Douglasville Police Defend Being Slow To Arrest Confederate Flag Group

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — Douglasville's police chief describes a volatile and confusing situation last summer when his officers responded to calls that a group waving Confederate flags and weapons was disrupting a black child's birthday party.

In a statement on social media, Chief Gary Sparks responded to critics who have questioned why the intruders — two of whom were sentenced to lengthy prison terms this week — weren't arrested on the spot.

"The scene was chaotic and the officers were concerned that if the parties were not immediately separated there was a high potential of physical altercations because many of those involved were highly emotional and agitated," Sparks said in the post.

He added that members of the two parties were giving conflicting accounts of what had happened and that some people present refused to speak with police at all.

During an alcohol-fueled, two-day spree in July, a group calling itself Respect The Flag brandished a shotgun and other weapons, hurled racial slurs at random minority citizens and threatened to kill children at the 8 year old black child's birthday party.

On Monday, Superior Court Judge William McClain sentenced Jose "Joe" Torres, 26, to 20 years, with 13 to be served in prison, and Kayla Norton, 25, to 15 years with six years to serve. He also banished both of them from Douglas County upon the completion of their sentences.

Two other members of the group pleaded guilty and received shorter sentences.

During trial, lawyers for Torres and Norton brought up the fact that they weren't immediately arrested as part of their defense.

Despite not making arrests immediately, Sparks said, it was the work of his department that led to those convictions and pleas.

In the month following the incident, police conducted a total of 17 follow-up interviews and identified five new witnesses who didn't speak on the day of the crimes.

A total of seven investigators worked the case, Sparks said.

"Because of the seriousness of this case to our community, we wanted to get this case right the first time," the police chief said. "Officers and supervisors at the scene determined that it was prudent to get both sides of the story and gather more evidence, rather than making hasty decisions that ultimately could have jeopardized the case."

One member of the flag group, which drove though Douglas and Paulding counties shouting racial slurs and threatening random minority citizens, was arrested that day on a violation of an unrelated probation warrant.

The incident came in the weeks following the mass shooting at a black church in Charleston, S.C., when news coverage had shined a light on shooter Dylan Roof's fascination with the Confederate battle flag and other symbols associated with racial hatred.

After shouting from their vehicles at the children's party, Respect The Flag members got out, walked toward the party and began hurling racial insults.

Torres, who had gotten a shotgun from his truck, pointed it at the group of predominantly African-American party-goers, saying he was going to kill them. One of his co-defendants said "the little ones can get one, too," referring to the children at the party.

Members of the group also were reportedly brandishing knives and a tire iron as weapons.

People at the party ran away and some called 911, which was already being flooded with calls about the group.

Torres was convicted earlier this month on three counts of aggravated assault, one count of terroristic threats and one count of violating Georgia's street-gang terrorism act.

Norton was convicted on one count of terroristic threats and one count of violating the street gang act.

Co-defendants Lacey Paul Henderson and Thomas Summers pleaded guilty prior to trial and are currently serving shorter prison sentences.

Sparks said his department worked with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Hiram Police Department, 911 centers in both Douglas and Paulding counties and parole officers in the course of the investigation.

"Our decision to conduct a rigorous investigation is what brought justice to the victims in this case and made our community safer," he said.

Photos courtesy Douglas County District Attorney's office