Posted on 08/26/2022 2:05:01 PM PDT by heartwood
Moments after police arrested an Alabama pastor watering his neighbor’s plants, an officer who witnessed Michael Jennings spraying the foliage with a water hose expressed doubt at Jennings’ version of events, according to body cam footage released Tuesday.
Jennings, a Black pastor at Vision of Abundant Life Ministries in Sylacauga, was arrested on obstruction charges in the late May incident in Childersburg. The charges have since been dropped.
Lawyers for Jennings obtained body cam footage from Childersburg police and released the video Tuesday, which also showed that Jennings identified himself as “Pastor Jennings” and officers denying that the minister identified himself.
The footage begins with an officer approaching Jennings on May 22 as the pastor waters plants at the home of his neighbor, who is out of town.
An officer then demands Jennings show him identification but the pastor objects, saying he “did nothing wrong.”
“I’m supposed to be here. I’m Pastor Jennings. I live across the street. I’m looking out for their house while they’re gone,” the minister tells the officer in the 20-minute video.
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
"I'm Pastor Jennings, I live across the street, I'm watering the plants while my neighbors are away," seems nearly adequate under the circumstances.
A little diplomacy, "Thank you, sir, sorry to have bothered you, may we have your full name for our report?" might have worked.
Pastor Jennings keeping his cool would have helped a lot too. Bringing out the race card is likely to make the cops double down, even though he was probably right that a white man watering the neighbors plants wouldn't have been suspected of causing the place.
His wife ran up with his wallet. The neighbor who had called police belatedly recognized him and vouched for him.
Charges were dropped, but was an obstruction charge ever appropriate if he was not legally required to show ID?
These are the kinds of cops we ALL hate.
These are the kinds of cops we ALL hate.
Heavens to Betsy, these cops are not too swift.
a neighbor made the complaint
the police have to respond to the call
not like they just rolled up on the guy
“We got a call; we’re checking it out.”
If Deep State can’t get rid of local police, it can and does do its dangdest to ensure that only pi$$ poor candidates want to apply or stick around.
“We got a call; we’re checking it out.”
_____________
Checking out is one thing. Arresting a man for no reason then lying about it is criminal.
True, joshua c. But having a brain would have quickly allowed you to determine that nothing nefarious was happening.
As jacknhoo stated, these are the ones we hate. And I’ll add, these are the ones without the sense that God gave them that make it hard on the rest.
There must not be much for the police to do in Sylacauga. The police are wasting the court’s time. Open window, throw out the case, close window.
no watering ban in effect... right?
Lawyers for Jennings obtained body cam footage from Childersburg police and released the video Tuesday, which also showed that Jennings identified himself as “Pastor Jennings” and officers denying that the minister identified himself.
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So the cop is not only stupid, but he’s a liar. Fire his ass. He’s an accident waiting to happen.
Lawyers for Jennings obtained body cam footage from Childersburg police and released the video Tuesday, which also showed that Jennings identified himself as “Pastor Jennings” and officers denying that the minister identified himself.
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So the cop is not only stupid, but he’s a liar. Fire his ass. He’s an accident waiting to happen.
Maybe the neighbor saw a strange man bent over and rummaging around in the bushes around the house (i.e., looking for the hose) and called the cops. Isn’t the exactly what “Neighborhood Watch” is supposed to do?
It is just common courtesy for burglars to water your garden right after they have loaded up their van with all your belongings.
Wow, the pastor has a real chip on his shoulder and doesn’t like to cooperate. The cops were civil and polite.
Childersburg is not so much a “swift” town. Not surprised they employ some not so swift cops.
One would think a neighbor close enough to see him in the yard would also have recognized him as living across the street. But YMMV with regard to neighbors these days. I know most of mine. If not by name, then by what they look like, where they live and what they drive.
I’m so glad all this woke diversity training is working...
again...
Then again, maybe it was never about race... be an angry man get an angry response from our increasingly totalitarian state.
Unacceptable! Not police material.
He had nothing to charge him for.
He had no right to arrest him.
I don’t understand the woman’ statement or the way she was acting. It’s like she knew him, yet she called the police??
I hope the pastor sues, but he prob won’t. At least they need to fire this one.
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