UNION CITY, Ga. –The family of the man accused ofkilling a Fulton County police officer is speaking out. Amanuel Menghesha’s brothers say everything the community has heard about Detective Terence Green is true. They know first hand how caring and generous he could be.
Thedros Poinsette says Green would check up on Menghesha and his 15-year-old daughter every two weeks to make sure they were doing alright. Saturday night, she issued a written statement to say thank you.
“Officer Green was a good man to me. When I needed him he was there and he always gave good advice. Every two weeks or so Officer Green would check on me at school. My dad knew Officer Green and he knew that my dad was going through a lot. And Officer Green took time to talk to my dad and they had a very good understanding with each other. Also, Officer Green was a good man and I’m sorry that this had to happen. All my prayers to the family. And Officer Green always gave great advice and he was willing to tell you how to get through life. I’m sorry for everything. My prayers to the family.”
The family wouldn’t talk about why Green was visiting, only that Menghesha was a single father and Green had the heart to help.
“For us to have actually experienced his kindness, his concern, his service it’s.. a double tragedy,” said another one of Menghesha’s brothers, Nathan Poinsette.
Menghesha’s brothers say they don’t recognize the man in the police reports… drunk and violent. And they don’t know what happened in the darkness and fog early Wednesday morning.
“Those descriptions is totally different than the man I know,” said Nathan Poinsette.
But they do know their brother was in tremendous pain, and say he was medically discharged from the army for a back injury that still haunted him.
“He is a disabled veteran that needed help. And it’s unfortunate that it did not come soon enough,” he added.
Menghesha’s family is desperate to know how he is doing. Police say he’s still at Grady Memorial Hospital, recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. The family says they only know that from the news.
“The hospital denies he’s there, even though we see on the news that he’s there. Police are not giving any type of information. How he was shot, where he was shot, what condition he’s in. it’s just been total silence,” Nathan Poinsette said.
They want to know how he’s doing – and see the evidence against him. They say right now, none of it makes sense.
“He does have some complications and issues, but I don’t think that my brothers capable of doing what he’s being accused of. I just don’t see it,” said Thedros Poinsette.
Thedros also issued a written statement on behalf of the family:
“I would like to make a statement on behalf of our family. First and foremost, we would like to offer our sincerest sympathy and condolence to the family of Detective Terence Green. Detective Green was an instrumental part of our family’s life. The loss of any life is tragic, especially for someone who was so loved by his family, friends and community. My brother Amanuel is a hard-working, family oriented man who has complications and great stressors in his life. He is by no means the monster that is being portrayed as in the media, but a disabled veteran who is in desperate need of help. My brother is the kind of man who would give the shirt off his back which is why this is such a shock to his family and friends. We understand that emotions are high and deservedly so and we are by no means condoning this horrible act against Detective Green, but we humbly ask that before anybody passes judgment to please allow for due process and let him have his day in court. Please respect the grieving family’s privacy during this tragic time and please keep both families in your prayers and ask God to bestow his divine grace on Detective Green and his family.”
http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/union-city/2015/03/07/menghesha-green-fulton-county-police-detective-shooting/24593719/
