About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2019)
LOCAL THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 -13, 2019 • Page 6 Carolyn Giummo and Anthony Hill Sr. at a press conference on Nov. 1. Anthony Hill Sr. talks to media members during a press conference. OLSEN Continued From Page 1 were musicians.” Jackson also ordered that Olsen is never to work in law enforcement again or own firearms. During the trial, prosecutors testified that Olsen had a collection of approximately 12 guns. Family and friends of Hill, along with DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston held a press conference following the sentencing. Boston said the prosecuting team had hoped for a longer sentence for Olsen. “While we were hoping for a lengthier sentence, a measure of justice has been served today for Anthony Hill and his family,” said Boston. “Auniform, badge, and gun are not a license to shoot with impunity. Robert Olsen had nonlethal options that he could have employed, but he made a different decision that day...one that cost a man his life. We are thankful he will be held accountable for his actions.” Hill’s family, including his mother and father, said they were disappointed that Olsen did not speak or acknowledge any wrongdoing during trail. “Fight for justice for Anthony Hill. Even though I didn’t get the [sentence] that I wanted. Some time is better than no time,” said Hill’s mother Carolyn Giummo. “I have to accept what was given.” FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @DEKALBCHAMPNEWS O O 0 VOTING Continued From Page 1 while the DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections office saw 2,260 voters. More than 1,000 residents voted in Brookhaven and 936 voted at the Stonecrest location. Nov. 5 election day turnout could see low voter turnout as well. In the 2015 general municipal and special election, 13.50 percent of registered voters cast ballots. The low early voting turnout numbers come following the announcement that Georgia Secretary of State’s Office begun notifying approximately 330,000 “inactive voters” that they were being removed from voter registration rolls. Voting rights advocates, including the NAACP, have opposed the state’s decision to remove voters from the rolls. “People being removed for simply not voting is unethical and undemocratic,” said Georgia NAACP President Rev. James Woodall. “We should be investing in ways to make voting easier, not harder. We pledge to utilize our resources to not only ensure that no voter is unlawfully purged but also commit to challenging the legal framework of the practice altogether.” On Oct. 25, voting rights advocates sent a letter warning DeKalb election officials to stop removing registered voters from the voter registration rolls in violation of the National Voter Registration Act or risk facing legal action. The letter was issued by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Georgia ACLU on behalf of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP and the New Georgia Project. The letter alleges that DeKalb election officials are continuing to purge eligible voters in violation of federal law. According to the voting rights advocates, an investigation revealed that DeKalb illegally purged voters who lived in the city of Decatur on the basis that the action had been recommended by Decatur officials, even though municipalities cannot challenge voters’ eligibility under state law. The groups said emails confirm that Decatur officials did not recommend the purge and appeared to have been initiated by a DeKalb employee who had a property interest in the address at which some of the voters were registered. The Champion contacted a board member of the board of registrations and elections about voters being purged from the rolls but did not receive a response by press time.
