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SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Stephen Chapman, age 51, of Griffin, was arrested Friday, Aug. 14, at Griffin High School where he taught math and coached the tennis team. Chapman was arrested on five felony charges including of aggravated rape, aggravated sodomy, incest, aggravated sexual battery and aggravated child molestation. Authorities say the crimes have been […]
STAFF REPORT ::: The Grip wishes to thank Becky Clark Watts, of the Pike County Times, for allowing us to share this article. Please visit the link below to read the entire story and learn of equipment utilized by the Fire Department that allowed water to be pulled from a nearby source to fight the […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Grip has learned the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office did not obtain a search warrant prior to seizing, examining and collecting graphic pornographic photographs and text messages from a personal cell phone belonging to former Capt. David Gibson. The photos and messages – obtained in 2014 – were later used as […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, three individuals were arrested Wednesday and are facing felony charges of entering an automobile. Those arrested include Chad Timothy Brown, age 19, of 12465 Highway 109 W. Meansville; Derik Webster, age 18, of 32 Meadowlark Road, Griffin; and Nathaniel Kaide Jewan Johnson, age 18, of […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: The Griffin Police Department has arrested Jamal Foster in connection with a Friday night shooting that left one man in critical condition. The GPD Uniform Patrol Division responded at approximately 8:39 p.m. to the emergency room of Spalding Regional Hospital in reference to the shooting victim. Officers spoke with the victim, Derrick […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: The Griffin Police Department has made an arrest in a Sunday aggravated assault/aggravated battery incident that left two people injured. The GPD Uniform Patrol Division was called to 513 Belle St. Sunday in reference to the alleged attack. Officials say two victims – Tyrone Hughley and Acquilla McGhee – had sustained cut […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS Publisher’s note: This is the beginning of a thorough timeline examining the circumstances surrounding the Internal Affairs investigation of David Gibson, who on May 21 retired in lieu of termination from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. The information contained within this timeline was obtained through dozens of Open Records requests and more […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an alleged armed robbery that occurred at 10:28 p.m. Monday, July 20, at the Dollar General located at 1523 Zebulon Road. According to Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, an employee walked outside at that time and was confronted by a slim black male wearing black […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard has requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conduct an investigation into allegations against David Gibson, former captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division. Gibson retired in lieu of termination May 21 in the midst of an Internal Affairs investigation into allegations […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The petition for declaratory judgment filed in Spalding County Superior Court that resulted in a temporary restraining order (TRO) sealing the Internal Affairs investigative record of David Gibson, former captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Uniform Patrol Division, differs from information provided to Lt. Ronald Brainard, of the Houston […]
STAFF REPORTS ::: Susan Collier, owner of the “Griffin Mud Dogs” was on Wednesday, July 22, sentenced in Spalding County Magistrate Court to sixty days in the Spalding County Jail for 34 counts of dogs kept in unsanitary conditions. Collier, entered a plea of guilty to 34 counts of dogs kept in unsanitary conditions, 15 […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The temporary restraining order (TRO) that had kept sealed the Internal Affairs investigative record involving David Gibson, former captain of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division, has been voluntarily dismissed by the petitioner, Ruby King, who serves as Sheriff Wendell Beam’s secretary. The TRO was granted June 15 by […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Four employees of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office – Karen Law, Kimberly Barnett, Jessica Kelley and Misty Piper – have met a statutory requirement by serving legal notice of their intent to sue former SCSO employee David Gibson and Sheriff Wendell Beam, each in their individual and official capacities. Local officials […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Publisher’s note: Through an Open Records request to Spalding County, The Grip obtained three months of emails from the accounts of Spalding County Sheriff Wendell Beam, Capt. Tony Ranieri, of the SCSO Criminal Investigation Division, SCSO Records Clerk Amy Martin and Ruby King, Beam’s secretary. This request yielded the 66-page final […]
SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Through a series of Open Records requests, The Grip has obtained substantial information, including the final report of the Internal Affairs investigation, of David Gibson, the former captain over the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division. A 27-year employee of the SCSO, Gibson retired in lieu of termination May 21 […]
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