Husband is innocent; police 'embellished' story

Editor:

I resent your paper writing an opinion on something they know nothing about (editorial, Judges go easy on "Teflon Doc, Feb. 19).

First, if my husband (Dr. Jerry Jackson Lee II) was Joe Sixpack, then you would not be interested in or publishing any story about him. The Columbia County Sheriffs Office investigators would not have embellished their story and tried to ruin his career. District Attorney Danny Craig would not have been so adamant on prosecuting him to the fullest extent. It would not have been news.

Second, we did not leave a central Georgia town in a cloud of malpractice suits. As a matter of fact, almost all of them have been dismissed by the judge because there was no case of malpractice. We moved because of the education of our children and we wanted to live close to our family. My husband had a four-year scholarship to pay back to the state for rural medicine and he had accomplished that.

//

Thirdly, I never stated to the police, or anyone else for that matter, nor did I have a bruise on my chest from a gun. This was fabricated by an overzealous police department that has nothing better to do.

We left Augusta not because we were run out, but because we were extremely unhappy in that town. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. My husband was not proven guilty; therefore, Senior Judge Bernard Mulherin did the right thing. I pray that you never have to go through something where you are innocent yet everyone assumes you are guilty and treats you thus.

The newspapers make their money on voicing only one side (their side) and then spoon-feed it to the public. Thank God I have a brain and do not depend on the media for my education on what is going on in life. I would not be so quick to criticize a judge when you were not in that courtroom, nor did you hear any of the evidence. Shame on you for not reporting factually!

As for the other comments in the editorial regarding me being pulled around by my hair and having a roadmap of bruises on my body, you never spoke to me nor were you there. I inflicted these (injuries) on myself because I had gone crazy in an argument with my husband. I didnt take him back after the swelling went down and he was all smiles and sweetness. I called him to come home because I was sorry for what I had done to him and I love him very much. I needed psychiatric help and he helped me get it.

You obviously have never heard of people who have problems with hurting themselves for attention. Maybe you should educate yourself on things before you begin making opinions about them.

Kandace Lee

Hazelhurst, Ga.

(On the Web: The original editorial can be viewed at http://newstimesonline.com/stories/021903/opi_opinion_021803_1741_1.shtml)