{"id":5786,"date":"2013-09-26T09:57:33","date_gmt":"2013-09-26T13:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=5786"},"modified":"2013-09-26T10:02:08","modified_gmt":"2013-09-26T14:02:08","slug":"quitman-102-trial-three-years-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/quitman-102-trial-three-years-late.html","title":{"rendered":"Quitman 10+2 trial, three years late"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nTrials for the Quitman 10+2 have finally started.\r\n\r\nGeorge Boston Rhynes<\/a> is covering them every day on YouTube.\r\n

\r\nThe only other reporter George has seen there was\r\n\r\none from the Valdosta Daily Times<\/a>.\r\nGeorge is waving a copy of the VDT\r\n\r\nhere<\/a> as he discusses what the case is about:\r\nthe Quitman 10 registered enough voters that several black people\r\ngot elected to the school board in Brooks County for the first time ever.\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n
\r\nFront Row: Linda Troutman, Lula Smart, April Proctor, Diane Thomas\r\n
\r\nBack Row: Latashia Head, Sandra Cody, Robert Dennard, Angela Bryant Nancy Dennard, and Kechia Harrison\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nFront page of the VDT yesterday,\r\n\r\nQuitman 11 trial gets under way<\/a>,\r\nwith no byline and no pictures,\r\n

\r\n

\r\nUnderneath the Latin inscription Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum —\r\nLet Justice Be Done Though The Heavens Fall — the trial of\r\nLula Smart got underway Tuesday morning at the downtown Brooks\r\nCounty Courthouse.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nSmart, part of the “Quitman 11” who were charged with\r\nmultiple counts of unlawful possession of ballots in relation to the\r\nJuly 2010 Brooks County school board primary election, is charged\r\nwith 25 counts of illegal possession of ballots and six counts of\r\ninterfering with an elector. One count of each was dropped Tuesday,\r\nleaving 24 counts of illegal possession of ballots and five counts\r\nof interfering with an elector.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nInitial charges came after school board candidates lost the election\r\nat the polling places then won their respective races via absentee\r\nballots. Though charged in the case, these school board officials\r\nserved, then couldn’t serve for several months due to the charges,\r\nthen were reinstated to the board. Originally, these suspects were\r\ncalled the Quitman 10 then two more people were charged prompting\r\nthe title Quitman 10+2. One suspect has since passed away.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThe VDT story continues with details of the first day.\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nJohn Robinson from Valdosta told George\r\n\r\nhe thought the judge was doing a fine job<\/a>.\r\nMiss Gladys Lee, former teacher from Quitman,\r\ntold George all media should be covering this trial.\r\n

\r\nGeorge reports that during jury selection some of the potential jurors\r\n\r\ngot up and left without permission, and one came back late from lunch<\/a>.\r\n

\r\nJudge Ronnie Joe Lane\r\n\r\nis enforcing a no recording policy on everybody<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nThe judge has even told people\r\n\r\nnobody can record on the street in front of the courthouse<\/a>.\r\nAt least he’s being consistent, unlike the Lowndes County Commission.\r\n

\r\nGeorge says\r\n\r\nLowndes County District Attorney David Miller\r\nwas on the stand yesterday<\/a>, among others.\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nI didn’t start out to do this.\r\nI only got into this when I found out\r\nthere’s so much news in south Georgia and North Florida\r\nthat goes unpublished.\r\nAnd so I took it upon myself.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nGeorge says the Madison 9, who were brought up on charges like\r\nthose of the Quitman 10, had all charges dropped except 2.\r\nHe speculates it’s all a voter intimidation ploy,\r\nand he wonders why a high profile case such as this is not being covered.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nHere’s\r\n\r\na video playlist:<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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