At this stage of my life, I will protect my peace and my sanity. I can stay in my lane and keep
unwanted traffic out of my lane. My peace can be disturbed my what goes on in my
community. While taking out the trash on Christmas day, I heard what I thought were shots
from multiple guns followed by the roar of a car with loud pipes. I asked a few people if they
had heard it and was told that it most likely was firecrackers. A few days later, 5GNews
reported the shots fired on King Street but had no details. Later on, 5GNews also reported that
the suspects in that shooting had been arrested but still no details. I appreciate the fact that
5GNews does report what is going on in the community that I live in and that there is no
personal editorializing of the facts. I am an avid reader and an avid fact checker. Every since
we were informed of “alternative truth” by the Trump administration, I have found it necessary
to check what is disseminated by the media before accepting any information, forming an
opinion on that information, and/or acting on the information if it will affect me in any way. I
have found some resources that I faithfully use which include Mobil Patrol, VineLink, and
Arkansas Court Connect. From these sources, I learned that two of the suspected offenders of
the Christmas Day shooting were charged with multiple serious offences and being held on a
$500,000.00 bond.
On a side note, there are photos of one of the suspects with multiple contusions and bruises
being circulated on Facebook with the allegations that he was denied medical treatment and
being kept segregated from other inmates. The notorious grapevine gossip is that his injuries
maybe from police brutality. 5GNews reported reaching out to both city and county law
enforcement to verify that he had received medical treatment. If he is being mistreated, how
was the photo obtained and who took it? Who is speaking with him to know his version of
what is going on? Make it make sense!. Also, why has no one addressed the fact that the
injuries were sustained when the stolen vehicle he was a passenger in crashed into a tree?
I shared the above info just to preface my real dissatisfaction with the handling of another
recent event. In March of 2023, Joseph Miller was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on
Highway 82 between Lewisville and Stamps. Law enforcement knew the identity of the driver
within a few weeks of the accident yet the offender was allowed to remain free for 9 months. I
repeat 9 whole months. This offender was allowed to chose his time to turn himself in. This
offender was allowed to walk in, post his bond, and walk out free. This man hit another human
being with his car and left him laying on the side of the road without knowing if he could be
helped. This man not only ran but did not call for help. This man kept living his life for 9 whole
months before any reported actions were taken. This white man who caused another man’s
death and ran was RELEASED on a $50,000 bond. On another side note, the two young men
reference above are black and their actions did not result in anybody’s death but they are being
HELD on $500,000.00 bond. Again, make it make sense.
There were brief notices in the media regarding the “arrest” of Brandon Glenn Lane for the hit
and run death of Joseph Miller. However, a search for his name in Mobil Patrol, Vine Link or
Arkansas Court Connect returns no results. Does this not look like some kind of coverup?
There is no info on a court date, no info on official charges and most importantly, there is no info on punishment. THERE IS NO INFO. At the very least, this spotlights the inequity between
the treatment of black offenders and white offenders.
Yes, I agree completely that law enforcement should be held accountable for and monitored for
adherence to their stated function of serving and protecting all of us. We should not handicap
them with innuendos of wrong doing or waste their time with frivolous actions. I am also
utterly and totally convinced that we need to choose our battles to fight and those choices
should be made based on the integrity of what is right, what is fair, and what is just. Where is
the justice for Joseph E. Miller?
Evelyn Jackson Trammell
A concerned citizen who likes to keep it real