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OPEN LETTER TO BARBOUR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEN REEVES


Viewed: 11811

Posted by: Jon Carroll
Date: Jan 22 2015 9:51 PM

To: Ben C. Reeves, Jr., District Attorney, 3rd Judicial Circuit, of Alabama


This morning Ben someone brought me an audio tape of meetings from yesterday we both know about. I am writing this letter in an open manner, and made publicly accessible, so there can be no potential of any miscommunication, nor misunderstanding as a response to my listening to that tape.


Eight years ago Ben I came back to my home after working outside the country for many years. I naively had images of Barbour county being the place of my youth. Horseback riding, dirt bikes and swimming holes where young boys saw glimpses of beautiful girls skinny-dipping (if we were lucky) was in my imagination the promised land. I was also tired Ben of seeing corruption, death and destruction on a scale you cannot ever imagine. I sought to return to that promised land of my youth and live my life to its end in peace.


This place you and I live each of our grandfather’s helped build. In my family, one fixed cars for rich people at Hightower Chevrolet in Clayton until he saved enough money to open a small mechanic’s shop and parts store in Clio. The other tended to a small herd of cows and planted cotton on patch of red clay near the Adams Chapel community. Both men in my family Ben were fabulously wealthy men, but their wealth was not in money, but moral character and deep spiritual strength. Their faith could literally move mountains.


Sadly this place was not as I remembered it. I was stunned at the stories of corruption, the level of deceit of those in politics literally turned my stomach. Pastors losing faith, cops explaining it was hopeless, even drug dealers being robbed. In Barbour county today Mr Reeves there is no promised land. Because of this, and the death of close friends because of drugs, I made up my mind I would be a voice for change even though I had no idea of exactly how I would do that. It was a decision made of conscious, regardless of personal risk, or the financial cost.


You see there is a difference between you and I, there is nothing I want or need from any living person. My Grandfather once told me however bad the situation is you encounter or find yourself in just remember one thing, God has put you there and thats exactly where you need to be to serve him. Once you get your mind around that truth, then if your like me, you realize there is no where else you had rather be. I have always carried his words of faith with me. With God on your side Ben Reeves nothing is impossible, even if it is to attain that elusive ideal of justice.


Quietly for many years now I have watched you and the judges of this place, its politicians and the people who work for you. I interviewed countless people, heard their stories and documented each and every one. From sex tapes with politicians, to stories from your own assistant district attorney about the appalling depth of corruption of how things really work in your office.  All of us are imperfect and none without sin.


I have listened to men who’s lives and years in prison were decided by a mere wager on a football game. I will never forget the conversation I had of an older black man shedding tears as he described how he was offered a chance to pick a team in the Auburn Alabama game that would decide his sentence. Then, after being picked up from the county jail to be transported to prison, and knowing he would not be with his family for more than a decade, he noticed the car took the wrong turn. When it pulled up in front of his home the driver said, "you won your bet negro" and then took his cuffs off.  He collapsed crying on the ground as the man his tax dollars help pay just laughed at him. He told me he is scared to this very day to go much farther than the local country store. Life for many here is cheap Mr. Reeves. Not all people are considered children of God in this place, ask yourself what have you done to change that.


A year ago Robbie Pelham and I started a small blog where we started to work progressively towards change by giving a voice to those that never had it in our community. People were free to disagree or post what they wanted in response to our articles. We learned many things about resistance to change from those who’s lives are determined by those in power. There is fear, a deep abiding fear for anyone to speak out against the powers that be. This is not healthy for democracy.


I was asked multiple times by people tied to you to back off, or stay out of the Will Dickerson murder case, or let it be in the case of a missing girl (Recita "Shon" Kennedy) who worked to help rid her community of drugs as informant for an undercover state narcotics task force and would have been a material witness in this case. Her mother, whom I knew from childhood, merely wanted her remains back so she could be properly buried. For me it was a choice Ben Reeves between right or wrong, I chose to help her, you chose not to.


In the months that followed, twice I have had narcotics planted in my truck and in a hunting cabin I own. Weed, powder and crack pipes in the most recent attempt, and as Henry county deputies observed, it obviously came from an evidence room. Make no mistake Mr Reeves I have drank whiskey, liked wild women, heck I have even buck-danced with strippers and dated one for a while. In that sense, as one of your judge friends learned the hard way, I am an un-embarrasable repentant sinner. The last time I did drugs is so long ago, many years ago, I cant even remember when it was, decades ago. So feeble attempts by your minions to discourage me is a dangerous path for them. Through all of that though I have been patient, trusted the system, have not reacted nor complained, nor have I run to the FBI to cry wolf. I’m a big boy Ben Reeves and Im not going any here. I have lived, and I will die here, only God decides when that is, not the people that tell you what to do.


But now Mr Reeves my patience is at an end. This morning ….I have to listen to a darn tape where you, if I interpret your words correctly, seek to silence free speech, attack journalism, and to shut down any transparency in our justice system. This Ben is where our friendship ends and I am giving you fair notice. Based on your past history of seeking to silence and intimidate the press, remember the subpoena you served the Eufaula Tribune 1/21/2010? I have taken an action I have not wanted to have to take. After consultation with an attorney, and input from the Electronic Frontier Foundation at Harvard University. I have uploaded all my files,  19 gigabytes in total – years literally of research and surveillance to servers in Iceland and the Netherlands.  Being a professional member of the Investigative Reporters and Editors Association at the Missouri School of Journalism, and a full member of the Reporters Without Borders organization based in Paris France, all of these these files, in the case that I face any court action from you or any judge related to this matter regarding the State vs Will Dickerson, becomes immediately accessible to over one million journalists and the public.


Listen very carefully, there is no way for me even to stop the process. If for any reason my journalism is impeded, or if an attempt to call me as a witness, or any other legal trick you devise is attempted they then are shared. The legal agreement I signed is not revocable, the information is distributed and is outside the jurisdiction of any U.S. Court. I regret having to do this as I am not interested in what public official is sleeping with who, nor drug use, or where the money goes for narcotic operations in our county that feed product to Abbeville, Ozark, Enterprise and Dothan, or personal extramarital issues. I can assure you though that careers will end if those who are inclined to publish such journalism have access to it. I also do not want to harm family members of those who are involved in such bs, they have done nothing wrong and no one should suffer shame for the sins of their fathers.


I merely want one thing from you.


In this upcoming murder trial of former Alabama Football player Will Dickerson, that it be conducted fairly, transparently and in strict accordance with the law. So far we both know it has not been.


For the record, I have no opinion as to whether Mr Dickerson is guilty or innocent, this is for an impartial jury to decide and that decision should be based on fact, not lies.


I intend to cover this trial as a journalist and I am not going to let you influence or silence me. My best advice for you before you make such an attempt….is to pray. You will need it.


Sincerely, Jon B. Carroll


 



OPEN LETTER TO BARBOUR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEN REEVES

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