MACON-BIBB COUNTY, Ga. — A former Ga. fire captain has denied lying about her involvement in a hazing prank video.
When the video showing a masked gunman threatening firefighters sparked an internal investigation in Macon-Bibb County, Capt. Stephanie Burke said she was denied access to a lawyer and did not have phone service to “guide” another firefighter’s response to questioning, according to Macon.com.
Two of Capt. Burke’s subordinates appealed the disciplinary action taken against them for their participation in the prank and testified that she planned it. And a third firefighter said Capt. Burke told him that the hoax wouldn’t be recorded on video.
“At best, what we have is a swearing contest between subordinates who feel their captain wasn’t punished severely enough and their captain,” said Serena Sparks, Firefighter Burke’s attorney, at a hearing to appeal her demotion to lieutenant and 20-day unpaid suspension.
Capt. Burke was acting as battalion chief the day the prank occurred, the article said. Fire Chief Marvin Riggins said that in the video, she can be seen smiling, anticipating upcoming events in the video, jumping up and down and laughing.
“I don’t think that’s someone who’s upset about what’s going on,” he said, admitting that he had not seen the whole video when he initially disciplined Capt. Burke.
After receiving additional information, Chief Riggins said he “expected more from Burke.”
But Capt. Burke testified that although she heard firefighters talk about pranks at the station, she took a nap before the prank occurred and didn’t think anything was going to happen. She said her reactions in the video were because the other firefighters had managed to trick her.
“Did I think the gunman was real? For a split second I did,” she said.