Fayetteville Council Woman Received Death Threats

But it's gone even farther for a council woman in Fayetteville who saysshe has received death threats.Police have launched an investigation.

City police have dropped their investigation at the request of the councilmember, Ida Ross. She says the threats are very real, but she doesn't haveany faith in the police department getting to the bottom of those threats.

Ross says she's been getting threats on and off for years, but that itgot much worse about six months ago. That's about the time Ross was amonga majority of council voting to investigate the city's police departmentand to fire the city manager. Since then, Ross says she's gotten lettersand phone calls with racial slurs and serious threats.

Last week, Ross brought up the subject of the threats during a councilmeeting. She told council she takes the threats seriously.

Fayetteville police quickly launched an investigation. Major RobertShambley of the police force says a serious attempt is being made to findout who is behind the threats against Ross.

Ross has told the police not to bother with an investigation.

Ross said she has contacted federal authorities about the threats,but there's no indication of any active investigation. As for Fayettevillepolice, they're hands are tied if Ross doesn't want their help.

Photographer:Rick Allen