Lawsuit: Deputies threatened husband as sheriff fondled wife

By Daniel Tencer
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 -- 6:56 pm

sequatchiecountysheriff Lawsuit: Deputies threatened husband as sheriff fondled wifeA sheriff in rural Tennessee has been accused of threatening a husband and wife by "blowing their f---ing heads off" and "inappropriately" touching the wife during an unwarranted traffic stop.

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Chattanooga, Shawn and Michelle Graham allege that a group of police deputies, wearing camouflage and not identifying themselves as law enforcement officers, stopped the Grahams' car in January, 2009, pushed a gun through the window of the Grahams' Nissan and pointed it at the husband, "sometimes tapping his head with the barrel."

The officers ordered the couple out of the car, and frisked them while yelling "death threats and angry curses at the Grahams."

The Grahams say Sheriff Ronnie Hitchock of the Sequatchie County Sheriff Department personally carried out a pat-down of Michelle Graham, during which he "reached inside the pockets of her clothing, making inappropriate contact with her breasts and groin areas. Handcuffed in the back of Sheriff Hitchcock's cruiser, Mr. Graham was forced to watch this unconstitutional spectacle."

The lawsuit states that, even though the officers' search turned up "no weapons, no drugs and no contraband," the couple were taken to a police station and strip-searched. The couple were never charged with any crime.

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The lawsuit further argues that the sheriff "did not investigate or review" the January 29, 2009, incident, even after it became apparent there were no grounds for arrest.

"In fact, the Sheriff made sure his department maintained little or no paperwork about Shawn and Michelle Graham, referring to them only by the number given the jail cell he or she occupied," the lawsuit states.

"Sheriff Hitchock failed to intercede and stop any in his armed crew to kill the Grahams by 'blowing their f------ heads off', pointing rifles at them, cursing them, frisking them, jailing them and then stripping them," the lawsuit states.

Download a PDF of the civil complaint here, courtesy of Courthouse News.

The Grahams are suing under the federal Civil Rights Act for "wrongful arrest, false imprisonment" and "gross invasion of privacy," among other things. The defendants are the Sequatchie County government, Sheriff Hitchcock, and a number of deputies from nearby Van Buren County.

None of the Grahams' allegations have been proven in court.

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  • well, according to the liberal media a la "Crash" this sort of thing only happens to black people perpitrated by racist white cops.


    this could never happen to white people. never mind that all the hate legislation they're trying to pass is vohemanty anti-white.

    if your white, you won't get a scholarship from the bill gates foundation.
  • maxxedout
    Remember Crash?
    Always note that what happens in black america is a precursor for what happens in white america.......with a 30 year time lag.
  • robertsgt40
    Wait til the vets start coming back from Iraq/Afghan and join the police in joint ventures. I also don't fly anymore. BTW, for those not paying close attention, the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been rendered null and void
  • LibertyTreeBud
    How would I feel if the men in camouflage did that to me and mine? Hmm, ya know, I can tell ya that if for some 'strange' reason, they suddenly fell over and lie still, out there on the road, in the dark, I'd drive away without a thought nor care and in a little while would not have any recollection of the event. Just in case, any body out there were to make that happen, in the event that it happened to me.
  • panamarick
    And what are you going to do with the perp they might have picked up right before they stopped you?

    What are you going to do about the video hidden in the car, in a harden case?

    What are you going to do with the real time video being uploaded as you act that is now used in the retrofit drones, that many LEO's are testing out on our streets in the field?

    What are you going to do when you have to look him or her in the eyes, and your both holding weapons and they are trained to pull the trigger? Are you?

    Sometimes it's best...to know our limitations and if you don't have any, then history will be written in that moment. But understand this...someone will not be there to read it. The world is a cruel, tough place and sometimes just knowing that can save yours or someone else life.

    I'm just saying, after all I don't know you.
  • Once again leave it to the undereducated rural south.
  • carol h.
    This is still the old South. Little or no paperwork. That's because they can't write. Obviously they wanted no paper trail. Although leaving little paper work only draws attention to how egregious the whole thing was. So we have unconstitutional actions by an out of control force, lack of record keeping, intimidation, etc. I hope the feds come down on these clowns like a bomb.

    Some of my family are from TN. And the kind of intellect that allowed the Scopes monkey trial is still in effect. These people are knuckle draggers.
  • jon
    Florida does the same thing. When you fight back, they try and tell you your imagining these things. policeabuse.weebly.com
  • missskeptic
    Why are cops making traffic stops while in camo? Why weren't they in regular uniforms?

