A veteran investigator with the Tennessee Department of Health was forced to resign or face termination last month for his conduct during a racially charged case.
William Sewell was an emergency medical service investigator, assigned to the Upper Cumberland Region, who had been with the state more than 40 years.
Last summer, Sewell began investigating a case involving the Algood Fire Department in Putnam County.
In an interview with the man who filed the complaint, Shun Mullins, Sewell began telling a graphic story about a black man who was lynched near Baxter, Tennessee, many years ago.
The state claimed Sewell's conduct in that interview could be perceived as a "form of intimidation" toward Mullins.
[,,,]
"His very first question was, 'Mr. Mullins have you ever been to the penitentiary?" Mullins remembered.
Sheryl Allen with the NAACP said, "When he asked that question, Mr Mullins said 'no' and he (Sewell) said 'OK, my source is wrong.'"
"That was more than insulting to me," Mullins said.
[,,,]
An internal Health Department investigation obtained by NewsChannel 5 Investigates revealed the department believed Sewell told the story to put Mullins on the "defensive" and intimidate him because Sewell had close ties to many officials in Algood and possibly knew the deputy fire chief, who was being investigated.
[,,,]
NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "Who is the victim in this situation?"
Sewell responded, "I am."
"And why are you the victim?" we asked.
"I am the victim because I made a mistake," Sewell said.
State Investigator Loses Job Over Lynching Story - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
No comments:
Post a Comment