The Rich, Galley, Brits and Nathanson story
This is not how I planned my day this day.
It was Thursday 16 February 2017 at about 16h00. We were wound up for the day this day already when I received a call from a detective from the SAPS who was not known to me. He said that he had been told that I knew what Glen Brian Galley looked like and as he was going to try to arrest him, he asked if I would meet with him at the Shongweni Polo Pony service station so that we could chat about Galley beforehand. I agreed.
When I met with this SAPS member, I immediately noticed that he was alone. I cautioned him that Galley had a tendency toward violent behavior. With that, the detective asked me if I would accompany him to Galley’s residence nearby in Cliffdale.
In affidavit the detective states under oath:-
“I requested Mr. Nathanson and Mr. Brits, in my official capacity as a detective in the SAPS busy conducting police investigations, to accompany me and to assist me in identifying the suspect and, if necessary, arresting the suspect, as
6.4.1 I was unarmed
6.42 I was alone”
When we got to the property where Galley and Rich were cohabiting, we were met by the landlord. The policeman did all of the talking and introduced the three of us. He told the landlord that we were there to speak with Galley.
The first to meet us at the back of the main house outside a flat in which Galley and Rich were staying was Bernice Alecia Rich. She was visibly under the influence of alcohol at least and even snatched the policemen’s docket out of his hand, only for him to have to snatch it back and caution her. Rich immediately grabbed at me managing to cut my ear and break the chain around my neck by hooking it with one of her fingers. She swore at me, threatened me and mocked me as I bent down to pick up the crucifix that had fallen to the ground from around my neck. Although she did not spit at me, she continually mock-charged me as if she were going to spit. She was deranged. Then came Galley who had been on the phone and behind a container in the yard. He too was clearly intoxicated. Immediately he was cocky with the policeman looking him up and down with the disrespect he did not deserve and then also began threatening me and swearing at me. Galley warned me that he and his “mates” are “coming” for me. Galley vowed over and over again that if we thought that we were going to put him away for a weekend, that we had another thing coming. At this time Glen Brian Galley was placed under arrest by the SAPS detective and told to collect his shoes and a jacket. The detective, an unarmed man, lead Galley, who was not handcuffed, into a room on his own. It was my decision that we wait outside but that I at least position myself so as best to have this policeman’s back.
Rich tried to hit me with the gate by swinging it at me. By now, nothing but profanity left Rich’s mouth. When she didn’t succeed with the gate, she got mad and that is when she assaulted me. My instinct and immediate reaction was to slap her with a flat hand firstly, to bring her to her senses (I had hoped) and to suggest less likelihood of a second attack by her. Rich’s volume went up. I pushed her backward twice, not to bully her but because I believe that I needed to close the gap between myself and the detective as I suspected that Rich may have been creating an opportunity for Galley to escape. With that, Galley broke away from the detective and entered into a free for all involving Brits, Rich, himself and I. Technically, Galley had escaped from police custody.
In his testimony this detective writes:-
9.3 “Although Mr. Galley was under arrest, her ran from me and ran to the open door and gate where Mr. Nathanson, Mr. Brits and Ms. Rich were, although I ordered him to stop. He did not”.
At the Hillcrest police station Rich barged her way in behind the charge office desk and began slamming doors in the corridor before she was warned by the SAPS to leave the building or risk being arrested.
Would I do it again same case scenario? “I don’t know. My intention from the get-go was to point Galley out and assist arrest if need be. I am sorry that it turned ugly. My testimony will show that I did not instigate this incident. I merely defended myself, my staff and the unarmed member of the SAPS. I also assisted in the re-arrest of Galley that day as he was a handful for the detective. Galley was duly cuffed by the detective and transported by a SAPS state vehicle to SAPS Hillcrest where he was detained.
You had to have been in my shoes on that day to make this call. Remember that the difference between life and death may be just one thing that I have to do or not do, and I often have to make this decision in an instant, all too often.
You may read up about GLEN BRIAN GALLEY on my FB page and website and then ask yourself what kind of person would not only be living with Galley but also be engaged to be married to him? Was I dealing with a normal person whose abnormal behavior was exacerbated by the consumption of a copious quantity of alcohol?
Did I behave lawfully? Yes, I did and in the end, justice prevailed.”
I have never denied what I did. The circumstances were extraordinary. I behaved in a manner for which I am trained; primarily to protect. This is my Calling.
Through it all I remain a Child of God, a servant to man and a master to the devil.
God Bless you all
Brad Nathanson