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Analysis of Otis Jackson's confessions
In this writing I will attempt to analyze the information that we have so far. We have a confession, formally given to investigators on or about June 29, 2000, of a young black male by the name of Otis Milton Jackson - who signed a "Waiver Of Rights," before being questioned on 6/2900 at 2:15pm. According to the identification sheet attached to his file, Jackson stands 6.8, weighs 165 lbs, and is of medium build (similar in stature to Imam Jamil). In the photo that accompanies this file, he appears to be medium to dark complexioned, bald, with a short beard. Before examining Mr. Jackson's written testimony, there are a number of other things that are worthy of note. According to the documentation, when Jackson "absconded supervision" and was extradited back to Nevada on April 13, 2000, as he was being booked into the Clark County Detention Center, "Jackson indicated to the officer that he had been involved in a shooting/murder of an officer when he was in Georgia." The amazing thing is what follows: "The detention officer did not investigate the statement. Inmate Jackson has been returned to the Nevada Department of Prisons, and presently he is undergoing intake processing. It would be greatly appreciated, if you would investigate Jackson's assertion of involvement in a shooting/murder." The date on this State of Nevada Department of Corrections Memorandum is July 24, 2000. More than three months after Jackson made the confession of involvement in the death of a law enforcement officer! Most perplexing; but this is not all. The memo was directed to a Sgt. Bennett of the Atlanta (Ga) Police Department, yet an FBI interview of Jackson had already begun by June 29, 2000. Another document (an Investigative Summary) issued by Senior Investigator Alvin M. Winston, of the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, Major Case Division, states that on July 26 (two days after the Nevada memorandum), Winston placed a call to the South Metro Parole Center to speak with Parole Officer Sarah Bacon, about Otis Jackson. However, Parole Officer Tammy Pritchard informed Winston that Bacon was no longer an employee in the office and that Jackson's case had been transferred to the State of Nevada. The obvious questions are, (a) why did it take Nevada authorities so long to contact Georgian authorities with a request to investigate a man who claimed to have been involved in the shooting of two Georgian law enforcement officers (and keep in mind that the March 16th incident made national headlines); and (b) why was it deemed necessary to request Georgian assistance, particularly after the involvement of the highest, most sophisticated law enforcement agency in the land (the FBI)? And now for my analysis of the confession and recantation. The Confession As stated previously (in part one of this report), the FBI summary that I have in my possession is signed off on by special agents Devon P. Mahoney and Lawrence K Wenk[e], and is based upon an investigation conducted on June 29, 2000; an interview of Jackson "in the presence of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officers Dante Tromba and Greg Neglich." The things that stand out for me are the following: 1. "Jackson explained that he and Al-Amin were not friends but acquaintances." 2. "Another black male was at the residence also waiting for Al-Amin." 3. "Approximately 10 minutes after Jackson arrived at Al-Amin's residence, Al-Amin arrived. As the three men were talking, a police car arrived and two police officers attempted to serve Al-Amin with a warrant." 4. Jackson initiated an argument with the officers, "that got heated, and [Deputy] Kinchen's partner (Deputy English) attempted to handcuff Jackson." 5. Jackson then began fighting with Kinchen's partner and Kinchen came over to assist in the fight. Kinchen grabbed Jackson and Jackson stated that he spun out of Kinchen's grasp and then punched Kinchen in the face. Jackson then stated that he drew a 9mm Smith and Wesson from his pants waist band which was covered by his black Islamic robe. Jackson fired one shot at Kinchen and Jackson thought the round hit Kinchen in the stomach. Jackson immediately went to his car's trunk where Jackson had an SKS assault rifle, an M-16 machine gun, and a mini 14." 6. "Kinchen's partner began to run away toward the main street..." 7. "Jackson was able to shoot the retreating officer in the leg." 8. "Jackson stated that during the shooting Al-Amin tried to stop Jackson from shooting at the officers by getting in Jackson's way. Al-Amin asked Jackson why he had shot the officers, but Jackson did not answer except to say that he was going home. Jackson stated that he thought the other black male had been wounded because Jackson saw him lying on the street, but Jackson was not sure." 9. "Jackson then left in his 1981 or 1982 Chevy Caprice Classic." 10. "Jackson was asked (by investigators) why he shot at the officers. Jackson advised that he did not think the warrants for Al-Amin were valid, and he also did not like the police. Jackson was asked why the police believed Al-Amin shot the officers. Jackson stated that he felt the officer made a mistake, since all three of the people there were black men with bald heads." The Recantation Otis Jackson recanted his confession in a handwritten letter addressed to [then] U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, within days of the June 29th confession. The things that stand out for me in this statement are the following: 1. After identifying himself he makes the following complaint: "I have been put on maximum custody at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, and they are charging me with the death of the deputy." 2. "The law enforcement people here are calling me cop killer, I don't want to eat or anything... If I'm not charged then I would like to be put back in general housing, and if I am charged then Atlanta needs to come get me and not let me do my parole violation." 