Neighbors mum on man charged in deputy’s death

Residents in the Columbus neighborhood of Gregory Lance Henderson, the man charged with running over and killing a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy last week, were mum when asked about the man on Monday.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy James Anderson, 39, a three-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, was killed after he and another deputy conducted a traffic stop on Lee Road 240 in Smiths Station. According to sheriff’s reports, when Anderson got out of the patrol car and approached the driver of the vehicle, the driver drove forward striking Anderson and pinning him under the car. Henderson, 31, of Columbus, Ga., is being held in the Russell County jail on one count of capital murder in Anderson’s death.
When approached Monday, several residents in Henderson’s Columbus neighborhood had no comment. Some even said they knew him and where he lived, but declined to comment further.
One resident, Tammi Brookins, who said she lived around the corner from Henderson, remembered him as a trouble maker.
“He caused a lot of problems around here,” she said. She went on to say Henderson caused nuisances around the neighborhood and would drink and fight with his significant other and bust windows.
While multiple attempts by the Opelika-Auburn News to retrieve Henderson’s criminal background from the Columbus Police Department have been unsuccessful, the Associated Press reported that he has been booked into jail 16 times in the past 11 years with charges ranging from writing bad checks to aggravated assault and possession of methamphetamine.
According to the Associated Press report, Henderson was on parole from a 2007 felony drug conviction when he was charged last week with capital murder in Anderson’s death. Henderson was sentenced to 15 years on the drug conviction and was ordered to serve three behind bars. He was released on parole after about 15 months.
Little is known about Henderson, but while in court last week, he told the judge he was an unemployed, unmarried father of four young children.
Currently, Henderson is being held in the Russell County jail without bond. Alabama does not allow bond in capital murder cases.
At his initial court appearance Friday, Lee County Circuit Court Judge Jacob A. Walker III said a preliminary hearing would be scheduled within the next 30 days.