An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Shady Doin’s in Memphis
Traffic ticket facing inquiry
Top cop frequents eatery tied to speeder
City Atty. Elbert Jefferson said he is investigating whether a private citizen received special treatment from Memphis Police Department officials after receiving a speeding ticket.
Jefferson, who also serves as the city’s chief ethics officer, said he is looking into whether police officials attempted to help businessman Bradley Greer, who received a ticket May 6 for going 64 mph in a 45-mph zone.
Ethics officer? From all I’m hearing, they seriously need some ethics in the MPD! I don’t suppose the yahoo that was doing 64 considered what would happen if he HIT someone? Was there any consideration for the other drivers on the road? Obviously not.
Court records show Greer appeared in court June 19 and paid $61, but the transaction was voided after Judge Jane Chandler reinstated the case. Greer is scheduled to be back in court Aug. 5.
$61 for doing 19 miles over the speed limit? Dang! That’s pretty cheap! Although the official site says it’s suppose to be $59. Were the extra $2 for court fees? Honestly, I hate driving in Memphis. Those folks haven’t a clue what a speed limit sign is actually suppose accomplish! Do 5 or 10 miles over the limit, and you’re likely to get run over by someone doing 20 or 30 miles over.
Jefferson confirmed Chandler sent a memo to Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin complaining about the incident, but wouldn’t release the letter Thursday and said he did not know which officers are involved.
This is where things get interesting.
According to state records, Bogie’s Midtown Inc. is owned by JoLynn Greer, who told The Commercial Appeal last year that she owns the local chain with other members of her family.
Godwin has been seen walking into the kitchen at the Bogie’s restaurant in Midtown and making his own sandwich.
Aren’t their any health regulations prohibiting non employees of a food establishment from going into the preparation areas? Isn’t that why they post those signs, “Employees Only”?
When asked about Godwin’s relationship with Greer, Jefferson said, “We all have relationships outside the workplace and nothing is wrong with that unless it trickles over to your work and is inconsistent with the laws of the city.”
Well, this is true. However, I have worked in places in the past, where cops were good friends with owners, yet there were limits set at just how far that friendship invaded the work place.
Police spokeswoman Monique Martin refused to answer questions about Godwin, even declining to say if he was at work Thursday. She did not respond to a request to interview the officers in Chandler’s courtroom the day Greer was there.
Refusing interviews is getting to be a habit with the higher ups of the Memphis PD. Don’t they know it makes the public question their motives, and integrity?
The investigation occurs at the same time Godwin and the city are involved in a lawsuit seeking the identity of bloggers who run a Web site critical of police leadership.
The lawsuit, filed in Shelby County Chancery Court earlier this month, asks AOL to produce all information related to the identity of an e-mail address linked to the blog MPD Enforcer 2.0.
Perhaps the consistent refusal for interviews stems from their fear someone will ask them what they hell are they thinking, violating the 1st Amendment? Just a thought.
Speaking on the subject for the first time Thursday, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton said there are “serious issues” behind Godwin’s legal quest to uncover the identities behind the blog.
Well, Wee Willie hasn’t impressed me as being the beacon of light at the end of the dark tunnel. He seems to have serious issues of his own. First he retires, expecting to be offered the school superintendent, then when he doesn’t get the job, “Oops, I didn’t really mean it!”.
“There’s no attempt to try to squash, you know, whistleblowers or that kind of thing,” the mayor said in response to reporters’ questions during an event at Medtronic. “There’s some serious issues here that I think will surface as it moves forward.”
Horse manure. LARGE steaming pile of horse manure. The whistle is being blown on one of his cronies, and the head honchos don’t like it.
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