FAIRHOPE, Alabama— Last Friday, friends and family of Hannah Rogers marched in downtown Fairhope to bring awareness to her case and demand answers about her March gunshot death, ruled a suicide by the county coroner.

On March 10, Rogers, 24, was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head at the home she and her boyfriend shared on County Road 13.

The coroner ruled Rogers’ death a suicide but friends and family of Ms. Rogers don’t believe it.

"We are still seeking answers as to how our friend died, and we will continue to search until we find the answers that we know are there somewhere,” Brandy Rhodes, a spokesman for the group, said in an email statement to The Fairhope Courier this week.  “It's not fair to her family and friends to continue to ignore the situation. It is crucial that this investigation continues until accurate findings are released. Thanks to all of those who are supporting our cause to bring justice to Hannah.”

On Friday, June 15, they held a rally in downtown Fairhope with signs saying “Justice for Hannah” and “What happened to Hannah Rogers?”

 The group says investigators have not been cooperative and have told Hannah’s family very little about the case.

Fairhope Police Chief Bill Press issued a statement last Friday saying that once all the evidence has been gathered, they would sit down with the family.

“Although we are compassionate to the desire for closure by family and loved ones, our primary responsibility is first and foremost to Ms. Rogers,” Press stated. “Therefore, we will not rest until all the evidence collected (physical and testimonial) has been evaluated and investigated.  Following the completion of this investigation, it will be our desire to meet with family and loved ones, as well as presenting our findings to the grand jury in conjunction with the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office.” 

Foster’s anti-chief campaign

The group’s march took place at the same time as one by Willie Foster, who has called publicly for the ouster of Chief Press. Owner of the Biscuit King restaurant, Foster has criticized Press for a number of firings of police personnel during the past six months.

Foster has walked the streets of Fairhope with a sandwich board saying “Fire the Chief.” His campaign encourages voters to get rid of the chief by defeating four of the City Council members who appointed Press in 2009. A new majority on the council could fire the chief, he says.

At one point, the Rogers’ demonstration assembled in front of campaign headquarters for Mayor Tim Kant, located across the street from the police station.

Although Foster has contributed to Mayor Tim Kant’s re-election campaign in the past, according to county records, he would not answer a question by The Fairhope Times earlier this year regarding whether he had collaborated with either Kant, or the mayor’s frequent-council ally Mike Ford, in his anti-chief demonstrations.

That anti-chief campaign is seen by some political watchers as an effort to tilt the balance on the council, many of whose current members and Kant are often at odds.

Kant and Press have butted heads since his appointment in 2009. Kant backed another candidate and has resisted some changes in departmental policy and procedures the chief has initiated.

That dispute reached a boiling point last year when the public learned that Kant had filed an ethics complaint against Press in 2010 over his use of a private police bank account, which pre-dated Press’ appointment.

Press was cleared of those charges last August.

Courier editor Mike Odom contributed to this report.