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SHERIFF CONTACT
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SHERIFF CONTACT
In late
April, we knew the Sheriff Dept. was doing nothing., and the DA. Would
not contact us. We contacted the Justice Dept. They sent the message to
Sheriff Pickens. She sent a message saying she would check and see what
was happening. The next week Det. Bolick called said she
had interviewed 3 people. We arranged to meet on 05/10/04. We met with
Det. Bolick and Lt. Matthews. This meeting was more of the same. This
is when they told us they knew Brian did not write on the photos. Which
was considered before to be his suicide note. We gave them a list of
questions we would like for them to answer or comment on. We never
received the first answer.
It has been
that way since we first contacted them. Most things we mention they
find an excuse for. If they say will do something they never follow
through. We waited until 06/20/04. We had not heard from anyone.
All the time we are wondering what is so difficult about asking a few
questions. What would they have to lose? I sent Sheriff Pickens a
message , that we wanted to meet with her. She agreed. Later we agreed
that we would send a list of questions to her. Then we would meet. We
sent 17 questions. Sheriff Pickens responded immediately, said she
would work on what we wanted to know and contact me. I told her if she
did not want to answer our question written, to let me know. Then we
would take the 07/07/04 meeting. That date came and went without
hearing from her.
The next we heard was 08/02/04 Sheriff Pickens lost someone in her
office. We understand that. Later she said she turned the case over to
the Asst. DA. We knew what would happen when he received a case
with no investigation done. He called and said he closed the case. He
said just what we knew, there was not enough evidence to hold an
inquest. How could they hold an inquest with a case that has for
evidence. An incident report. That contains only assumptions, and the
word of the person who is supposed to be the only witness. The autopsy
report. Photos that was Brian’s suicide note written by someone else. A
gsr report that showed inconclusive that took a year to receive. I
think they had crime scene photos. This is all we saw on 03/12/04. Lt.
Matthews told us that was all of the file. The only thing they have
done since then is interview 3 people. Sheriff Pickens stopped
answering our messages when we were trying to get the report that was
promised to us. I ask The Asst. DA. For his report of closing the case.
It appeared he didn’t make a report. He said all he had was what the
Sheriff had. Said he would contact Det. Bolick, and advise her to send
us what she had. We have not received anything.
The Asst. DA. Rick Schaffer told me the case had been investigated.
You would think people in the DA. office would have enough
experience to know a negative investigation. I thought he would have
sent it back to be investigated. According to The State Bar and The
Conference Of District Attorneys. The elected DA. answers to the
citizens, and The Asst. DA. answers to the DA. They did not say
anything about them patronizing anyone in The Sheriff Dept. The
Sheriff Dept. has not told us anything. All we are asking now is a
report showing what evidence they used to close the case. According to
what we were told it has been closed 2 times. As far as we are
concerned it was never opened. If they investigated it why can’t
they give us some information. The public records law should allow us
to have some information. It states that what is exempt from the law is
criminal investigations of specific persons or groups of persons. If it
was investigated persons were not investigated. They were investigating
a suicide. If what the Sheriff Dept. says is true. There was no crime
committed. So none of the exemptions would apply.
We are working with The Citizens Rights office of The Justice Dept. to
help us obtain what information we should have. All The Lincoln County
Sheriff would say is she could not release investigative material. My
question to The Justice Dept. is . Why can Journal Sentinel get dozens
of pages of investigative material? It was printed in the paper. We
can’t get one simple report.
What we have requested from The Lincoln County Sheriff Dept. is a
complete and thorough investigation into Brian’s death. What we have
seen so far is not what we consider a complete investigation. If one
has been conducted, they have refused to inform us of it. The NC.
Justice Academy states, a suicide investigation must be conducted with
all the thoroughness of a homicide investigation. Suicide findings are
much more than a logical conclusion that a death is not a homicide.
Suicide must be affirmatively proven by best available evidence.
I think that would mean more than assumptions and the unconfirmed word
of one person. Following is a list of questions we have Some have been
presented to investigators, some have been presented to Sheriff
Pickens. At the time they said they would answer. To this date not one
question has been answered. Some questions have arisen from, what we
call resistance to investigate.
1. Why was decisions made based on
assumptions, and the word of the only witness? Without eliminating who
did have and who may have had access to Brian. Long before a manner of
death ruling was made other than pending by The Medical Examiner Office.
2. Why was photos that were assumed to
be written by Brian considered to be a suicide note without confirming
their origination? Looking at the photos would show another person
wrote them. One says I can tell he f------ hates who he is married to.
Obviously one person speaking of another.
3. Why was these 10 photos collected
as evidence? Other photos not collected. Cabinet door that was assumed
Brian wrote on not collected.