    Tennessee - where guys go to family reunions to pick up women.
  • Satan
    They're not cool, the dozens of experiences with these pigs that I've had over the years with them (while never being arrested for anything) has shown me that these bully fucktards are far more likely to engage in criminal behavior (and get away with it) than your average law abiding citizen. Do I care when they're murdered? Not really. The media tries so hard to pretend that the people are behind them, they literally have to advertise for them.

    As for these pigs? Their victims will have to 'prove it'. Time for everyone to start mounting hidden cameras in their cars to protect themselves from these worthless fucking pigs.
  • No wonder cop killings are up. Not that I advocate violence, but I would find it hard to fault the man's morals if he had decided that's what needed done rather than a lawsuit he will loose 99% of the time even if he's right.
  • kalidas
    How long before the millions of armed citizens, when they see the cops coming, just start shooting and consider it self defense?
  • davol
    Boy, ain't abuse of power just an underlying theme in America these days. Funny thing about making the abuse of power legal. It gets abused.
  • davidrvelasquez
    Thugs with badges.
  • Sean
    BUT BUT BUT...COPS ARE NEVER WRONG!

    Welcome to unAmerica, where cops are always right.
  • Mihail
    The Jewish people as a whole will become its own Messiah. It will attain world dominion by the dissolution of other races, by the abolition of frontiers, the annihilation of monarchy and by the establishment of a world republic in which the Jews will everywhere exercise the privilege of citizenship.

    In this New World Order the children of Israel will furnish all the leaders without encountering opposition. The Governments of the different peoples forming the world republic will fall without difficulty into the hands of the Jews. It will then be possible for the Jewish rulers to abolish private property and everywhere to make use of the resources of the state. Thus will the promise of the Talmud be fulfilled, in which is said that when the Messianic time is come, the Jews will have all the property of the whole world in their hands."

    — Baruch Levy, Letter to Karl Marx, 'La Revue de Paris', p.574, June 1, 1928
  • BlueEyedVideot
    Another little nazi, paranoid as all hell. It's not the Jews you should be worried about. It's those who pull YOUR strings.
  • Frank
    It's Tennessee man, what do you expect. There is a reason why taxes are lower in the South. The schools suck and the cops have the brains of Barney Fife. You get what you pay for.
  • Chris
    Look at their deputy profile
    http://sequatchiesheriff.com/meet-the-patrol-of...

    Pretty scary huh?
  • panamarick
    Looks more like the felony offender registry than law enforcement jockeys. Christ in a motorboat I'd hate to have to pull over for one these thugs. I wouldn't know whether to draw or sit still
  • FukPigs
    The fall of fascism here in America will result in the death of many of the perpetrators and enforcers, hopefully. A day will come when every Americans life, liberty and pursuit of happiness will be in direct conflict with the corporate-political agenda. I do not believe every officer of the 'law' is evil simply because of their occupation. But when the day comes and they have to choose to uphold the Constitution and rights of Americans or to carry out the policies of a corrupt government such as martial law, and not just cops, every person will have have to take take a stance, they will be judged for their stance, not by one of the 80,000 gods the people of earth claim exist, but by their peers, neighbors, family and friends. My money says that there are more gun-totin freedom-starved Americans then there are lacheys for corrupt politicians/corporations.
  • BlueEyedVideot
    It's too bad, you seem like an intelligent individual, but you lost me with your name. You're actually nothing more that an another libertarian clown. You say you do not believe every officer of the law is evil simply because of their occupation, yet you're willing to lump them all together with your name. Go take a prozac and have another six-pack.
  • aubreyfarmer
    Get a badge and you have a license to get away with all sort of crimes. Look at how ofter cops kill someone and after the investigation they are almost always cleared of wrongdoing. Let a civilian accidentally kill a cop and just the opposite is true. Cops cover up the crimes of other cops for fear of retribution. When if ever has your encounter with the police been a pleasant one? My opinion is that police forces all over America recruit a certain personality type. Bullies seem to be the preference. There are an inordinate number of wife beaters, murderers and all manner of criminals wearing badges. Why is this? Are these the same civilian quasi military that will be used against the public once we get fed up with all the lies, deception and dishonesty by government? Imagine the amount of criminal activity within local police forces that go unreported because they cover up the crimes of one another. How do you think drugs are so prevalent if there is a war on drugs. Hell, if you want to know who all the meth users are just stake out Walmart after 1:00 AM when everyone else is asleep. Crime promotes fear, fear more policing, more policing, more taxes, more taxes the more dependent you become on government. It is a vicious circle with you and me providing the income for a corrupt system which uses the laws written to protect us as a means to oppress us. In America even law enforcement has turned into a racket. Dare I say it resembles organized crime, but since government relies on keeping the status quo in tact, I don't see things changing for the better any time soon.
  • disgustedindc
    I read this and hear "dueling banjos" playing in the background. Sounds like the gene pool in Tennessee is very shallow.
  • PromoterofDisobediance
    This scum should be immidiately fired, put on trial and sent to prison. The glorified and built up image of law enforcement in our media and society is utterly misleding and skewed.

