Ministers Out Sgt, Decline to Name Source, Mention David Wray
Posted by ryan on February 26, 2008
The information below came from the News & Records coverage of this mornings press conference with the three ministers who promised to out an officer that made an order to destroy 50 boxes of files related to the Klan-Nazi shootings of Nov. 3, 1979.
-Three Greensboro pastors say Sgt. Craig McMinn of the Greensboro Police Department’s Special Intelligence Unit ordered police officers to destroy 50 boxes of files related to the Klan-Nazi shootings of Nov. 3, 1979. The files were destroyed in 2004 or 2005, sometimes after the Truth and Reconciliation requested police files relating to the shootings. The ministers said they do not know what exactly is in those files.
- The ministers said that their source of information is an active-duty Greensboro police officer who was one of at least four officers ordered to destroy the police department documents. The ministers declined to name their source.
- Ministers noted that former police chief David Wray was running the department when the files were destroyed. However, the ministers said they don’t know if the former chief was involved in the document destruction or if he was ever aware that the incident took place.
- The pastors said they shared this information with former Mayor Keith Holliday and City Manager Mitchell Johnson on Oct. 22, 2007. They later talked with current police Chief Tim Bellamy and had a second meeting with the city manager. The pastors said the city did not investigate. The ministers said that by making their claim more widely known they hope that media and public pressure will compel the city to investigate.
- The pastors who spoke at today’s media briefing were the Rev. Nelson Johnson of Faith Community Church, the Rev. Cardes Brown of new Light Baptist Church and the Rev. Gregory Headen of Genesis Baptist Church. All three hold offices with the Pulpit Forum, and Brown is president of the Greensboro Branch of the NAACP.
