Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner says a recent series of harsh Facebook posts is the result of people sending him death threats, and he’s claiming political rivals are behind them.
Turner made a number of posts on his personal Facebook account Saturday, including one calling Mississippi House District 41 Rep. Kabir Karriem a “b***h.”
Turner made threatening remarks toward unidentified people in several other posts. In one, he said “Come and kill me you cowards I’ll kill you back,” and in another, “I think you are scared because I will kill you first. Never threat my life I have family to live for . I promise I will kill you.”
When contacted by The Dispatch, Turner said the posts were in response to death threats he’s received through private messages on Facebook.
“I’ve been getting death threats and I don’t know exactly where they’re coming from,” Turner said.
Turner said he’s been getting the messages, from people he does not know, for about six months.
“I usually ignore them and laugh at them because I am a Marine,” Turner said. “I’m not afraid or anything. But I want to document this. I wanted it documented so that if something happens to me or if I have to defend myself, it’s documented. I’m not sure about the defense laws in Mississippi.”
In one conversation from June 5 that Turner provided to The Dispatch, a person (Skylar Brown) told him “We going to burn yo b***h ass,” and “just know we going for u with ur punk ass. [sic]”
‘They’re in cahoots’
Turner blamed Karriem, a former Columbus councilman, and Lowndes County District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks for the threats, claiming that they’re “in cahoots” against him.
Turner referred to a recording that emerged last summer, during a heated Democratic primary campaign against Brooks for the District 5 supervisor seat, where Brooks said he was going to “murder” Turner.
The recording — which is from a Jan. 13, 2015 meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee — includes Brooks berating Turner for running against him.
“I’m gonna try to murder you boy,” Brooks said on the recording. “Not only will you not be supervisor, I’m going to make sure you never get back on city council.”
Turner filed an assault complaint against Brooks in March 2015 and alleged the supervisor had been following and threatening him. The charges were later dropped.
Last fall, Turner called Karriem a “b***h boy” on his Facebook page while criticizing city officials’ slow response to the Ricky Ball shooting. The council reprimanded Turner for violating the city’s social media policy after his posts.
“The only person who ever said ‘I’ll murder you boy’ is Leroy Brooks and I know they’re in cahoots,” Turner said. “I don’t know what they’ll do. I don’t know what they’re capable of.”
Brooks denied taking any action against Turner, and said his comments on the recording were only political rhetoric.
“I’m not going to indulge in back-to-back foolish conversation with him,” Brooks said. “It’s unbelievable. I don’t deal with Marty. I don’t talk to him. I don’t see him. He has a serious drinking problem and needs help.”
Karriem, likewise, said he hasn’t been involved in any plots against Turner.
“I really feel sorry for Councilman Turner,” Karriem said. “I tried to get with the mayor and the rest of the council when I was on the council, to get some help for Councilman Turner for his alleged alcoholism and drug abuse. I don’t like to see him going on this continual spiral.”
Turner said he has not spoken Brooks or Karriem, because he feels they won’t talk “reasonably” with him. He also said doesn’t think law enforcement will help him.
“I take death threats very seriously,” Turner said. “My dad got killed. He got shot two times in the head for trying to help people. I told my family I would not go out like that.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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