The story has it all - a B-Movie plot writers wet dream: a tiny, dust blown town rising up against their own draconian police force, a gang of cops shooting a fireman in front of a judge, it's utterly unbelievable and a made for TV movie already written for the producers.
I'll never drive through Jericho, Arkansas, in this or any other lifetime - bet on it.
It was just too much, having to return to court twice on the same day to contest yet another traffic ticket, and Fire Chief Don Payne didn't hesitate to tell the judge what he thought of the police and their speed traps.The response from cops? They shot him. Right there in court...
It was anger over traffic tickets that brought Payne to city hall last week, said his lawyer, Randy Fishman. After Payne failed to get a traffic ticket dismissed on Aug. 27, police gave Payne or his son another ticket that day. Payne, 39, returned to court to vent his anger to Judge Tonya Alexander, Fishman said.
It's unclear exactly what happened next, but Martin said an argument between Payne and the seven police officers who attended the hearing apparently escalated to a scuffle, ending when an officer shot Payne from behind...
Prosecutor Lindsey Fairley said Thursday that he didn't plan to file any felony charges against the officer or Payne. Fairley, reached at his home, said Payne could face a misdemeanor charge stemming from the scuffle, but that would be up to the city's judge. He said he didn't remember the name of the officer who fired the shot.
No charges for the cop who shot the man in court and in the BACK?! And possible charges for the man that was SHOT?! Something is definitely whack in Jericho, Arkansas.
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