Anthony Boyd, Charged With Helping to Burgle Bishop Long’s Office With Two of His Accusers, Speaks Out

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You cannot say that Dale Russell isn’t on the case, but I’d sure like to see him interview Vanessa Griffin Long.  Instead, we have this young man who rather confirms Russell’s earlier view that the so-called heist over at Bishop Long’s office wasn’t his responsibility.   Anthony Boyd simply wants exoneration, as he claims that he wasn’t present at the burglary, and so the charges against him cannot stand.  What is more, he thinks that the other young men got off light because of what they knew about Long.

This was from WSB-TV in Atlanta:

He said he had no reason to break into Long’s private office inside the church and risk losing his security job there. He said [Maurice] Robinson and Anthony Flagg, who were close friends, did have a motive. Three months after the break-in, they and two others filed sex abuse lawsuits against Long.

“Basically, they were just trying to get evidence to further the case or the investigation ‘cause [their attorney, B.J.] Bernstein said she couldn’t take on the case unless they get more evidence. So that’s when they burglarized the church, stole the iPad, iPhone and the jewelry,” said Boyd.

Boyd said he learned about the stolen items from detectives when they questioned him about letting Robinson upstairs the day before the burglary. He said he thought Robinson was going to get the bishop’s laundry.

“Did you break into that church?” [reporter Jodie] Fleischer asked. “No I did not,” said Boyd.

“Did you have anything to do with the break-in?” Fleischer asked. “No, I did not,” Boyd responded.

“Is there any chance you are on that videotape?” Fleischer asked.“None whatsoever,” said Boyd.

“And how do you know that?” Fleischer asked. “Cause I wasn’t there,” said Boyd.

Long asked then-District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming not to prosecute the case. Flagg was never charged because prosecutors said they lacked evidence against him. Robinson is participating in a pretrial diversion program.

A spokesman for current District Attorney, Robert James, says Boyd was offered the same program, but declined. Boyd told Fleischer he could not afford the program and refused to admit to something he didn’t do.

“The only thing I want done is to have Maurice Robinson, Anthony Flagg and the other guy to appear in court on the 28th just to let them know that I wasn’t involved. They already done said that I didn’t have anything to do with it,” said Boyd.

Understandable that this young man wants to clear his name.  Also, by having this interview, he’s trying to coax Flagg and Robinson to appear in court and support him.  I hope that they do, with a minimum of fuss (word to you, news media), and not allow Boyd to twist slowly in the wind for a crime that he says that he did not commit.  When Bishop Long gave him a job as a security guard at his church, Boyd said it was one of the happiest days of his life.  A former member, he too saw Long as a father figure, and felt that he was well-taken care of at the church.  Now his reputation and his livelihood as well as his future are in jeopardy.

What isn’t said, however, is what he thinks about Long in the wake of the settlements.  Boyd, however, states that he believes the young men’s stories of sexual abuse.  However, no one is yet willing to say, at least on camera, who was “the other guy” involved in the burglary if Boyd isn’t the perpetrator.

Anthony Boyd’s case takes place at the end of this month.  Let’s see what develops.  This ain’t over by a long shot; like Russell says near the close of his spot, “This thing keeps on going.”

~ by blksista on June 18, 2011.