4. Since it has been confirmed these
photos were not written by Brian. Which amounts to another person
writing his suicide note. What do they mean now? Has anyone tried to
find out?
5. Why was ballistic test not done on bullet?
6. Why was gun not fingerprinted?
7. Why was gun not checked for damaged? it was assumed to have been dropped.
8. Why was gunshot residue test
results not back for almost a year, when SBI. trace evidence was only
running 3 to 4 months behind? Gunshot residue does not leave a dead
persons body.
9. Where is the gun and bullet now?
10. Does anyone know that the bullet recovered was a 9mm.?
11. Why was gun not traced by serial
no. to see if it was Brian’s? Brian’s gun may have still been in his
truck where he kept it. This could account for the panic to find his
spare truck keys on Tue.
12. Was the house searched?
13. Why was Brian’s truck not searched?
14. Why was investigators not
interested in a conversation, between Brian and his sister? This was
concerning him going home and hiding his gun. Brian was in Myrtle Beach
Sc. Working on 08/28/03. This is the day he supposedly threatened to
shoot himself, at home.
15. How far was the gun from the body? The only thing we have seen written is a few feet. Which could mean many things.
16. Was blood spatter in garage consistent with him being shot there?
17. Why do investigators refuse to interview people who worked with Brian? They spent more time with him than anyone.
18. Why are the investigators not
concerned about the garage being cleaned the same day Brian
was killed? Or the house painting inside started the week of the
funeral. Maybe before the funeral. Why the big rush?
19. Why are we not allowed to have a report of the case closing? It has been closed 2 times.
20. Why will The Lincoln County Sheriff Dept. not show us evidence, that this case needs no further investigation.
21. What does law enforcement base
what they will investigate? Do they have any guidelines to follow? Is
it decided by a persons standing in the community, how much money they
have, how many clubs they belong to, or if they are an executive of a
big corporation? Is it decided by their oath of office, to uphold the
law?
22. Does anyone know the meaning when
one person blacks another ones face? In a photo. It has a meaning. It
wasn’t just done out of the blue.
23. There was a black marker on the
shelf in the garage, under the writing on the cabinet. Was there a
black marker close to the photos that were written on? Or was this the
same marker used by the same person?
24. Is it possible the marker found was finger printed?
Sheriff dept. won't answer questions, won't share information. Mr. District Attorney won't respond to calls or mail.
What is the motive?
Two questions we have for The Sheriff. If this violent death should not be investigated tell us why.
If it has been investigated tell us what evidence proves it suicide.
Was
it a staged scene? yes. What is odd if the story is true that was told.
Brian was supposed to have staged the scene, When did he do all this?
We know he did not write on photos. If he did the rest of it. That
would mean that 2 people staged his suicide scene. Does anyone believe
that? What is most logical and what makes sense? What would make sense
to me if I were investigating the crime. The person that we know staged
part of the scene. Staged it all. One question I would ask. when was
the scene staged? It don't make sense it was staged before the shot. If
it was I believe Brian would ask what was happening. That would mean it
was staged after the shot. That brings up a point, there may have been
some assistance staging the scene. If that is true then when was the
shot fired? I can't find out about anyone who can pinpoint death,
10 min. from time of wound.
Not being a police investigator, I don't know if it is normal, for 2
people to stage a suicide scene. It is hard to imagine how it happened.
Maybe they did the scene, then one said to the other. We are through
now, you go shoot yourself.
Taken from wife's statement , which was taken by police 10 days after Brian was killed
This is the
story, who believes it happened this way. Husband and wife are
fighting. When was scene staged before or after shot was fired. If
Brian did any of it, then it had to be before. If some other person did
it then it must have been after the shot. Was shot fired at 03:00 am.
We don't know. Phone records may prove that different. We don't have
the authority to get phone records. From statement husband goes into
garage. Says to wife I am leaving, and it is none of your business
where I am going. (nothing is mentioned about him having a gun.) Wife
goes in garage behind husband. Husband pushes her back in kitchen.Wife
starts for phone. Wife hears husband, after a few seconds. say o f***,
then hears a shot. Reflex action did not take her to garage to check on
him. When did he write on cabinet? I believe he would have
questioned the writing on cabinet if it was there when he went into
garage. Do we believe this? Husband goes into garage to leave. He says
no I am not leaving. I will shoot myself. Takes gun that no one
mentioned him having. Says o ***, and shoots himself. Would an
experienced educated investigator believe this? With no questions ask.
Gun case was reported to be found in bed room. Husband had not been
sleeping there. This is supposed to be the same gun he told his
sister on Thur. he was going home and hide.
The only way I can see someone believieng this is. If someone wants to
believe it to patronize his own agenda, what ever it may be
Think about folks! What is logical? What is common sense?
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