The July 29 arrest of former Griffin Police Department Officer Matthew Boynton stemmed from a theft report filed Dec. 19, 2016, by his former wife, Jessica Lester. Lester recovered from the shooting but doesnt remember any of it. I didnt try to brush off anything. He had control of Spalding County, she said, referring to Gibson. Her aunt Denise, a public-school teacher, said that, at the wedding, there was just this sadness in her eyes, like, Im done. She had the demeanor of a child who had promised herself not to cause trouble or draw attention to her own feelings. At first he lied, but within fifteen minutes he acknowledged that hed known about Jessicas bag all along. ), In a private Facebook message, Willey complained to a friend that Matthews demeanor was emotionless but very authoritative. She had learned about Jessicas shooting after probing stories were published by Sheila Mathews in The Grip, a free newspaper in Spalding County, and aired on the Atlanta television station 11Alive, reported by Brendan Keefe. Early that morning, Matthew was interviewed by Chris DeMarco, a G.B.I. With the Police Department reporting it was unable to locate the missing evidence, by March, efforts to obtain the oath of office had expanded beyond the GPD, with Wright seeking the assistance of city of Griffin Human Resources Director Miles Neville. reports, Matthew said. Matthew was called in for questioning. I didnt think about getting any other clothes., G.B.I. She had both of the boys packed and ready to go, Dusty said. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Of course, it was through my efforts that we landed that account, but did I get any credit? We have since received it and will respond accordingly.. I hugged her and said, Its going to be O.K. And she said, No, and looked at her husband. (Amy did not want to comment for this article, explaining in an e-mail, I have tried to remain neutral in this very serious situation.). Jacob is gentle and jovial, articulating emotions that Jessica herself struggles to name. In isolated, poor regions of South Carolina, coming from an lite familyoffereda feeling of impunity. Text messages exchanged by Yates and Martin beginning at 2:35 April 26, pertained to that days search for the missing evidence. Matthew wore a titanium wedding ring with a blue stripe, to signify that he was in law enforcement. Eric Paul. When the roles were reversed, fathers lost custody in only twelve per cent of cases. its a bunch of good ole boys its terrible that no one cares all they are there for is a pay check. For a while, he put clear tape on the doors of his house and car, so he would know if anyone had sneaked inside. Everyone said, Beams grandson will get off, she went on. This is Jessica Lester's story of survival. Mike Yates, the chief of the Griffin police, told me in an e-mail that Matthews case had nothing to do with domestic violence. Ive never, ever wanted to hurt myself before., Do you think Matthew was incapable of doing this?, Honestly, I dont know, she said. I want you to make sure that Jessica is going to be O.K., because hes going to hurt her.. Jessica was still missing her orthodontic retainer. Good for you, Mr. Owen, Hankinson replied. the epic story of African Americans fighting World War II at home and abroad / Matthew F. Delmont. King told me, Youd think it would have been simple enough to put bags on her hands and test them for gunshot residue. Shortly after the movie started, Matthew said that it was time to go. Few states mandate that custody evaluators have domestic-violence training; judges often characterize the allegations as mudslinging and focus not on their veracity but on which party appears to be the better parent. Her relationship with Matthew is far from perfect and he seems to be pretty controlling. He never let me go anywhere without me sharing my location with him. She said that, when they talked about what happened to Jessica, he laughs about it. 1,423 followers. Unable to obtain further information through the previously agreed upon interview, The GRIP on April 26 submitted Open Records requests to Cokers office and the city of Griffin. Matthew testified that Jessicas grandparents were not blood-related, and could not be trusted with the children. Owen proposed that Beam supervise the visits. I have the official police file in my possession and it isnt there.. But a Griffin city official said that the document couldnt be found. Her ex-husband and former Griffin police officer Matthew Boynton . A subsequent text message from Yates stated, It was in case file sent over and original is in evidence.. Loneliness is part of the 55 absolute best gifts for. In this episode, we discuss the toxic relationship between a couple, affairs, abuse, and a police officer who is a suspect in his . My mother and sister were brutally murdered in Dec 1986 in the same town. Matthew was now dating Shelby Willey, a young mother who had recently separated from her husband. 