By Bridget Murphy
Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)
Copyright 2006 Florida Times-Union
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
A black Jacksonville firefighter who didn’t cooperate with an inquiry by federal investigators after a hangman’s noose appeared on his bunker gear could be in danger of losing his job.
Mayor John Peyton said Monday he asked the city’s general counsel to look into options available for disciplining anyone who impeded the criminal investigation.
The federal investigation into the February noose incident at Fire Station 4 and a similar incident months earlier ended last week without any arrests. U.S. Attorney Paul Perez said in a Nov. 22 letter to Sheriff John Rutherford that a lack of cooperation by one of two black firefighters who were victims at Fire Station 4 “was a major impediment to the investigation.”
Evidence was “inconclusive to suggest either a hate crime or a hoax,” Perez wrote.
While his letter didn’t identify which victim didn’t cooperate, a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office report on the inquiry expected to be released today may do that.
Peyton said he was waiting to see if the Sheriff’s Office report provided more details about who impeded the criminal investigation before taking any action.
“We are considering harsh measures,” Peyton said, when asked if termination was a possibility. "... All options are on the table.”
Disciplinary action also could extend to other firefighters who recanted their statements in connection with a separate noose incident in 2005 that authorities looked into. After the Station 4 incident, another black firefighter reported that someone tossed a noose at him during a training drill that year.
Federal grand juries considered evidence in both cases.
In the letter to Rutherford, Perez said there wasn’t a reasonable chance of getting a conviction on hate crime or perjury charges in the 2005 case. The federal prosecutor said some of the people authorities interviewed made conflicting statements and some changed their stories.
The city’s firefighters union Local 122 reacted to news of the inconclusive federal inquiry by calling a news conference Monday to announce a reward for information leading to any arrests and convictions in the Station 4 noose incident.
The reward was supposed to be offered in conjunction with the Justice Coalition and First Coast Crime Stoppers. But the union canceled the news conference later Monday, with union President Roger Lewis and the leaders of the other two agencies citing a miscommunication.
Justice Coalition Executive Director Ann Dugger said her organization exists to help get justice for the victims of violent crime and wouldn’t participate in a reward in the noose case.
First Coast Crime Stoppers Executive Director Wyllie Hodges said anyone with information leading to an arrest in a crime would qualify for consideration of the usual reward of up to $1,000, but that person would have to call the tip line as in any case.