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What the Helms is he doing?
January 24th, 2008, 10:34 am · 7 Comments · posted by mcazalas
The opinion in this corner, as written more than once, is that there is a big difference between not guilty and innocent.
There is a big difference between failing to recognize something you should have/failing to take proper action and committing a crime.
Having been found not guilty, but in no way having been proclaimed an innocent, former boot camp Lt. Charles Helms Jr. has announced he intends to sue the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Frank McKeithen for wrongful termination.
What’s curious now is this: How many of those who agree with the not guilty verdits in the boot camp case will support former camp Lt. Charles Helms as he goes about suing the agency that employed him for wrongful termination.
It’s hard to imagine there is much support.
For a man who one could presume was praying only for a not-guilty verdict a few months ago, a man facing prison, a man wanting vindication, Helms’ notice of intent to sue the Sheriff’s Office for terminating his position comes off poorly.
Helms, to be sure, was the least involved of the guards, arriving on the scene toward the end of Martin Lee Anderson’s ordeal. Criminally, he was the least culpable. But what became clear, quickly, was that the boot camp was not working as well as it should have, there were issues, and it needed to close, which means no position for Helms.
It is not the move of a man who seemed ready for all of this to just fade away. This does not move us toward more healing, which is what we all need.
Others paid the price for their involvement. Former FDLE Commissioner Guy Tunnell bit the dust, employees lost their jobs, Medical Examiner Charles Siebert was run out of town, the Anderson family was pulled through the mud and this community was scarred.
We cannot move forward with actions like this pending. If Helms has a beef, it ought to be with the state government that prosecuted him, not the office that supported him and not the sheriff who sat through much of his trial.
Caz, you make some good points. On the other hand, I would ask what is an employer’s obligation to its employee? Was the employer the State or the BCSO? Additionally, Helms followed procedure. Finally, as far as Helms knew, there couldn’t have been anything wrong with MLA; his parents, DJJ, the doctor and a nurse said so.
Moving on is just as important to Lt Helms as anybody else so what is wrong with the man having an impartial hearing ? If he was qualified to work for the Sheriffs office before why is he impaired now ? This goes for the rest of the guards as well/
McKeithen is as guilty as Crist of jumping the gun on a settlement. McKeithen threw his employees under the bus, not a new posture for him, and sitting in through part of the trial doesn’t change that. Helms is due compensation for the way he has been treated by the sheriff, chief deputy and others in BCSO administration. As usual Caz your opinion misses the larger point.
In a recent interview Helms complains that his 53-year-old body just can’t take the abuse of carrying 50 lb. sacks up and down stairs all day. Gee, maybe he should have thought about that when the body of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson was being manhandled by seven 200 lb. men.
Why should Lt. Helms get an administrative hearing? There have been several employees terminated from the Boot Camp that did not receive the same hearing that he is asking. Lt Helms made it clear you should not even ask for a hearing at your termination because it would be wasted time. He ran good officers out of the Boot Camp that went on to be exemplary officers in other police departments. He is arrogant and self centered. So stuck on himself that he doesn’t want the limelight to fade away. Give me a break. If those officers were charged separately, do you honestly think he would have gotten off so easily?
Before anyone starts thowing comments around, they should at least know what they’re talking about. It is BCSO policy that any deputy, not just the Drill Instructors, be terminated if charged (not convicted) with a felony. A hearing or review would not change this.
Caz: You were born innocent and lost that status immediately. The king is told they have hung an innocent man and he replies “he is guilty of something”.
Helm is found not guilty of the crime and the whole event will scar him, his family and friends. The victim’s family is scarred also. When a tragedy like this occurs everyone, including the community is scarred.
How does Humpty Dumpty put himself back together again? How do you guarantee that “justice” was done? Well, these are questions for philosophers to sit and muse over.
Helm has the right to have a hearing. His behavior will be determined by a different standard. He will not have the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” but will face “the preponderence of the evidence”. The right to have his hearing is designed to prevent heavy handed bosses from arbitrarily firing someone. I am curious why he was not suspended without pay. After the trial, an internal investigation could have been conducted. His retention could have been settled that way.
Each of the defendents will, each day, relive this event. This event will sit heavy on their hearts forever. They will question themselves forever. They will seek answers that NO ONE but God has.