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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Jan. 4/11, 1996
issue of Workers World newspaper
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On Dec. 7, Jerry Jackson, an African American, was shot to death by undercover Atlanta police officers. The cops' original version of the shooting had Jackson hit inside a motorcycle shop by a ricocheting bullet while lying on the floor. When no blood was found inside the shop, people began to question this story. Then, in late December, a witness to the shooting came forward. The witness stated she had heard the first shots and looked outside to see the cop, Waine Pinckney, aim and shoot at a man lying on the sidewalk.
She said that the man shot had his hands up in a position that appeared to be begging for mercy. It was then, she said, that the cop aimed and fired.
The incident started when the undercover cops burst into the motorcycle shop with their guns drawn. Thinking the shop was being robbed, a shop employee pulled a gun and began shooting at the police--who he thought were the robbers.
The cops were assigned to Zone 3. In this precinct, seven cops have been arrested for various kinds of corruption over the last six months. Charges include robbery, drug dealing and rape.
Apparently, what happened to Jerry Jackson was common police procedure here in Atlanta.
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