65 march in memory of Guy Cameron Thomas

By KENNETH HART - The Independent

IRONTON April 06, 2008 12:02 am

— Justice for all.
That was the theme of a march and community gathering in Ironton Saturday afternoon.
The event was in memory of Guy Cameron Thomas, the 46-year-old man whose body was dragged 10 blocks underneath an Ironton police cruiser last month.
The march followed the same route that Thomas’ body traveled — from Ninth Street to the Ironton police station — except in reverse.
Participants and organizers said their main goal was to keep the public’s attention focused on the incident, which occurred the night of March 8.
“We want to make sure nothing gets swept under the rug,” said Dallas Thomas of Russell, Guy Thomas’ uncle. “This is not going to go away.”
About 65 participated in the march. Those at the front of the procession carried a large sign with Thomas’ U.S. Navy portrait on it, along with the words: “Guy Thomas, We Love and Miss You.”
Other marchers carried signs with various slogans on them, including “Be Happy in Christ” and “What’s Done in the Dark Will Come to the Light.”
“We’re marching for everyone who’s ever had an injustice done to them by the system,” said Lou Verne Brickey Miller, Thomas’ aunt and the principal organizer of Saturday’s event.
Miller said she felt the system was dragging its feet in getting to the bottom of what happened to her nephew.
She also said she believed strongly that someone needed to be held accountable for Thomas’ death, and that she and others planned to continue applying public pressure until that happens.
“If it had been one of us ... we would at least have to explain ourselves,” she said.
The march ended near Thomas’ home on Ninth Street and was capped off by a cookout at a park there.
The circumstances surrounding Thomas’ death were the subject of a recently concluded investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Those findings, which haven’t been made public, were turned over to Lawrence County Prosecutor J.B. Collier Jr., who’s said he plans to present the matter to a grand jury.
A preliminary investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol concluded that Thomas wasn’t standing or kneeling when his body came into contact with the cruiser, which was being driven by Officer Richard Fouts, 27.
Thomas’ autopsy also revealed that his body had no injuries consistent with being hit by a car.
Fouts has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.

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