After being caught on camera shouting homophobic and racial insults and boasting about how many people he had killed, a Mississippi police chief was sacked from his position.
The Board of Aldermen decided to fire Sam Dobbins, the police chief of Lexington, Mississippi, on Wednesday as a result of a tape that showed Dobbins saying, “I shot the n***** 19 times.”
Robert Lee Hooker, a former Lexington police officer who left the department last week citing a poisonous work climate, was overheard speaking with Dobbins.
Hooker, who is black, is heard discussing hurtful comments Dobbins made in the presence of Hooker, though Dobbins seems unremorseful.
‘Well, if you’re looking for an apology after I gave you an apology back then, you’re barking up the wrong tree,’ Dobbins can be heard saying in a recording obtained by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting.
‘If you gonna let some words bother you, maybe this ain’t the place for you,’ he continued. ‘I didn’t mean anything personal by it when I said what I said.’
In the tape, Dobbins claims that he said, “I’m just trying to get you to shut up,” before making the remark in order to silence Hooker.
Dobbins ultimately apologizes after hearing Hooker continue to explain why the statement upset him, but not before he makes an effort to urge Hooker to do the same.
Do you regret it? Dobbins said, “You walked out on me yesterday,” to which Hooker replied, “I left because I was unhappy.”
Hooker left the force just days after joining because of the remarks made, but he later returned to assist hold people accountable.
There would only be one guy fighting for Hooker, according to Dobbins, who declared that he would defend Hooker “in the streets.” I’ll be the one to do that. Don’t mess that up.
Then, after admitting to killing 13 individuals while serving as a police officer, he says each murder was “justifiable” and that he “went hard” on each victim.
Dobbins continues to boast about his purported accomplishments as a police, claiming that he “protected 67 kids at a school” from a black guy.
‘I shot that n***** 119 times,’ he said. ‘The vehicle was shot 319 times, but he was hit 119 times by me.’
Dobbins claimed to be ignorant of the tape when MCIR inquired about it.
Dobbins responded to his casual reference of the victims he had slain by saying, “That’s something we don’t talk, period.” He also asserted that he “doesn’t talk like that” and denied using the insults.
According to Mississippi law, a discussion can be recorded without the agreement of the other parties.
Although the tape ultimately ended Dobbins’ tenure as a police officer in the town, the move to dismiss him was defeated by two board members, and the decision to do so was narrowly approved by one vote.
According to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, they have urged political authorities to confront “police malfeasance and abuse of authority” on several occasions.
In the Facebook post, the Party said they ‘personally met with Mayor Robin McCrory on multiple occasions about the unlawful and unethical behavior as well as addressing the Mayor and Board of Aldermen at their regular meeting.’
‘It is shameful and appalling that this situation has reached this moment because of the inactions of elected officials,’ they continued.
When MCIR inquired about the recording, Dobbins said that he was not aware of it.
Dobbins responded that it was “something we don’t talk, period” when he casually mentioned the individuals he had slain. Additionally, he denied using the insults and asserted that he “doesn’t talk like that.”
According to Mississippi law, one party may record a conversation without the agreement of the other parties.
Despite the fact that the tape ultimately ended Dobbins’ career as a police officer in the municipality, the move to dismiss him was defeated by two board members, and the vote to do so was narrowly successful.
According to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, they have frequently requested that elected authorities address “police malfeasance and abuse of authority.”
‘Let me expose you for what you are, who you are,’ he continued, according to WLBT.
Hooker is “relieved that he was able to do his bit in standing up for the Black community in Lexington,” according to Wright, who also corroborated this.
