Johnny Anderson Addresses Beaufort County Commissioners Regarding Cory Anderson's Death | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: While I am publisher of Beaufort County NOW, I also serve at the pleasure of my constituents here in Beaufort County as a commissioner. On the night of September 3, 2019, during our September general meeting, I listened as Johnny Anderson spoke during our Public Comment Section, and told of a meeting his sister, Debra Anderson Whitley, had with Sheriff Ernie Coleman and Chief Deputy Charlie Rose, which occurred in the middle of July, that sounded too fantastical to be true, yet, Johnny Anderson and his sisters - Debra and Jeanette - swear it to be accurate.

    To my known knowledge, Johnny Anderson's comments have not been refuted by the Sheriff or Chief Deputy Rose, and as per BCN's policy, we allow and encourage any, all offended parties to respond as is their knowledge of the truth. Furthermore, BCN will allow space, well presented, for any explanation to the contrary to clear up any confusion and right any presented speech that may wrongly cast a misapplication of the absolute truth.

    Here below is the video shot of a monitor within the confines of the Beaufort County Commissioner room, at that aforemention meeting, followed by the transcript of Mr. Anderson's comments of that July meeting between his sister, Debra Anderson Whitley, and Sheriff Ernie Coleman as provided to BCN.


This video was shot on September 3rd, in the Beaufort County Commissioners' public chambers, with a phone camera taken by a private citizen, and, remarkably, is at least as good of a quality as to what the county government is offering broadcast to the public as their county government's public general meeting: Above.
    Good evening,

    I am here tonight to let the sheriff and people of Beaufort County know that we are still seeking justice and accountability and answers for Cory Anderson's death.

    Since I was last here, my sister has gone and had the opportunity to talk with the sheriff finally and chief Rose.

    Cory's dad and I have been asking for over two years now to meet with the sheriff. He will not.

    My sister had gone to ask please tell us why you didn't call.

    He said there's no SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to notify the Emergency contacts every time an inmate is seen at the hospital.

    I understand that. All cases are not emergencies.

    The sheriff said an inmate may be seen for a bump on the head for instance and sent back to the jail.

    Cory's condition was very serious. He was admitted to ICU.

    In fact ChIef Rose told us in May of 2017 that he knew it was bad from the very beginning.

    The sheriff said he was being updated and notified of Cory's condition that the communication was going up and back down the chain of command he said.

    Cory's condition was getting worse.

    In the sheriff's words Cory began to crash. In other words, Cory began to die.

    The Sheriff said at one point in the conversation with my sister that he 'didn't want to call'; was why was 'the reason he didn't call.' When he said that Chief Rose quickly spoke up and said 'you are being facetious.'

    Was he serious or was he being facetious? He said it. Either way, it's not appropriate in any way shape or form from an elected official or a sheriff.

    The sheriff also reminded my sister that he did get re-elected and that '99% of the people thought we were making total fools of ourselves.' So be it.

    And that he was 'tired of the BS.' That's what he referred to as all this stuff surrounding Cory's death is B.S. as he also referred to it as that.

    That is not only inappropriate talk to my sister that way to talk to her, it's also unprofessional and uncaring.

    Again my sister would ask in the conversation 'why didn't you call? As a person, as a human being, not as a sheriff, why didn't you call? You know Cory needed his family.'

    He told her he 'could have called.'

    He went on to say, 'there AIN'T A THOU SHALT CALL policy anywhere'; he 'didn't "HAVE" to call by law.'

    He 'didn't HAVE to call mama, daddy, brother or sister.' He 'didn't HAVE to call nobody.'

    He said he 'would do the same thing all over again.'

    He told her that 'we are mentally and emotional unstable and that we need to see a psychiatrist.'

    I've been here enough that you know, we know and the sheriff knows that is really not the truth.

    It's just a diversion from the truth.

    The sheriff went on to say before she left that he was 'done with us that we are dead in the water, don't come back here to my office no more.'

    He said he was 'glad to get this off his chest and have the opportunity to finally talk' to my sister, that we 'had put him through enough.'

    These are his words and they are wrong on so many levels.

    So what are we gonna do?

    We're gonna continue to pray we are gonna continue to work for justice and accountability and answers because this should have never happened to Cory. It should never happen to any other inmate or their family.

    There must be change before this happens again.

    The things I have spoken to you tonight are the truth and nothing but the truth. As I said these words are the sheriffs words and we felt like that you and the public and the sheriff ought to hear this tonight.

    Thank you Commissioners, and thank God for the opportunity to speak again on Cory's behalf, because as we all know, he is no longer able to speak for himself.