Brunswick city commissioner arrested in connection to fatal shooting [More Charges]

News4jax ^ | March 29, 2013 | News4jax

[Uncle Chip]

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Brunswick City Commissioner James Henry Brooks Sr. has been arrested in connection to the investigation of the fatal shooting of a Brunswick toddler, Channel 4 confirmed Thursday.

Brooks (pictured, below), 59, turned himself into the Glynn County Detention Center late Thursday afternoon. Sources close to Channel 4 said Brooks' wife drove him to jail. He was released Friday morning after posting $8,000 bond on the condition he surrender himself to the Camden County Sheriff's Office by noon Monday to answer a racketeering indictment there.

Channel 4 spoke with Brooks' attorney, Alan Tucker, who said that Brooks was charged with willful obstruction of law enforcement and influencing a witness.

Tucker also confirmed those charges are related to Antonio Santiago's murder investigation.

"He is regretful. I think I've given you a copy of his apology to the community for getting involved in this," Tucker said. "It wasn't his intent to interfere with the investigation. What he was trying to do at the point in time that he was approached at the courthouse was just tell these folks, 'You have a right to remain silent. Don't talk to police unless you have an attorney present.' And I think that was the crux of what caused the problem."

As for the six-count racketeering indictment, it alleges Brooks was soliciting people to pay him money in return for official acts and influencing others in his role as a city commissioner, including getting people's criminal records expunged so they could get hired by the city, and getting liquor licenses.

[Uncle Chip]

Another member of the Elkins crime family:

In January 2012 he was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on one count of bribery. He was accused of taking a $300 bribe for a man who wanted his record expunged so he could apply for a police officer job.

A judge denied his bond at the time because he felt Brooks could try to intimidate witnesses in an ongoing investigation.

[zeestephen]

[Slings and Arrows]

"It wasn't his intent to interfere with the investigation. What he was trying to do at the point in time that he was approached at the courthouse was just tell these folks, 'You have a right to remain silent. Don't talk to police unless you have an attorney present.'

IF this is true (and that's a big if), the willful obstruction of law enforcement and influencing a witness charges are very chilling. The Elkins mob are scum, but even scum have rights under our system. (And if you think they shouldn't, think about how many on the Left consider us scum.)

Man, I'm going to wear out this flame-retardant suit...

[Uncle Chip]

"It wasn't his intent to interfere with the investigation. What he was trying to do at the point in time that he was approached at the courthouse was just tell these folks, 'You have a right to remain silent. Don't talk to police unless you have an attorney present.'

He shoulda tod em dat if yo gonna tok to da poleese, dont tell dem dat yo wuz wit Markeese from 8 to 11 at home eatin grits when yo wuz really in da county clink all mornin behind bars til 10:30.

[Slings and Arrows]

Not bad advice, all things considered.

[SeminoleCounty]

At least Brunswick GA arrests people who interfere with cases.... unlike where I am in Sanford.....

[Uncle Chip]

It’s the Tale of Two Cities.

[Iron Munro]

Our Minority Overlords: Turning America into New Zimbabwe, one municipality at a time.