3. Then he rails against the injustice that was committed by the State of Texas against Gary Graham (aka Shaka Sankofa) - a high profile execution that took place last year. 4. "...Vegas is giving me a case that I don't have... Mr. Al-Amin nor myself did anything." Initially, I thought page three was part of one complete (two and a half page) statement of recantation, but now I'm not so sure. Page three has fax info printed across the top of the page, while the first two pages (addressed to Janet Reno do not). The final statement reads: "I, Otis Milton Jackson was trying to help a brother not knowing that it would give me the case. I love Jamil but I did not do anything, I killed no one and Jamil killed no one. I'm sorry for making [the] FBI feel as if I did this." One of the officers (Tromba) who reportedly witnessed the initial FBI interrogation of Jackson stated in a July 13, 2000, interview that while escorting Jackson back to his cell, he told Jackson, "Jackson's story was good except that he smiled to much." And further, "Jackson's people were going to owe Jackson in a big way." Two things jump out from this statement: (1) Tromba - and probably most of the other investigating authorities - found Jackson's narration of the March 16 incident credible; (2) despite this, however, there appears to have been an immediate impulse to discredit Jackson's confession. The question is why? There is another element to this official investigation that for me is quite glaring. It is inconceivable that trained, impartial investigators could have attached equal credibility to the two contradictory statements. It's even more inconceivable to believe that any man in his right mind will freely confess to a serious crime, without an awareness that his confession will then result in him being charged with that crime. It's also clear that Jackson's letter to Reno was written under a great deal of duress. Jackson was placed in maximum security and labeled a "cop killer." Two of the worst labels that any inmate can be incarcerated with are child molester (or child killer) and cop killer. In the former you can be placed at risk by fellow inmates, in the latter your security can be jeopardized by rogue correctional officers. It is worth noting that attached to Jackson's file is a confidential report which suggests that, after being transferred to maximum custody, Jackson came under heightened surveillance - to monitor any marked changes in his behavior, such as any indication of suicidal tendencies. (This document is dated July 10th.) Conclusion In my conclusion, the canons of western jurisprudence, generally speaking, are that a confession is only as good as the evidence that can support it. In the immediate aftermath of the March 16th tragedy, many conflicting and contradictory reports were disseminated by the mainstream media (both print and broadcast); but as the dust settled, and certain facts began to emerge, a more accurate picture of the tragedy has begun to take shape. (Jackson's confession is consistent with many of these known facts.) While initial reports had the assailant using only a .223 caliber assault rifle that was pulled from under a "black trench coat" (and one of the most commonly available .223 caliber weapons is the Ruger Mini-14), it is now an established fact that a 9mm handgun was also used by the assailant(s). Deputy Kinchen was reportedly shot in the abdomen and leg, and died the following day. Deputy English (reportedly shot four times) survived, but spent days in the intensive care unit of Grady Memorial Hospital. It was within hours of emergency surgery, which concluded shortly after 1 AM, that Deputy English identified Imam Jamil from a photo lineup as the assailant of he and his partner. In one of the 911 calls that came in that fateful night, the caller identified the sound of persons running, followed by the sound of gunfire. The caller also reported that one of the officers pleaded not to be shot again, but it sounded like he was being shot anyway, as if the assailant was in a rage. (On March 17, the Atlanta Journal Constitution would quote David Chadd, public information officer for the Sheriff's Department, as stating, "It looked like the gunman had a vendetta for police officers...") And then we have the question of the blood. Was fresh blood found at the scene? And if there was, whose blood was it? Much more could be said, but I think this is enough for now. Only Allah (swt) knows what really happened the night of March 16, and who all was involved. We can only speculate. Increasingly, however, it has become clear that information surrounding this case has been seriously flawed from the start; and it also appears that persons in high places are attempting to make the water even murkier. Deputy English was insistent that his assailant's eyes were gray, and the earliest and most consistent reports had the assailant wearing a black outer garment. Included in the official documentation that I now have before me is a "Fulton County Sheriff's Department Incident Report Form." Two things are striking about this document - which comprises a type written first person (Deputy English) narration of the March 16th incident. To begin with it's dated 5/3/00 (almost two months after the incident), and secondly, in addition to describing Imam Jamil as having "gray eyes," he also has him wearing (on the night of the tragedy), "a small tan hat, yellowish cloth quarter length trench coat," and "sunglasses with yellowish lenses." I think we've said enough. The struggle continues... El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan DirectorTHE PEACE AND JUSTICE FOUNDATION (c) 2001, All Rights Reserved Special Note: Anyone wishing to reprint this report/analysis (in whole or in part) may do so, with proper attribution, and verbatim. The wording of this report may not be edited in any way. (For anyone who may receive this report second or third hand, and who may not be familiar with the name of the accused, Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin is a well known and respected Muslim leader, who was formerly known by the name H. Rap Brown.)
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