STATHAM, GA (CBS46) - There is yet another controversy that has people outraged in one metro Atlanta community CBS46 learned on Friday.
With the controversy surrounding 63 DUI arrests made by officer Marc Lofton in the past year, you could imagine people were outraged to learn that Winder Police charged Lofton’s wife last year with DUI.
She blew a .204 on a breathalyzer test which is more than double the legal limit, but in August of this year, her case was dismissed.
“She’s married to a police officer and all of a sudden she’s not going to jail and she’s not getting prosecuted, but everyone else in our county and in this city is getting prosecuted for the same offenses and even less,” Statham resident Kendra Moore said.
Lofton is the talk of the town in Statham. The Barrow County District Attorney is investigating complaints which accuse him of policing for profit.
“I’m simply tired of these innocent people and these citizen’s lives being ruined by an officer and apparently by a department that is strictly trying to gain money from it,” Moore said.
Some of those arrested by Lofton argue they were completely sober and falsely charged because they take prescription medication. In light of the dismissal of his wife's case, some are raising questions.
“Now why is that? That’s all we want to know. Why? Not some legal gobbledygook, why didn’t you prosecute?” Statham resident Roger Bradshaw asked.
According to the incident report, Lofton’s wife admitted she should not have been driving. CBS46 tried calling her and even dropped by the gated community where she lives, but never made contact.
“It smells foul. It stinks, it stinks, it stinks, it stinks. I don’t care which way you try to spin it. The facts, are the facts, are the facts,” Moore said.
CBS46 spoke with District Attorney Brad Smith, about the dismissal of the case.
He said the officer involved had severe credibility issues and no longer works with the Winder Police Department — as a result many of his cases were dropped.
That said, this same officer was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his excellent work in 2014.
Poster Comment:
...the officer involved (Marc Lofton) had severe credibility issues and no longer works with the Winder Police Department — as a result many of his cases were dropped.
Seems to be a recurring problem with Georgia cops.
‘The Drug Whisperer’ | Drivers arrested while stone cold sober
...this same officer was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his excellent work in 2014.
No surprise there:
MADD Weighs in on Honors Student Punished for Trying to Help Drunk Friend — and Their Reaction Might Surprise You
The saga of Erin Cox — the Massachusetts high school honors student and former volleyball team captain who was punished by her school for trying to help a drunk friend — has gone viral.
Despite overwhelming consensus that Cox — who police say was not drinking or in possession of alcohol — did the right thing and shouldn’t have been suspended from her team or stripped of her captain’s status, two prominent voices disagree.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving President Jan Withers told Fox News that North Andover High School was right to punish Cox, whom Withers said should have called an adult instead of driving to the party herself in an attempt to pick up her drunk friend.
