A lawsuit was filed against the city of Lexington, Mississippi weeks after the firing of a police chief who bragged about killing Black people in a racist and homophobic rant.
JULIAN–a civil rights advocacy organization–obtained the recording from a former officer who secretly recorded a conversation he had with then-Lexington Police Department Chief Sam Dobbins last April.
In the 16-minute audio, Dobbins, who is White, can be heard boasting he shot and killed 13 people in the line of duty, including a Black man who he says he shot more than 100 times.
\u201cIn Lexington, Mississippi, white supremacist race soldier Sam Dobbins, who was recorded bragging about lynching several Black people, is riding around continuing to terrorize the Black residents. @tariqnasheed @TaureanReign @BLKLiberation84 https://t.co/4m8Ke1JcyL\u201d— Tr1ll Texas (@Tr1ll Texas) 1660671586
He could also be heard in the recording saying he would smash suspects through the window if they "got out of line."
The conversation was recorded by former Officer Robert Lee Hooker, who is Black.
Hooker started working for the department earlier this year but resigned after a verbal altercation with Dobbins.
He rejoined the department but remained disappointed by its leadership which prompted him to make the surreptitious recording of Dobbins' vitriolic rant before resigning a second time.
Dobbins used multiple racist and homophobic slurs while telling Hooker he would defend him on the job.
You can hear the recording that was released to the media, here.
WARNING: NSFW language
When contacted by USA Today, Dobbins denied using racist language and having a discussion about ever shooting or killing people.
"I don't talk like that," he said.
He was fired last month after the city's board of aldermen voted to oust him in a session that lasted over an hour.
\u201cI think there should be a picture of Sam Dobbins.\u201d— Warrior Gem (@Warrior Gem) 1660768754
JULIAN and ACLU-Mississippi filed a lawsuit on Tuesday calling for a federal investigation into “systemic, condoned racism" from the town's government and police department.
According to the Huffington Post, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Southern Mississippi detailed racially-motivated incidents of police violence and misconduct against residents in Lexington, where 86% of the population is Black in a town of fewer than 1,800 people.
\u201cSam Dobbins . Town is 86% black, all officials are white, Jim crow never left.\nMississippi Town Sued After Its Former Police Chief Bragged About Killing Black People\nhttps://t.co/7PhPHOCKnu\u201d— sylvaner (@sylvaner) 1660689412
The group said the lawsuit was intended to prevent Lexington's law enforcement from “threatening, coercing, harassing, assaulting or interfering" with Black residents.
Jill Collen Jefferson, the president and founder of JULIAN, told the media outlet:
“Every single branch of government is controlled by White people in a town that is 86% black."
“This is Jim Crow at its finest. What I want people to see is that this never ever stopped.”
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ Mississippi is one of the worst places I have ever visited. I don't know why any Black person would want to live there. Racism is stewed to a perfection. You can feel it in the air.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1660758642
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ @deray Thanks for shining the light. This bigotry has spread by whispers and dog whistles. America has got to own this bigotry and SHUT IT DOWN at all levels.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1660758642
\u201c@Phil_Lewis_ Law enforcement officers at all levels should be vetted for racial beliefs and tolerance. We have a huge problem of embedded racism in law enforcement. Especially here in the south.\u201d— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1660758642
The lawsuit further alleged Lexington police retaliated against Black community members who addressed complaints about the department at a meeting on April 7.
Following the meeting, attendees Robert Harris and Darius Harris were arrested on charges of "retaliation against an officer" and possession of marijuana.
It was their second time being falsely arrested.
“The retaliation and baseless arrests that Plaintiffs Robert and Darius Harris experienced are consistent with how LPD treats any Black resident who stands up for themselves speaks out or dares to live their lives in Lexington," read the suit.
"In fact, Plaintiffs Robert and Darius Harris had been falsely arrested in retaliation for opposing police harassment in the past."
Previously, the brothers were falsely arrested for violating a fireworks ordinance on New Year's Eve. Although they admitted to shooting fireworks, they claimed they were not breaking the law.
When they "verbally resisted" arrest, an officer used a stun gun on Darius before he was taken into custody.
Many other Black residents allege they were falsely arrested, forced to undergo "baseless" searches and seizures, and were retaliated with "unreasonable" force by Lexington police.
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