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DEL.ICIO.USA tale of two Forts and the no-knock warrant bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just before the Senate ended its crucial crossover day, the chamber passed S.B. 259 by a lopsided vote of 44-8.
This is a Democratic bill to virtually eliminate no-knock warrants — hardly on any Republican priority list.
Particularly when the sponsor is state Sen. Vincent Fort, a known opponent of most things GOP. The bill would put tough limitations on the kind of police activity that resulted in the shooting death of Kathryn Johnston in her Vine City home, by three undercover Atlanta cops.
So how did the bill come up for a vote? The answer is Fort McPherson, and it may have been the biggest deal of the day.
After 125 years, the U.S. Army is giving up 488-acre Fort McPherson on Atlanta’s southern side. Gov. Sonny Perdue tried last year to pass legislation establishing a state authority that would oversee redevelopment of the prime real estate.
Do not fool yourself. Much, much money is involved.
H.B. 817 made it through the House in 2007. But in the Senate, Fort and his allies blocked it. Fort Mac is contained entirely within his senate district, and Fort was worried about the impact of “gentrification within a sea of unemployment.”
Negotiations began this summer. Fort won a provision in the legislation for a jobs program, and another program for housing rehabilitation in the area — to help residents keep up with increased land values and the taxes that come with them.
The governor preferred to keep the Fort Mac bill as local legislation, which allowed it to move faster — and, incidentally, without recorded votes — so long as the Fulton County delegation agreed on it. A general bill, held in reserve in case the deal went sour, was placed on the Tuesday calendar for a floor vote.
Republicans also placed S.B. 259, Fort’s no-knock bill, at the end of the calendar as a sweetener. And, perhaps, a guarantee of good behavior.
The Fort Mac bill was passed without a hitch, with Fort’s changes. The House quickly agreed to the improvements, and the deal was done. The state now has a firm hand on the base’s redevelopment.
And the Atlanta senator got his ban on no-knock warrants through the Senate. “It was a good day for the home team,” Fort said.
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Comments
By Ron
March 11, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this
Misuse of no-knock warrants killed Kathryn Johnson,and if a ban on no-knock warrants is needed to prevent further deaths,then so be it.There was a system in place to control no-knock warrants,but the police couldn’t be bothered with it.Now they have apparently lost the priviledge of the warrants.The pendlum has swung all the way over.
By John
March 12, 2008 7:24 AM | Link to this
The no-knock warrant is complete non-sense when going after drug dealers. Just wait for them to leave the house, then arrest them. Hopefully there will never be a day when the wrong address is that of a politician who has armed state troopers guarding him when the “men in black” kick the door in and a shootout between police officers happens. That would end the no-knock home invasion for good.