1,423 Followers, 1,082 Following, 1,354 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from jessica boynton (@gessieboy) gessieboy. What would happen if you were being abused by your spouse and he just happened to be a police officer? Im not well connected with anyone. She decided to resign instead. It was shortly after we concluded the case.. Jessica could not come within three hundred yards of Matthew or her children. At just 3 years old, she was abandoned by her parents, along with her brother and sister and grew up on a farm with her mother's adoptive parents. They rented an apartment in Griffin, in a complex of beige two-story buildings surrounding a swimming pool. Jessica . Dusty and her husband drove to Jessicas apartment. Right, she said, nearly whispering. Its just a hobby, he said. Matthews case was presented to a grand jury in July, 2018. In all my years in law enforcement, when someone shoots himself in the head its one and done, Jessica Whitehouse, a deputy there at the time, told me. After high school, he worked as a jailer at the Pike County sheriffs office before being hired as a patrol officer in Griffin, the largest city in Spalding County. In many other cities, domestic violence seems to be treated as similarly insignificant. In nearly a third of cases, the officers already had a domestic-violence incidentand, in one case, eightin their records. The investigation leaves some with more questions than answers.#RealLifeNightmare Saturday 8p on HLN. It was almost like her personality got squished out of her.. Matthew, who had been restored to patrol duty, carried a new service gun and wore his uniform, and was accompanied by Beam. The GRIP is continuing to work this story and will report additional information as it becomes available. Jessica and Matthew Boynton pose for a wedding photo. This is not the first time I have had suicide thoughts. She became dead seriousId never seen her so serious, Denise said. Her marriage had been crumbling, and she and her husband of six months Matthew Boynton, 20 . . ), After several months, a male officer told a captain in Internal Affairs that he didnt understand why Whitehouses complaint had been ignored. Her husband, Matthew Boynton, was at a nearby restaurant when he got a text from Jessica that read like a suicide note. Mathews, the publisher of The Grip and its only reporter, submitted an Open Records Act request to the magistrates court, where judges swear in new officers. He thinks its funny. So disgusting and shameful how Southern police departments are ran. Earlier that night Jessica's husband Matthew headed to Waffle House for a late . The investigation referenced in this office was conducted solely by the Griffin Police Department. So there was really no need for me to leave. I would have written suicidal thoughts, not suicide thoughts., She told me that she couldnt imagine using a clich such as I have not been able to recognize the person I see in the mirror., I dont generally even look in the mirror, she said. We believe he is a danger to her, she told the judge, Tommy Hankinson. But the sheriff still loomed large in their relationship. Lucy Boynton (born 1994) Lindy Brill (born 1963) Charlie Brooks (born 1981) Josh Brown (born 1990) . She said shed called and they cant find it. jessica lester boynton now. Jessica still has occasional migraines, weakness in her left foot, and lingering amnesia about the night of her shooting. Shes offended by the idea that she would have composed something as syntactically messy as the suicide text she is alleged to have written. According to Jessica Lester, Boyntons ex-wife who filed a police report that ultimately led to Boyntons arrest, she became aware of this development during a meeting with representatives of the Griffin Judicial Circuits District Attorneys Office. A G.B.I. They decided to get married. Sanders said that he no longer goes anywhere unarmed. It was Im going to lock people up. She silently surveyed the walls, where her family had taped pictures of her sons. No signup or install needed. This blows my mind.. I hope he goes to jail for this shit, she said. At 15, her friends persuaded her to go out on a date with a boy named Matthew Boynton, and the 2 ended up . Denise was on a science-curriculum committee with Matthews stepmother, Amy, a teacher in the same district. Sources: https://www.newyorker . Her relationship with Matthew is far from perfect and he seems to be . She also said that they could only charge him for one (false statements and writings) because his oath of office paperwork couldnt be found, Lester said. looked into the allegations. Jessica reported what he said to child-protective services, who helped arrange for the boys to see a child psychologist. Jessica is placid and effortlessly polite, warm without being intimate. The rest of us enjoyed her graduation party, Martha, her grandmother, said. This is Jessica Lester's story of survival. Can you please dispatch a unit out to my location? he said calmly. After informing Jessica Lester that her ex-husband, former GPD officer Matthew Boynton, would not be tried on a felony charge of violating his oath of office because the oath could not be located by that same agency, The GRIP obtained a copy through the submission of an Open Records request to Spalding County Magistrate Court, where the oath of office is administered to new GPD officers. When I asked Jessica why she never left the house when she lived with Matthew, she explained, We lived in an apartment complex with a playground. Sweet Jesus, reading this has made my head implode. In this episode, we discuss the toxic relationship between a couple, affairs, abuse, and a police officer who is a suspect . As for when the case file was submitted to the Cokers office, Yates said, It was submitted after we concluded it and finished our paperwork. She finished her high-school coursework online, and almost never saw her friends or family. Matthew and Callaway broke up a few weeks later. Courthouse Annex, Solomon Street, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, County