| The Rhea County Newspaper |
| "Rhea County's REAL Information Source" |
A lawsuit was filed accusing Cookeville, Tennessee police of "excessive use of force"
and "planting contraband" during a domestic assault arrest last year.
One officer has been placed on leave because of the incident, and five others are named
in the federal lawsuit.
Police car video from the Cookeville Police Department captured the incident that
triggered the lawsuit.
On the night of June 4, 2007, Carlos Ferrell was stopped by police on a domestic assault
warrant. According to the lawsuit, Ferrell's ex-wife, Tiffany, saw Ferrell, called police and
was involved in the initial chase.
Once Ferrell came to a stop, he was ordered out of the car by Cookeville Police Officer
Chris Melton.
"Put your hands up, and get out of the car," Melton is heard telling Ferrell on the tape.
Ferrell, 28, exits the car with his arms raised while Officer Jeff Johnson is holding the
department's police dog.
The video shows the dog bite Ferrell several times. Attorney Blair Durham is
representing Ferrell.
"The dog is released. The dog then chews into Mr. Ferrell's leg where, of course, he
goes to the ground," he said.
"Your dog just ate my leg off," Ferrell said on the tape. Durham also accused Melton of
planting drugs on Ferrell.
In the dash cam video, Melton is seen searching Ferrell's pockets a number of times.
Then, Durham said, another officer appears to give a signal with his hand, at which
point Melton then reaches into his right pocket and looks into the camera.
It's at that point on the tape that Durham said Melton appears to put drugs in Ferrell's
pocket.
"Whoa, Carlos, weed? Now you got you another freaking charge, how about that?"
Melton told Ferrell in the video. Melton has been placed on administrative leave with
pay. T
The night of the stop, Ferrell was charged with evading arrest and possession of
marijuana.
"That's a complete drug plant is what I'm alleging. It's a complete unlawful search, first
of all, and it's a planting of paraphernalia," Durham said.
Cookeville police said they are "completely cooperating with the TBI (Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation)."
A representative said the department is not trying to hide anything and doesn't want to
look like it is.
Police took Ferrell to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Durham said Ferrell is no choir boy but that he's never been arrested on violent
offenses.
Click on the embedded video below and witness this entire thing for yourself.
and "planting contraband" during a domestic assault arrest last year.
One officer has been placed on leave because of the incident, and five others are named
in the federal lawsuit.
Police car video from the Cookeville Police Department captured the incident that
triggered the lawsuit.
On the night of June 4, 2007, Carlos Ferrell was stopped by police on a domestic assault
warrant. According to the lawsuit, Ferrell's ex-wife, Tiffany, saw Ferrell, called police and
was involved in the initial chase.
Once Ferrell came to a stop, he was ordered out of the car by Cookeville Police Officer
Chris Melton.
"Put your hands up, and get out of the car," Melton is heard telling Ferrell on the tape.
Ferrell, 28, exits the car with his arms raised while Officer Jeff Johnson is holding the
department's police dog.
The video shows the dog bite Ferrell several times. Attorney Blair Durham is
representing Ferrell.
"The dog is released. The dog then chews into Mr. Ferrell's leg where, of course, he
goes to the ground," he said.
"Your dog just ate my leg off," Ferrell said on the tape. Durham also accused Melton of
planting drugs on Ferrell.
In the dash cam video, Melton is seen searching Ferrell's pockets a number of times.
Then, Durham said, another officer appears to give a signal with his hand, at which
point Melton then reaches into his right pocket and looks into the camera.
It's at that point on the tape that Durham said Melton appears to put drugs in Ferrell's
pocket.
"Whoa, Carlos, weed? Now you got you another freaking charge, how about that?"
Melton told Ferrell in the video. Melton has been placed on administrative leave with
pay. T
The night of the stop, Ferrell was charged with evading arrest and possession of
marijuana.
"That's a complete drug plant is what I'm alleging. It's a complete unlawful search, first
of all, and it's a planting of paraphernalia," Durham said.
Cookeville police said they are "completely cooperating with the TBI (Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation)."
A representative said the department is not trying to hide anything and doesn't want to
look like it is.
Police took Ferrell to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Durham said Ferrell is no choir boy but that he's never been arrested on violent
offenses.
Click on the embedded video below and witness this entire thing for yourself.
| Tennessee Police Officers Accused of Planting Drugs and Beating Suspect |