    Promoted as a hero figure, role model, symbol of justice and righteousness, police officers appear to have been granted some divine right to when they see it fit, go beyond the confines of their badge, only to bask in the the full scale media outcry against anyone who inflicts any kind of harm on them.

    Our media paints a picture that says it's worse when a police officer is murdered, beaten or otherwise violated, than when an ordinary citizen is. Why are we supposed to by into that?
  • Hologram5
    Man this type of activity by cops just pisses me off to no end. These toolsheds are supposed to be "protecting and serving". Not harass and intimidate. These so-called "men" need to be placed in prison in the general population. Let BUBBA fondle them and see how they like it. Now cops wonder why we don't trust them anymore. DUH!
  • Ralph
    I do get a kick out seeing all the asshole cops dressed in their finest cammies when they go on a special op of fucking with people. Cammies in an urban area? WTF! Fucking little weenies without their fancy guns, Kevlar helmets, and all kinds of shit hanging from shit. Fucking little turds who never got a way from wantin' to play shoot 'em up in the vacant lot at the end of the block.
  • laoma
    Remember the 3-4 cops offed in Dec, or Nov. while they were eating their donuts in Washington state? May be there should be a live re-enactment in TN and across the country so cops get the message.
  • Hologram5
    I live in Seattle and the reason that happened is because some dipshit Judge set the bail on this tool too low. He was up for the "Third Strike" law but since nobody did their homework and checked up on the guy, he got loose and killed 4 "GOOD" cops. The 4 cops that were killed were "Oathkeepers". If you are not familiar, they are LEO's that take an oath to uphold the constitution and they oathed to "NOT" follow unconstitutional orders.
  • seen2much
    Sad to hear that. When the time comes, I hope the oathkeepers will still openly wear their weapons, but leave their badges and uniforms at home. They will find all the support they need to keep operating from a grateful public.

    As for the state pigs... Just know, you will find neither love or support from We the People.
  • Hologram5
    You know, I may be a dreamer, but I have children that are growing up into this mess. I have to keep the faith that there are good people out there if only for them. I have to show my best faith if only for them.
  • seen2much
    You are not alone, and becoming less so as this situation advances.

    Keep your powder dry. I wish you and yours the best of luck.
  • Hologram5
    Thank you my friend, and the same for you and yours!
  • Hologram5
    Hence the name, "oathkeepers" and that IS part of the oath. They were good men/women. They had families. Sure, they were cops, not "all" of them are bad, only a good portion. There are some out there with honor. That's a major problem here as well, no more honor, no integrity. We need more of that. Like the leaders of old, like the men of old. I still have faith that there are men still out there with honor, we surely need it in office right now as I don't see a one with it.
  • seen2much
    Very few left, they are indeed near extinction in DC. Two notable examples are Kucinich and Paul. But notice, they are laughed at and even ridiculed publicly by the other politicians and media... Shows how our "betters" view real integrity.
  • r v
    The only good cop is a dead cop. I laughed myself silly when those 4 cops in Seattle got it. Same when the 4 in Oakland got it a couple of months before.
  • Glenn
    It'll be white washed. The population is being slowly brainwashed by shows like Cops and AMW to think that all cops are just and upstanding. Being a former P.O. I can assure you that many cops are crooked and many are mentally unstable. They are doing a better job these days screening applicants but some DO get through the screening. The fact is this, many traffic stops are for no reason. If pulled over for nothing and you are asked if they can search your vehicle, NEVER allow it to happen. If anything is found then you have no legal leg to stand on for any reason.
  • panamarick
    Well, lets think this through.

    If we are at war...and the actual battleground are the streets of America...then the police are not really cops at all in the tradition we are accustom to. These fine men are instead...soldiers for hire, doing their duty to "keep us safe" in our "green-zone."And it's a hard job. So don't be so harsh on "Ravenwood" when they "blow off a little steam." Why, the same thing happens every day at frat houses and sorority's around the country. It's just a little hazing that's all.

    Remember...your either with us, or against us.
  • Steve
    Think this through asshole. I AM against you.
  • Hologram5
    I "HOPE" that this is sarcasm. This "type of thing" does NOT happen in frat houses every day. I have many friends that go to college, I went to college and NEVER had anything like that happen.
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