Alabama cop keeps jobs after plotting to kill black man on tapeĀ
theGrio REPORT - Tuesday, The Guardian revealed that an officer in Alabama was caught on a recording plotting to kill a black man whom he was frustrated with. In the audio he also suggests creating bogus evidence to imply the murder was in self-defense.
Tuesday, The Guardian revealed that an officer in Alabama was caught on a recordingĀ plotting to kill a black man whom he was frustrated with. In the audio, he also suggested creating bogus evidence to implyĀ the murderĀ was in self-defense.
After theĀ incriminating clip was played to police chiefs and the mayor, officer Troy Middlebrooks, 33, was not removed from his post.
Instead, the former U.S marine was allowed to keep his job patrolling Alexander City while authorities paid Vincent Bias, the residentĀ who was targeted, $35,000 to avoid public backlash and litigation.
You can hear the audio of the recording below: (*Contains strong language*)
āThis town is ridiculous,ā Bias, 49, said in an interview. āThe police here feel they can do what they want, and often they do.”
Despite allegations of leniency, police chief Willie Robinson maintains that whenĀ Middlebrooks said Bias āneeds a goddamn bullet,ā while calling him racial slurs, āHe was just talking. He didnāt really mean that.ā
The threatening comments were made to Biasās brother-in-law during a May 2013 encounter at his home, which Bias was visiting.
According to the report,
The officer remarked to Biasās brother-in-law, who is white, that he was tired of āthat n—rā being released from jail.
Middlebrooks had arrested Bias on drug charges earlier in the year and Bias had been released on bail after paying a bond, according to Bias and his attorneys.
Middlebrooks expressed his frustration. āSomethingās going on with that f***ing lawyer he knows, and that f***ing … the judge or something,ā he was recorded saying.
Middlebrooks allegedly said āthe police were going to pull [Bias] aside on a routine traffic stop and [Bias] would get killedā…..this prompted the brother-in-law to retrieve a voice recorder that Bias had been carrying around with him in an attempt to monitor alleged harassment by police, and then return to the conversation with the officer.
On the recording, the officerĀ is also heard trying to pit the brother-in-law against Bias,Ā suggesting ifĀ he were in his familyĀ he would āf—ing kill that motherf—er with whatever I had in that f—ing houseā.
āAnd before the police got here, Iād f—ing put marks all over my sh-t and make it look like he was trying to f—ing kill me. I god damn guarantee you,ā Middlebrooks continued. āWhat would it look like? Self f—ing defense. F– that piece of s–t. Iām a lot different from a lot of these other folks. Iāll f–ing tell you whatās on my f—ing mind.ā
Police chief Robinson insists the officer āwas disciplinedā afterĀ the recording surfaced.Ā āI donāt care if youāve got a record or not; weāre gonna treat you just as fair,ā he said. āAnd I expect my people to do that, and if they donāt they have to deal with me.ā
Eric Hutchins, an attorney for Bias āĀ who also represents the Alabama branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) āĀ said the officerās remarks were not only āunprofessional and inappropriateā but alsoĀ ārequires an immediate investigationā by state officials.
City Councillor Tony Goss said he was āabsolutely flabbergastedā to learn the details of the case and the settlement made to the alleged victim.
āThis is absolutely unbelievable,ā opinedĀ Goss. āIf an officer is recorded saying something like that, there are potential grounds for termination.ā