JUDGE JAYNE CHANDLER WANTS TO KNOW WHY POLICE DIRECTOR TRIED TO FIX A TICKET IN HER COURT ROOM

What is it going to take for mayor Willie Herenton to fire Police Director Larry Godwin for abusing his authority and for malfeasance? While Godwin is attempting to violate the right to free speech by The MPDENFORCER 2.0 maybe he should be explaining why he used his position and that of his Deputy Chief to fix a ticket. Here's what happened:

On May 19,2008 local businessman Bradley Greer appeared in City Court for driving 19 miles over the speed limit. Greer didn't want to stand in line like other citizens and kept trying to go to the front of the line outside the courtroom of Judge Jayne Chandler. One of the two City of Memphis police officers who handles security for the courtroom Officer K.J. Brown noticed the man on his cell phone trying to break the line and ordered him to get in line like everyone else.At that point Greer read the officer's name tag and mentioned it to the person he was speaking with on the phone. When the officer inquired as to who he was giving his name to Greer stated to the officer "Director Godwin will be down to take care of you".

Officer Brown mentioned this incident to the senior officer in the courtroom Officer S.F. Pryor III whose been on the force for 29 years. Pryor told Brown to do his job and treat Greer like any other citizen.Shortly after court started and Judge Chandler was on the bench Deputy Chief Jim Tusant entered the courtroom with Greer,by passed the judge and went over to the City Prosecutor to address ticket #Q409632. Tusant asked that the ticket be dismissed and it was. Never even regarding Judge Chandler, Tusant and Greer left the courtroom.

At this point the judge inquired of Officer Pryor as to why Tusant was in her courtroom. Pryor told the judge what Tusant had just done as part as having Greer's ticket dismissed.Judge Chandler became livid and told the Prosecutor that Tusant was out of order and that Greer was going to treated the same as any other citizen no matter who he knows. Chandler ordered that the ticket be returned to the docket and that Greer appear before her. The date for Greer to return to court was Thursday July 3,2008.

In the mean time I'm told that Judge Chandler sent a letter to Police Director Larry Godwin telling him that she will not allow him to fix tickets in her courtroom and that she had returned Greer's case to her docket. I'm also told that Chandler requested his appearance in her courtroom also on July 3,2008.Earlier that week I received a call from a close business associate who stated to me that Police Association attorney Ted Hansom had been in contact with him,and knew that the two of us were friends. I was told that Hansom had said that there was really nothing to the case and that the ticket had been paid. It was apparent from my conversation with my business associate that there was the wish that I not be present in the courtroom on Thursday morning.

Seeing that a private citizen and not a police officer had received the ticket I couldn't understand what Hansom's role was. But when I got to Judge Chandler's courtroom on Thursday morning I found out.It appears that Ted Hansom is representing Bradley Greer who was not present on that Thursday morning in court. I'm told that Larry Godwin was on vacation so he was also unable to appear. The hearing has been reset to August 5,2008.

The question here is why is Godwin and Tusant attempting to fix a ticket,and what is the relationship between Godwin and Greer. I'm told that Greer owns a restaurant that officers frequent . The Police Director and his command staff getting involved in ticket fixing should send a signal to mayor Herenton that it's time to make a change. How can police officers ticket citizens when the Police Director is allowed to fix tickets for his friends.

Under Tennessee law “illegal cancellation of a traffic citation is a Class C misdemeanor and carries a maximum fine of $50 and a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail, according to Tennessee Code Annotated, 55-10-204.” But in the case of Godwin it is also Malfeasance of his duties. This matter should be turned over to The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This matter can easily proven by questioning the officers along with Godwin and Tusant. Plus the records of the court can also be checked. Judge Jayne Chandler also would be able to testify to the fact she placed the matter back on her docket.The Director was so upset with the officers in Judge Chandler's court for telling her what went on, that the officers whose only job is court security were sent outside 202 Poplar to write tickets on their lunch break.

FROM THE CITY CHARTER:Sec. 2-10-8 Use of position or authority.A. An officer or employee may not make or attempt to make private purchases, for cash or otherwise, in the name of the city.B. An officer or employee may not use or attempt to use his position to secure any privilege or exemption for himself or others that is not authorized by the charter, general law, or ordinance or policy of the city. (Ord. 5206 § 8, 7-1-07)

CHECK ON TICKET TO ENLARGE AND READ

SIDENOTE: SOURCES WITHIN 201 POPLAR STATE THAT THE SEALED INFORMATION IN CHANCERY COURT HAS TO DO WITH HOW GODWIN THINKS I GOT HOLD OF THE CONFESSION OF DEXTER COX WHO WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS FRIEND ED VIDELICH. I'M TOLD THAT GODWIN THINKS THAT SOMEONE CONNECTED TO MPDENFORCER LEAKED THE DOCUMENT TO ME. BUT THEN WHO CARES WHAT HE THINKS, HE'LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE.