Panama City, Bay County, Florida
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
By: Kevin Earl Wood, allunited@bellsouth.net
Jackson County Historian Dale Cox
Jackson County “historian” Dale Cox has now taken his quest to stop the exhumations of childrens’ unmarked graveyard remains at the Dozier School for Boys to a new criminal allegation level.
Mr. Cox has alleged to the Marianna, Jackson County, Florida Chief of Police Hayes Baggett that University of South Florida (USF) forensic anthropologist and researcher Dr. Erin Kimmerle has violated Section 872.02 of the Florida statutes, which if so constitutes a felony in Florida.
State Attorney Glenn Hess, 14th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Chief Baggett has confirmed that there is no criminal investigation open with the Marianna Police Department but states in an email to Bay Community News, “I have turned everything over to [State Attorney] Glenn Hess, and I gave Dale Cox, Mr Hess email address.” Mr. Hess’s assistant, Kim Williams, has verified that the matter is being reviewed by Mr. Hess.
USF Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Erin Kimmerle
Section 872.02 makes it a felony offense to disturb the contents of a grave. However, the statute also provides that, “This section shall not apply to any person acting under the direction or authority of the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State…”
Dr. Kimmerle and her team have received a permit from the State Archeologist, Division of Historical Resources to conduct her exploratory investigation at the Dozier School for Boys.
Mr. Cox has alleged that Dr. Kimmerle has exceeded the authority granted by the permit.
It is unknown how long Mr. Hess will take to “review” the matter.
If anyone would like to contact Mr. Hess with comments or inflormation, his official email is glenn.hess@sa14.fl.gov .
Dr. Kimmerle, also a professor at USF, comes equipped with impressive credentials. The work she has done at Dozier so far has been lauded by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, medical examiner Michael Hunter, and others.
For Mr. Cox to accuse Dr. Kimmerle of felony conduct dictates that he should be advised that his evidence to support such a charge is credible.