whose offenders had never been brought to justice.
Since Baker’s death Oct. 1, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the case. According to GBI Special Agent Ronny Thompson, the incident took place around noon that Monday after an officer was flagged down by a passerby at Friendly Mart, also known as Charlie’s, next to Petro gas station on West Screven Street (Highway 84). When the officer responded to the individual, he was informed that a knife had been spotted on a man who had entered the convenience store.
When Baker, identified by the passerby as the individual with the knife, exited the store, a few verbal commands were made by the officer followed by Baker lifting his shirt to reveal a knife strapped to his waist. Thompson said that a Taser was later used to subdue Baker after a few more commands were not followed and then a physical altercation took place. During the scuffle Baker became unresponsive and was transported to the Brooks County Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Because witnesses have reported that the Taser was used on Baker more than once, suspicions about proper procedures and protocol of the Quitman Police Department have been raised among citizens, particularly Minister Hamilton, who is now working with the SCLC, to organize a Quitman chapter of the nationally recognized organization. Hamilton, who also conducted Baker’s eulogy, has informed citizens of plans to demand answers concerning Baker’s death, not only from the police department but from public officials as well.
“Sammy’s death was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Hamilton, who referred to certain policies as conditioned racism.
Hamilton further discussed several residents’ plans to boycott certain businesses in Quitman due to lack of support in such a pertinent matter. Among these businesses would be those whose employees or owners witnessed the incident, but refuse to offer information or say they do not want to get involved.
In addition to learning Baker’s actual cause of death, citizens would like to know the status of the officer involved in the incident.
When the Times recently contacted the GBI, Thompson reported that the results of Baker’s autopsy are incomplete and the investigation remains ongoing. A few weeks ago, directly following the incident, Thompson said that a heart attack was suspected to be the cause of death. He also asserted that Baker was reported to be still responsive after the Taser had been used on him.
Rev. Floyd Rose, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes SCLC, has expressed the organization’s cooperation in assisting Minister Hamilton and contributing to the Quitman movement. He has outlined various goals to be considered during civil strategies and warned against any violence, even retaliatory violence.
“We are a non-violent organization and this was a non-violent march,” Rose stated in a press release. “This issue is not about black and white; it’s about wrong and right.”
For more information on the movement or information about the SCLC, please contact Greg Hamilton at (229) 269-6232 or Floyd Rose at (229) 241-1288.
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Charlie's Gas & Grocery in Quitman was the scene of a fatality during an altercation with the local police.
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