Oxford officials dispute claim of combative traffic stop
Oxford police and Mayor Robyn Tannehill disputed a social media account Friday by an Oxford man who made claims regarding a traffic stop.
Oxford resident Fredderick Nettles, the creator, executive director and owner of The Segment Productions, LLC, and the host of The Segment Pod, got the attention of Oxford officials with a tweet earlier this week.
“Was recently pulled over in Oxford MS by 5, yes, FIVE police cars, because they say they THOUGHT my tag had expired!!! 1 of them kept insulting me, trying to get me to fight him! Thank GOD I made out of there alive? WHEN WILL IT END!??” Nettles tweeted.
Nettles is black, and his claim comes amidst racial turmoil and social justice activism all over the country. This week, in particular, has put police treatment of black men into the national spotlight. Earlier this week, Jacob Blake, was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, at the end of an attempted arrest. Blake is reportedly paralyzed from the waist down, and his shooting has led to violent and deadly riots this week in Kenosha and beyond.
Oxford Police Department Jeff McCutchen said Friday he immediately launched an investigation into Nettles’ claims. The only record of a stop involving Oxford police and Nettles occurred in May 2019 on Molly Barr Road. One officer, McCutcheon said, stopped Nettles after noticing an expired tag. Another officer passed by and stopped. When police ran Nettles’ tag, they noticed it didn’t match the vehicle it was registered to. They pointed the discrepancy out to Nettles, informed him it was likely a mistake made at the courthouse in Leake County where Nettles registered the vehicle, gave him a citation and told him if he’d bring proof back to Oxford that he had fixed the situation, the citation could likely be expunged. Then, McCutchen said, they sent him on his way. By the end of the traffic stop, there were three officers on the scene.
“It was what you want in a traffic stop,” McCutchen said Friday.
McCutchen said all of the officers were wearing body cameras and all of the footage has been watched.
“At no time was (Nettles) ever rude or were we ever rude,” McCutchen said. “It was a complete 180 from his account."
Later Friday, Tannehill publicly disputed Nettles’ account.
“In this current climate it is so disappointing that someone would promote false information for attention,” Tannehill said at the end of a thread of tweets published on Twitter at midday Friday. “If we are in the wrong, we own it. I will not stand for an accusation like this to be made falsely about one of the finest police departments in the nation.”
Tannehill first reached out to Nettles Thursday morning. Screen shots of the exchange were seen by RebelGrove.com. Nettles told Tannehill he shouldn’t have used the word ‘recent,’ but added, “I just wanted to bring light to it because I know it is not the only person it has happened to.” He then included a frown face emoji.
Tannehill then invited Nettles to come to City Hall to watch the video with her. Nettles declined.
“I genuinely don’t feel comfortable doing that to be honest,” Nettles said. “And I kinda hate I brought it up now. That experience was traumatizing to say the least.”
At that point, Tannehill informed Nettles she’d seen the video and informed him his account was not supported by the evidence.
“You have made a really bad mistake here,” Tannehill told Nettles. “I have watched the video of the traffic stop you reference on Twitter. Your account is not truthful. I have consulted with the City Attorney and Chief of Police since the video has been reviewed and we are going to take action unless you are at my office at 10 a.m. (Friday) to meet with me and Chief McCutchen.
“This is an opportunity for you to make this right. If you choose not to meet then I will do anything and everything to defend the Oxford Police Department against your public lies and false statements.”
Nettles asked to meet next week but Tannehill informed him his accusation wouldn’t go unanswered through the weekend.
“This is not a negotiation,” Tannehill told Nettles. “You should have considered your words before you spread lies about hard-working men and women who put their lives on the line every single day. You were more interested in promoting yourself and garnering attention.”
Reached for comment Friday afternoon, Nettles insisted there was an “antagonistic, younger, 20s guy with tattoos on both arms” who “had his hand on his holster” and was invading his personal space throughout the stop. Nettles reiterated that he feared for his life during the stop.
Tannehill said the video of the stop does not support Nettles’ account.
Nettles said he does want to meet with Tannehill and McCutchen.
Tannehill said she is hoping to make the video of the stop public soon.