Douglasville police officers and a judge to attend diversity training

Douglas County police officers and a judge will take a cultural diversity class after a Muslin woman was sent to jail for refusing to remove her head scarf.

Last week, Judge Keith Rollins sent a Muslim woman to jail after she refused to remove her head scarf, or hijab, before entering a Douglasville courtroom. The woman, Lisa Valentine, was then escorted to jail and had her mug shot taken - without her hijab. But she was released hours later after the police department’s senior staff investigated.

Deputy Chief Gary Sparks of the Douglasville Police Department says everyone at the department will now attend a training class on diversity.

"We're aware of the changing in our community, so we want our officers to be knowledgeable of different aspects and in dealing with the different personnel that's living in our community."

Sparks says Judge Rollins will also attend the four hour class.

News of the incident spread across the country, and about 50 people demonstrated outside of the courthouse Friday. They called for Rollins to step down.

Muslim woman arrested for not taking off headscarf

A woman was arrested Tuesday for contempt of court in west Georgia after she refused to take off her hajib, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.

Chris Womack with the Douglasville Police Department says 40-year-old Lisa Valentine, who goes by her Islamic name Miedah, was ordered jailed for 10 days by Municipal Court Judge Keith Rollins. She violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing anything on their head.

Valentine's husband, Omar Hall, said she was released from jail Tuesday evening. He called the judge's actions unconstitutional and humiliating.

The judge could not be reached for comment.

Last year, a Muslim woman in Valdosta made headlines when she was ordered to remove her hajib in Municipal Court. Officials cited homeland security reasons for forcing her to do so.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this issue.

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
http://www.ajc.com

(AP)

Valdosta court bars Muslim woman wearing headscarf

Officials in Valdosta who last week refused to admit a Muslim woman to a local court, say there were justified because the woman refused to remove her headscarf. Aniisa Karim says she went to court to contest an outstanding parking ticket. Sheriff's deputies, however, refused to admit Karim to court, citing homeland security concerns and because they say wearing the traditional headscarf would be disrespectful to the judge. A spokesperson for the city of Valdosta said court officers acted properly but did offer apologies if Karim was offended. Since Karim's story was made public, anti-Muslim postings to an Internet blog suggest she go home. Karim however, is African American and says she been wearing her headscarf since she was a child. Valdosta City officials say they'll review their court admittance policy this coming week.

GA's top judge says more work needed in drug courts

The state's top judge challenged a group of state lawmakers today to broaden their approach when it comes to reducing drug and alcohol related crimes.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears congratulated those gathered for the third annual drug court conference for successfully keeping more than 3,500 people out of prison.

The state's drug and DUI courts have a repeat offender rate of approximately 17 percent. The national repeat offender rate is close to fifty percent.

Sears, however, tempered her words with a bit of a challenge. "We're reaching only a small fraction of the people who are arrested every year for drug possession. Your challenge is to apply the model to all offenders who can benefit."

But Judge Kent Lawrence, who heads up a drug and DUI court in Athens-Clark County, says the program isn't as easy as it sounds. "I spend a lot of my time trying to talk the offenders out of coming into our dui-drug program. It would be easier for them to serve 12 months in jail than have to put up with me for two years."

Lawrence says the program works because it targets the addiction rather than the crime.

There are more than 50 drug courts scattered throughout the state. Some programs last up to two years, and all use a team approach with therapists and counselors.

Court says "NO" to gassing animals

In granting a request by animal rights activists to immediately stop using the gas chamber on pets, Judge Cynthia Wright blamed Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin, saying the commissioner used quote a wink and a nod approach to enforcing the 1990 law.

However, Commissioner Tommy Irvin was unapologetic, testifying that the job is too big for the state, and responsibility should rest with local communities.

Animal rights activists applauded the ruling.

Leanna Stormont is with PETA … People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

She says “today is a good job for Georgia animals.”

It’s not clear how many shelters still use gas chambers. However, the lawsuit was based on a complaint that a Tifton shelter that still uses gas to euthanize stray and unwanted pets.