Lawsuit alleges police corruption and abuse
Suspended officer files suit claiming cover-ups, excessive force, retaliation
By DON WILBURN
donaldfwilburn@gmail.com
Another day, another lawsuit accusing those in power of doing exactly what they claim to fight against. A lawsuit filed by now-suspended West Memphis Police Department officer Captain Mose Walker paints a grim picture of the department alleging a pattern of excessive force, harassment and corruption.
According to the court documents, Walker, who filed the lawsuit on June 5, 2024, before his suspension, claims the culture of abuse within the department escalated after Police Chief Robbin Campbell took over in Jan. 2022. The lawsuit accuses Campbell of hiring unqualified individuals or reinstating those previously rejected, creating a force riddled with misconduct. A lieutenant in charge of training new recruits was allegedly suspended for rejecting unqualified candidates, leading to his resignation after claiming he was harassed by Campbell.
The suit also names West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon as a defendant, accusing him of being fully aware of these issues and actively working to conceal them. It states the mayor not only tolerated misconduct but also directed the HR department to cover it up. The former HR director allegedly ignored complaints, leading to multiple discrimination and retaliation lawsuits..
Several disturbing incidents of excessive force are outlined in the lawsuit. One claim describes two officers assaulting a citizen, kicking him while he was down. A responding patrol officer refused to take the injured man into custody, recognizing the severity of his injuries. The man, who had trouble breathing, was later hospitalized with broken ribs. Despite this, no immediate action was taken against the officers, and
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the incident was allegedly brushed under the rug until Walker insisted on an investigation. Even then,, the of_cers were back on duty within a week without a formal review.
Another claim details an of_cer kicking a handcuffed man in the head while he lay on the ground. The lawsuit states this use of force could have been deadly, yet Chief Campbell failed to investigate or discipline the of_cer. When the incident became public, the of_cer was briefly _red but later rehired by Campbell.
Walker also alleges retaliation after assisting a subordinate who reported sexual harassment. The of_cer initially denied that Major Stacey Allen, another now-suspended WMPD of_cer, had harassed her, instead providing evidence against a different of_cer. Despite thiis, no action was taken against the alleged harasser. When Walker reported the issue up the chain of command, he was placed on administrative leave and investigated by internal affairs for working a second job at Walmar, something Walker says Campbell had previously approved.
The lawsuit also references multiple other cases of excessive force that have led to recent legal action against WMPD. One case involves Michael Grant, who accused a narcotics of_cer of repeatedly stomping him during a raid at his apartment in Sept. 2023. His injuries were severe enough to require several days in the hospital. Another lawsuit, _led in Aug. 2024, alleges that Of_cer Chad Rash kicked another suspect in the face while he was handcuffed after crashing his car into a ditch.
The lawsuit raises serious concerns about the leadership of WMPD and the handling of internal investigations. The allegations suggest a pattern of misconduct that, if proven true, could lead to signi_cant consequences for those involved.
