MARTA Transit Chairman Arrested for Public Sex Act

Atlanta MARTA Transit Chairman, Edmund Wall, has been arrested and charged with public indecency, after being discovered in an airport restroom performing a sex act with another man.

THE BUST

On Tuesday, March 13^th 2007, an undercover officer at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport discovered the 43 year-old transit chairman engaging in oral sex with a man in a handicapped bathroom stall. The officer indicates that he was able to see the act taking place, as Wall and his companion had left the stall door faintly ajar.

The other man, has been identified as Michael Pettry, a 25 year-old man from Indianapolis. Atlanta police also report that Pettry was someone whom Edmund Wall had met on the craigslist.org web site. Subsequently, they pre-arranged their meeting at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Wall, who just celebrated his 43^rd birthday on Monday (March 12), was arrested for public indecency and for receiving oral sex.

THE REPERCUSSIONS

Recently there has been a crackdown on crimes of this nature in metro Atlanta areas. From late December of 2006, through the end of January, there have been 11 arrests for public indecency. Of those arrests a Spelman College professor, and a CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) adviser have been named.

Wall is well known throughout the metro Atlanta community, and is active in many local political circles. A member of the regional Transportation Planning Board, he also served on the Atlanta Regional Commission. Those who have worked with Edmund Wall have described him as "unconventional" often carrying backpacks to meetings, wearing bow ties, and entertaining others with his jovial (albeit quirky) personality.

Ernie Brooks, president of MARTA's employee union has expressed remorse in this latest incident:

"It's just disappointing," he states. "It's a bad reflection on MARTA leadership for sure."

Edmund Wall's lawyer, Steve Sadow, insists that Wall has been "falsely accused." He further claims that Wall is innocent of the charges, and that he did not commit [the] crime, calling the accusations "false and malicious."

But officers have another perspective. Per their reports, they claim that Edmund Wall was in complete control of himself at the time, and was not bashful about what he was doing. The police report reveals that the undercover officer came upon Wall fondling himself at one of the airport urinals, at which point the officer observed both Pettry and Wall, leaving the restroom, and heading into another restroom which was closed for cleaning. They then proceeded to yet another men's room, where they were ultimately seen engaging in oral sex. When Pettry left the room, Wall reportedly stood at a urinal left of the undercover officer and attempted to engage him in lewd behavior, at which point he was arrested. The officer also claims that one of the lavatories they visited has been a popular location for other public decency arrests.

Wall is a married father of three who was appointed to MARTA's board in 2002. An email has been issued to MARTA employees informing them of the arrest.