BoC denies firearm discharge ordinance, GPD Chief Mike Yates denies The GRIP equal access, Matthew Boynton criminal case no billed by grand jury The Grip, https://the-grip.net/2018/05/15/missing-evidence-jeopardized-felony-case-against-matthew-boynton-for…. There is one major problem though. She walked with a limp and struggled with headaches, short-term memory lapses, ringing in her ears, and numbness on the left side of her body. No, that doesnt ring right, Martha told them. This is Jessica Lester's story of survival. Theres no second shot. I think weve got the right to confront and cross-examine anybody thats gonna be offering testimony, Owen said. In the spring of 2019, child-protective services closed the case and recommended, based on reports submitted by the childrens psychologist, who had seen the boys for twenty-five sessions, that they no longer spend time with Matthew. On April 25, less than three hours after the Open Records request was received by June Rainey, The GRIP was provided with a copy of Boyntons official oath that had been administered June 15, 2015, by Judge Brennan T. MacDowell. I was going to report this, but, like he said, who will they believe? Another woman, who used methamphetamine, said that sometimes Gibson followed her as she drove. Shes a grown lady, the lieutenant told him. I would have picked something different, Jessica went on. I didnt know if it was an active scenario, he later told investigators. The boys expressed fear of having any potential contact with their biological father, the psychologist wrote. I actually called them. He had a reputation for being kind and personable but also passive, indecisive, and resistant to change. I guarantee you he wont a hundred per cent say what happened, he said. (Through his lawyer, Gibson told me that the headlock-and-Taser incident was all in good fun; most of the other allegations were untrue and are otherwise embellished.). Twice, Matthew called the police on Jessica, for yelling or cursing or poking his chest. In early May, after three weeks in a coma, Jessica began to regain consciousness. -00:0034:14. In July, he was charged with two felonies: making false statements and violating his oath of office. From her porch, Jessicas neighbor Megan Browning saw Jessica and Matthew return home. Although police departments have become more attentive to officers use of excessive force against civilians, the same scrutiny has not been applied to their potential for violent behavior at home. You are your own person. Upon learning of the missing oath, The GRIP on April 24, submitted an Open Records request to Spalding County Magistrate Court, where judges swear in new officers of the Griffin Police Department by administering the oath of office. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. After he serves a three-year sentence and finishes his probation, his record will be wiped clean. Jessica was a blushing bride, excited to spend . They so called investigated but the only people I know they talked to was the family and when I bring the case back up all they want to do is talk to me again . There is no public record of the proceeding, but the grand jury chose not to indict Matthew either for making false statements or for violating his oath. 1,082 following. One witnessJessicas neighbor Megan Browningwould like to speak to you anonymously in chambers, because she is afraid., Judge Hankinson seemed to find the idea so novel as to be humorous. Especially because of my children. She started crying. She did not want to have anything to do with it.. 10 mos. $50. SMHBRING IN FBI. Thats the game here, he said. He said, Sad. When asked, how come, he stated, because daddy scares me. He went on to say, Daddy was up the hill and hurt me in his house., The sheriffs department in Pike County, where Matthew was living, investigated whether there had been abuse, but Matthew denied the allegation and the department did not find any concrete evidence. It was like he was spitting in my face, she said. That is where her memory ends. In the spring of 2016, less than six months after the wedding, Jessica discovered that Matthew was having an affair with Courtney Callaway, a dispatcher at the Spalding County sheriffs office, a mile away from the Griffin Police Department. is going to do it. He believes that the only two people who know the answers are Jessica and Matthew, and Jessica will never be a reliable source, given her traumatic brain injury, and Matthews account cant be trusted. Is she gonna wear a mask or. Thats what I told yourThats what I told the sheriff today, he said. by . And then I started thinking, Well, why did I even come to you? she said. Im glad to know theres still advocacy in the practice in the courts of the Griffin Judicial Circuit. No one ended up testifying about Jessica and Matthews marriage. A deputy named Misty Piper said that, after Gibson repeatedly pressured her to have sex with him, she acquiesced, because she felt that, if she defied Gibson, she would meet a similar fate. 121 Spring St., ICD Realty Trust and Kenneth Barnard to Davide M. and Victoria L. Ferrari, $350,000, May 26. Wheres my baby? Jessica asked, once her breathing tubes were removed. Gibson routinely said to female colleagues, Shut your cock garage. He told a secretary that she should wear a cowbell around her neck, so hed always know where she was. By then, Beams reputation had been muddied by the Gibson investigation, and he had been voted out of office.