Couple held at gunpoint, arrested after buying home

[Clockwork]

http://www.ajc.com/news/couple-held-...t-1423138.html

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating why a couple was confronted at gunpoint by neighbors and then arrested and forced to spend the night in jail when they tried to move into the home they had just purchased, Channel 2 Action News reported.

The Kalonji family had just closed on a foreclosed home and were told by their real estate agent they should go over to the house and change the locks.

But when Jean Kalonji and his wife, Angelica, started working at the home, an armed man and another person who appeared to be the man’s son allegedly confronted them.

“He say to put the hands up and get out from the house, otherwise he would shoot us,” the husband told Channel 2.

The neighbors didn’t believe the couple when they told them they had bought the home and called the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. The Kalonjis didn’t have the closing papers with them, so deputies arrested them, charged them with loitering and prowling and took them to jail.

I want off this ****ing planet.

[Clockwork]

I have a theory on why this happened.

I'm sure you can figure it out.



(new owner)

[Zero]

Mistakes happen. Sucks for the old guy though...

I don't know why they wouldn't just hold then til they called the real estate agent though. Charged with prowling =

[VW_Factor]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

I have a theory on why this happened.

I'm sure you can figure it out.



(new owner)

This happened in GA, near Atlanta. Nearly everyone in that area is black.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by VW_Factor

This happened in GA, near Atlanta. Nearly everyone in that area is black.

If it turns out the neighbors were black I will send you $5 via PayPal.

[Sazar]

I feel bad for them. They escaped conflict in the Congo to come here and start a new life and bam, neighbors jump them with guns and they get arrested for being in their own home.

Shouldn't the neighbors be charged with criminal trespass and possession of weapons with intent to harm or something? I would sue the **** out of them and the cops for this crap.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by Sazar

I feel bad for them. They escaped conflict in the Congo to come here and start a new life and bam, neighbors jump them with guns and they get arrested for being in their own home.

Shouldn't the neighbors be charged with criminal trespass and possession of weapons with intent to harm or something? I would sue the **** out of them and the cops for this crap.

Just think, now they have to live next to these assholes.

A person at the neighbors’ house said no one wanted to talk to Channel 2 about the incident.

Hmm, I wonder why?

[Perky McGiggles]

Not sure why the neighbors needed to get directly involved with guns. If you have your doubts, call the police. Breaking into a (assumed) empty house to change locks isn't the necessarily a high risk situation.

[Eisberg]

hmm, I usually take a cake to meet new neighbors, not a gun and a night in jail. Things sure have changed

[wabbitslayer]

Originally Posted by Sazar

I feel bad for them. They escaped conflict in the Congo and moved to Newton County, Georgia.

fix'd.

County went from 20,000 people in 1990 to 60,000 in 2000 to about 95,000 today; roads clogged, schools overcrowded, ambulance/fire spread too thin.....and demographics went from a 80/20 racial mix to about 50/50; racial tensions much, you think?

I got the hell out of there in 2009, if that makes me a participant in "white flight", then so be it. Has nothing to do with what color the people are, county has gone to hell b/c of largely unregulated growth from 1990-2005.

[swingline]

Originally Posted by VW_Factor

This happened in GA, near Atlanta. Nearly everyone in that area is black.

Generalize much?

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 62,001 people, 21,997 households, and 17,113 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile (87/km²). There were 23,033 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.27% White, 45.21% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_County,_Georgia

[Shadowless]

People in the south are just ****ed up

[Razeus]

Originally Posted by Perky McGiggles

Not sure why the neighbors needed to get directly involved with guns. If you have your doubts, call the police. Breaking into a (assumed) empty house to change locks isn't the necessarily a high risk situation.

That's how we do it in the south. Guns first, ask questions later.

Originally Posted by VW_Factor

This happened in GA, near Atlanta. Nearly everyone in that area is black.

Fail.

[caveman-jim]

Originally Posted by Perky McGiggles

Not sure why the neighbors needed to get directly involved with guns.

This is the south, everybody's a deputy and a moonshiner.

[mizzer]

Originally Posted by swingline

Generalize much?

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 62,001 people, 21,997 households, and 17,113 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile (87/km²). There were 23,033 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.27% White, 45.21% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_County,_Georgia

Furthermore, according to this site: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/...other-measures

The % of Blacks/African Americans has actually decreased since the 2000 census (from 45% to 37%).


