DeKalb commissioner alleges threats from activists

Jester called a press conference to bring attention to statements by members of the DeKalb Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability, which was formed in response to officer-involved shootings of unarmed black men.

The group responded immediately Wednesday by saying that Jester is trying to divide public opinion and distract attention from the real issues surrounding police conduct.

DeKalb police have been involved in several questionable shootings since late last year, including the deaths of Anthony Hill, an unarmed mentally ill veteran who ran at an officer, and Kevin Davis, who was killed in his home after he called 911 for help because a man had stabbed his girlfriend.

The activists’ dispute with Jester came after she and other DeKalb officials met with victims’ families last week. The activists say they are concerned because Jester didn’t comment or show compassion during the meeting.

Jester said the group’s supporters threatened her sons on Twitter, made anti-Semitic comments on Facebook and yelled during a meeting last week that she would be dragged through the streets. She said she won’t press charges, but DeKalb police are taking precautions.

“I think they’re here to simply create a hostile environment right now, and that makes us all less safe,” Jester said. “You’ve got a limited group who want to exploit people in their grief and loss.”

One of the social media posts that Jester considered threatening referred to Hill’s death.

“You know, I really hope NOTHING ever happens to your sons @nancy_jester because I’d HATE for you to feel the pain of Anthony Hill’s mother,” said the tweet posted Sunday by Nia Sade’ Walker, a member of the DeKalb Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability.

Walker wrote in an email Wednesday that her message was sincere, and she didn’t intend it as a threat.

“I cannot understand how Commissioner Jester (as a mother) cannot feel the same for another mother. That was the main purpose for that tweet. I simply wanted to show the correlation,” Walker wrote.

Makungu Akinyela, a leader of the group, said the group has sent more than 100 Twitter messages with the #pleasetalkjester hashtag since she declined to speak during last week’s meeting with victims of officer-involved shootings.

“Attempts by Commissioner Nancy Jester to smear our coalition with these charges are clearly efforts to distract public attention from the callous disregard she holds for the welfare of the families of unarmed black men murdered in DeKalb County over the last 10 months,” said Akinyela, an African-American Studies professor at Georgia State University. “We denounce any threats of violence or physical harm … We also denounce any attempt to connect us to threats.”

Jester said she didn’t comment during the meeting because lawyers are involved and investigations are ongoing.

But Anana Parris, a member of the coalition from Sistercare Alliance, said other government officials have shown more empathy, including DeKalb Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander, Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May, Commissioner Larry Johnson and Commissioner Jeff Rader.

Parris said Jester is playing “political games” by targeting the activists in a show of support for police.

“As a mother myself, to sit and watch these families, these mothers, these wives talk about the loss of their loved ones and see no reaction was heartbreaking to me,” Parris said.