A Black pastor in Sylacauga, Alabama was arrested by police earlier this year.
Now bodycam footage of the incident has been released, showing the incident between him and the officers.
Michael Jennings, pastor of the Vision of Abundant Life Church claimed he was watering his neighbor’s plants while they were out of town. An anonymous neighbor called the police, who arrested him for supposedly “obstructing government operations.”
The newly released bodycam footage shows what happened.
On May 22l, Jennings was asked to water his neighbor’s plants while they were out of town. The pastor was doing just that when an anonymous neighbor called the police on the man.
Childersburg Police Officers say they were responding to a call about a suspicious person “not supposed to be in the yard” when they approached Jennings.
Despite police reports claiming Jennings didn’t identify himself, the bodycam footage shows him doing just that very early in the conversation.
Jennings was heard saying:
“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, watering their flowers.”
Jennings continued to be questioned by the officers, who didn’t seem to believe he was there to water flowers. They said the car parked in the driveway was suspicious, but Jennings explained it belonged to the neighbor.
The police continued to question the pastor.
\u201c@NetanelWorthy @WesleyLowery @Lawrence My question exactly.\u201d— Wesley (@Wesley) 1661982214
\u201c@WesleyLowery @Lawrence I will never not be amazed and disgusted with this story. \ud83d\ude1e We are broken.\u201d— Wesley (@Wesley) 1661982214
\u201c@chef_kendra @Phil_Lewis_ @MaraGay "'He lives right there, and he would be watering their flowers. This is probably my fault,' the neighbor tells the police.\nBut despite the woman telling officers she knows Jennings, he is still arrested and charged."\n\nWhole article reads like an absurdist play.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1661865646
\u201cAnother way my privilege manifests itself. I will NEVER have to worry about being handcuffed for watering my neighbors flowers: https://t.co/VzaNrO6Vpb\u201d— RainnWilson (@RainnWilson) 1661915963
\u201c@Yamiche If a person waters a neighbor's lawn, u are safe to assume they have been asked to do so. Most folks don't want to water their own lawn, let alone some one else's. Just ridiculous!\u201d— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor) 1661699926
As things got tense, the anonymous neighbor who called police tried to tell the officers they made a mistake.
She recognized Jennings and said:
“He lives right there, and he would be watering their flowers."
"This is probably my fault.”
Despite Jennings doing nothing wrong—and the neighbor who reported the incident backtracking—officers arrested Jennings anyway. The charges were later dismissed by a municipal judge in June.
Jennings’ lawyers have been pushing for release of the bodycam footage to show the actions of the officers involved.
Harry Daniels, an attorney representing Jennings, said:
“This video makes it clear that these officers decided they were going to arrest Pastor Jennings less than five minutes after pulling up and then tried to rewrite history claiming he hadn’t identified himself when that was the first thing he did.”
They hope the release of this footage will allow for legal action against the officers involved.
Despite the video showing the pastor doing nothing wrong, some commenters thought the pastor reacted poorly.
Other commenters were quick to show why that thinking was wrong.
\u201c@Yamiche To all these jerk offs saying the pastor over reacted. Black people are tired of people bothering them while they are trying to live normal lives\u201d— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor) 1661699926
\u201c@SaintElphie @Phil_Lewis_ When presented with that choice they never do.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1661865646
\u201c@marghie @Yamiche But like, did you miss the part where the guy was black? I think the police demonstrated a ton of restraint, given that they didn\u2019t go immediately to guns.\u201d— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor) 1661699926
\u201c@rainnwilson I want to see the neighbor who called the cops on him\u201d— RainnWilson (@RainnWilson) 1661915963
\u201c@Yamiche I wonder what was \u201csuspicious\u201d about him?\u201d— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor) 1661699926
\u201c@Ch1967Jairo @CNN Welcome to the US, our entire nation is founded on, based in and legally maintained purely for white nationalist conquest.\u201d— CNN (@CNN) 1661947208
\u201c@texanconstitut1 @CNN He identified himself as \u201cpastor Jenkins, I live next door\u201d. Also he\u2019s not being accused of a crime, he doesn\u2019t have to identify himself, which he did. Funny thing to say from a constitutionalist. \ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\u201d— CNN (@CNN) 1661947208
Childersburg Police Department has not responded to media requests for comment.
Alabama officers may stop and request identification if they suspect a person has or is committing a felony or another public offense.
But watering plants doesn’t seem to fall under that umbrella.
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