P.S. The main site is actually pretty cool. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/#app/

[swingline]

Originally Posted by mizzer

Furthermore, according to this site: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/...other-measures

The % of Blacks/African Americans has actually decreased since the 2000 census (from 45% to 37%).


P.S. The main site is actually pretty cool. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/#app/

Nah, nearly everyone in that area is black.

[Zero]

Francophobia imo.

[caveman-jim]

Originally Posted by Zero

Francophobia imo.

People scared of James Franco?

[Zero]

If some skeezy pothead with lots of money moved into your neighbourhood...

[VW_Factor]

Originally Posted by swingline

Generalize much?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_County,_Georgia

Not a whole lot no.

Also, sorry about missed sarcasm/joke.

If you've ever been to GA, and been around the Atlanta area.. You'll know what it looks like.

Also CW. Keep your money, its likely they were white.

More so, the point being. There are A LOT of blacks in that area. Why would one family of blacks freak out a family of whites? They are living in the wrong area if thats all it takes to make them all ansty in the pantsy.

[wabbitslayer]

Originally Posted by mizzer

The % of Blacks/African Americans has actually decreased since the 2000 census (from 45% to 37%).

actually, that makes sense...while it was always one of the "fastest growing" counties in the late 90s, early 2000s, it has been on the "most foreclosures" list the last several years; between the large number of vacant homes and dozens of subdivisions half-built b/c all the contractors/builders went bankrupt, there are a lot of places there to film some post apocalyptic zombie-type stuff.

Most interesting part to me is the fact they were arrested; I guess we do need to be prepared for when the authorities say "papers, please".

[VW_Factor]

Originally Posted by wabbitslayer

actually, that makes sense...while it was always one of the "fastest growing" counties in the late 90s, early 2000s, it has been on the "most foreclosures" list the last several years; between the large number of vacant homes and dozens of subdivisions half-built b/c all the contractors/builders went bankrupt, there are a lot of places there to film some post apocalyptic zombie-type stuff.

Most interesting part to me is the fact they were arrested; I guess we do need to be prepared for when the authorities say "papers, please".

They should be expecting a lawsuit for wrongful arrest. Violation of their civil rights and all. I mean, arrested in your own home. That's just..

If enough people begin standing up for their civil rights and suing the PDs that do these things, eventually these agencies will begin to respect "due process of law" once again.

As it is now. A lot of PDs don't care, and will arrest without cause and let a DA and/or judge sort it out. It is the wrong attitude to have.

[wabbitslayer]

Originally Posted by VW_Factor

They should be expecting a lawsuit for wrongful arrest.

Oh, and are they gonna get one:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...er-tryi/nMgQq/

“They just spontaneously arrested him, arrested his wife, threw them in jail, made no phone calls, made no effort to verify the truthfulness of what they were saying and told the people with the guns in essence, ‘Thank you for your good service,’” Kalonji family attorney Don Samuel said.

Don Samuel = proverbial "can of whoop ass"

[guest]

Originally Posted by wabbitslayer

Oh, and are they gonna get one:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...er-tryi/nMgQq/

Now, the neighbors are the ones behind bars.

And they didn't even kill anyone.

The father-son pair of neighborhood watchmen in the confrontation turned themselves in to the Sheriff's Office Monday evening. Robert, 45, and Branden Canoles, 18, were charged with false imprisonment, aggravated assault and criminal trespass.

Good for them.

[Akumajo]

Originally Posted by Shadowless

People in the south are just ****ed up

Indeed, This should make national, nah, WORLD news right on top of terrorist acts.

[Akumajo]

Originally Posted by guest

And they didn't even kill anyone.

Good for them.

They also held guns, remember in the South so those guns are loaded, then the Police show up and arrested the homeowners... pretty black and white, how embarrasing... I guess those blacks will eventually move out after that incident.

[drumphil]

Given how easily the police could have confirmed the facts of the issue, their decision to first arrest these people is inexcusable.

[BackToPC]

Must have been sold by Honey and Vinegar realty

[VW_Factor]

Originally Posted by Akumajo

They also held guns, remember in the South so those guns are loaded.

It doesn't matter where in the world you are.. Guns are worthless unless they are loaded.

Also, it was extremely stupid for these guys to use their weapons to intimidate in the fashion they did. Lets say the homeowners carried.

These two assholes would have been gunned down and paid with their lives for being this stupid. Coming into someone else's home with guns drawn like that.

This family might end up owning the assailants trailer as well.

Bravo stupid people.