The several prominent Black leaders who spoke at Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church Wednesday at noon had one theme in common: betrayal. Organizer Timothy Hughes, Community Review Board executive director Jill Fitcheard, the Rev. Aaron Marble, TSU professor Sekou Franklin, Sheila Clemmons Lee and others spoke about how cautious hope turned to shame and embarrassment when allegations by a retired Metro Nashville Police Department lieutenant came to light two weeks ago.
“It was very disappointing to learn that there was, within our police department, people who sit at the table with us, negotiated with us, who looked in my face and called me on the phone and talked about how well we were doing and how they wanted to do this work together — and it was all lies," Fitcheard told the room. "Alleged lies."
The 61-page complaint, so far unavailable to the public, corroborates CRB suspicions of systemic malfeasance within the Metro Nashville Police Department
Fitcheard and others specifically referenced the allegation that MNPD's top brass lobbied state lawmakers on a bill passed last year to hamstring local police oversight boards — one of many accusations made against MNPD in a recent complaint from retired Lt. Garet Davidson. Fitcheard also shared that another complainant who currently works at MNPD had come forward with additional information condemning the department.
The group published next steps to properly address Davidson’s complaint, asking Mayor Freddie O’Connell to initiate a Department of Justice investigation. Recent federal probes into Memphis, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Louisville police have uncovered systemic malfeasance similar to the allegations made by Davidson and prompted mandated reforms. The city has indicated a forthcoming investigation into the allegations led by former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton. Community advocates are asking for a number of actions: for O’Connell to put Chief Chris Gilder, Assistant Chief Mike Hagar and public relations director Don Aaron on administrative leave until its conclusion; reopen investigations into officer-involved shootings occurring under the tenure of MNPD administrator Kathy Morante; create a robust whistleblower reporting system; and sign a strong MOU between the CRB and MNPD. Two more requests are aimed specifically at Metro Legal: externally review the department’s potential complicity in alleged misconduct and allow the CRB to hire its own counsel, Brazil Clarke, for legal advice.
After the press conference, Fitcheard told the Scene that Metro Legal should face scrutiny for its role defending other city agencies from state overreach while lawmakers successfully targeted the COB.
“As the COB legislation was advancing in the legislature, I met with several attorneys in the Department of Law plus former Attorney General and Metro Law Director Bob Cooper to discuss possible litigation,” Metro Law Department director Wally Dietz says in a statement provided to the Scene. “We reluctantly but unanimously agreed that we lacked grounds to file a lawsuit.”
Dietz and the mayor’s office say they support the CRB’s pursuit of independent counsel.
Speakers and their associated organizations loosely reassembled the Community Oversight Now coalition (MNCO) that helped pass the local referendum creating a civilian oversight board in 2018. The coalition helped publicize the event. A rousing speech from Franklin and direct appeal from Lee, whose son Jocques was shot and killed by police in 2017, echoed the many rallies that led to MNCO’s short-lived victory.
The nascent Community Oversight Board ran into frequent roadblocks during its five-year run, only to be stripped of formal power by state lawmakers in 2023, eventually morphing into the Community Review Board with far reduced power. The CRB currently holds no formal MOU with the police.
This sense of emotional whiplash set the mood of the room.
Fitcheard went on to lay blame with Mayor Freddie O’Connell and the Metro Law Department for what she described as their roles in facilitating or failing to adequately respond to the various allegations made by Davidson. The Metro Law Department has also been criticized by individuals involved in ongoing drama within the Metro Arts Commission. In both situations, the department and Dietz have drawn ire for what critics say is a mandate protecting institutional actions by Metro.
Fitcheard appeared alongside Alisha Haddock (a fellow CRB member) and both spoke as members of the body. The CRB, however, is still carving out its role investigating a complaint that presents its own conflicts of interest.
The police department has put its faith in Stanton's investigation and backs Gilder and Hagar.
“This police department looks forward to Counsel Edward Stanton’s review of the assertions and opinions in Mr. Davidson’s complaint,” an MNPD statement provided to the Scene reads, in part. “Gilder and Assistant Chief Mike Hagar reject as false any assertions that they were involved in the process of crafting legislation concerning the CRB or lobbying for it.”
