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Stanley Sheriff
SENECA — Another arraignment date for Seneca Police Chief Stanley Sheriff, another postponement. Sheriff, who stands accused of attempting to leave a Wal-Mart with a camera and camera accessories without paying in Toccoa, Ga., previously had his May 8 arraignment date pushed back to July 31. City of Toccoa Clerk of Court Jennifer Findley said solicitor Trisha Leman recently contacted her to inform her Sheriff was to be pulled off the calendar. Findley said she didn’t know why Sheriff’s arraignment was pulled or when it might be rescheduled.
What is known is that in the meantime, Sheriff will be on paid medical leave “until the issue is resolved,” Seneca City Administrator Greg Dietterick has said.
Sheriff was allegedly caught trying to leave with the merchandise after an attempt to return a camera he had previously purchased was stopped due to an elapsed return period. He also reportedly attempted to return the same camera at the Wal-Mart in Seneca but was not allowed to on the same grounds. The camera and memory cards were valued at $120.
Sheriff’s defense is a claim of short-term memory loss due to a minor stroke. He has said he has no memory of his trip to Toccoa or what occurred inside the Wal-Mart.
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July 30, 2008
11:47 p.m.Report inappropriate content
i guess they figure if they keep postponing this trial, the public will eventually forget about it.if he suffered a minor stroke is there medical proof of this,sounds like higher up officials are involved.
July 31, 2008
4:39 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Like dirty politics, you see it everyday. Once a dirty cop now a judge, once or many bad checks now a sheriff, somewhere in the world,like father like handed down to son, abuse of power. Tell me what are you gonna do? Nothing you can do, I'll bet you. Which one had more venum, the politician of course. Oconee has a way of letting everyone protect everyone in LAW ENFORCEMENT it's called job security! City officials protecting City officials, and County Officials protecting the County Officials it's called the higher elite society. But Willie's do you remember Sam Shaw,cause I do. He was dirty to, but we are only human, and humans do make mistakes,I forgive you, but don't try to be something your not, just live man, and quit talking about other People.
July 31, 2008
6:01 a.m.Report inappropriate content
If it was me or anyone else, it wouldn't be "stands accused of attempting to leave" with something. It would be called plain ole "alleged shoplifting". Why is "alleged shoplifting" not used in this story or any other story pertaining to this situation? It is what it is--alleged SHOPLIFTING.
July 31, 2008
7:09 a.m.Report inappropriate content
kdpooh63, it's like I said before, if it were me or you--we would be under the jailhouse. We definitely would not have had a police escort back to the state line. Oh and we would be charged with "alleged shoplifting" along with anything else they could drum up to charge us with. It definitely would not get postponed on every court date either.
July 31, 2008
8:25 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Meanwhile, he continues to collect a paycheck and accumulate time toward retirement. Makes me wonder how close to retirement he might be.
If credible medical evidence of impairment existed, this case could, would and should have been resolved weeks ago.
July 31, 2008
8:25 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I smell bacon!
July 31, 2008
9:01 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
July 31, 2008
10:38 a.m.Report inappropriate content
This not a county issue...it's the city of Seneca that Stanley Sheriff worked (works for) for. The city officials are the ones allowing his pay to continue. Yes, it's long past some decisions here.
July 31, 2008
11:15 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Nothing will ever happen. If people get riled enough something will probably happen, but it will be a probation type thing or something. No, Stanley will not "pay" for this. You are all correct...if it was just a "citizen" we would have been taken directly to jail without passing go,etc....I have lived my entire life here....it has always and will always be this way or probably worse. Stanley is a "good ole boy" local, and is a very nice fellow to meet and talk with. But he knew what he was doing....as much a anyone else. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the "sense of mind" to go to another Walmart and try the exchange in the first place!
July 31, 2008
2:09 p.m.Report inappropriate content
What would be really good for Seneca is for the mayor and city council to let the people that voted them into office (the same ones that can vote them out) to explain just what in the world are they thinking about this bulls**t. If you have any more openings in the Seneca City where I can get busted and then stay at home and get paid sign me up. Matter of fact I can work several of those positions at once.
July 31, 2008
2:25 p.m.Report inappropriate content
i am not making excuses for mr. sheriff but come on people it is a misdemeanor..........$120.00 dollars for stealing a camera is not the crime of the century.
i was a loss prevention associate at the seneca wal-mart and what he did was a crime no doubt. i have caught alot of people doing the exact same thing mr. sheriff was doing, the most time they ever spent in jail was just over night until the next morning when i would sign the warrant so that they could post bail.
but mr. sheriff is in a position of authority and he should have known better, for him to make an excuse of loosing his memory due to a stroke is a joke.
he is lucky that he is not under the ucmj- UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE then he would be in a world of hurt.
July 31, 2008
2:57 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Yes, dds8892, it's just a misdemeanor, but Sheriff was (and still is) Seneca's police chief. He should be held to a very high standard. Also, why doesn't the Journal and/or Upstatetoday.com simply ask the solicitor for an explanation for the latest delay in the case? Do a little digging instead of simply taking useless statements from underlings.
July 31, 2008
2:58 p.m.Report inappropriate content
So who has any idea where we all could move to that this wouldn't happen - preferential treatment of local officials?
July 31, 2008
4:19 p.m.Report inappropriate content
What ever happened to being innocent until PROVEN GUILTY.
Just maybe the people that makes those decisions know more than we do about the actual facts surrounding the case.
Has anyone of you ever suffered a diabetic/insulin reaction, stroke, etc. Those kinda of things can happen. Or maybe those of you who are so criticial are too narrow minded and uneducated to understand that.
July 31, 2008
4:49 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I can remember when a unarmed woman was shot and killed by Stanley Sheriff. He said he tripped and his gun went off. I really didn't believe it then, and now after this lie, I think it really tells us something about his integrity. Every mistake has some excuse. What happens next?
July 31, 2008
6:25 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Sure he is the sheriff of seneca arlington but i do agree with maggiemae, he is innocent until proven guilty.
Maybe he should resign amid these allegations????
Do you know what will happen if his case ever goes in front of a judge??? nothing really. I caught a whole family shoplifting one night at wal-mart and when it went in front of a judge, the judge gave the husband a $250.00 dollar fine, along with the wife and no jail time, the son was a juvenile so the charges were dismissed against the son.
They tried to walk out of wal-mart that night with over $985.00 in merchandise and the judge just slapped them on the wrist. His case will not even goto a jury trial just stand in front of a judge at the magistrates office unless he requests a jury trial because you do have that right to request one.
If tocoa has any good LP's at that store when it happened then they will know how to make a tape on their cctv's, all they have to do is make a tape of where and when he was in the electronics department taking that camera and then leaving the store, when he went to the seneca wal-mart trying to exchange it they will have cameras there as well so wal-mart has a great case against him........trust me.