One current and two former Greenville police officers are suing city councilmember Kandi Smith for interference with their contracts of employment and obstruction of justice.
Plaintiffs Brock Flannery, Joshua Smith and Travis Brinkley filed the lawsuit Monday against Smith, saying that she abused her authority and pressured the Greenville Police Department into taking disciplinary action against the officers. Executive Director of the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association John Midgette said the litigation comes after the officers, who were part of the GPD drug task force and gang unit, were involved in the May 13th arrest of Leondus Farrow Jr., the assistant superintendent of Nash/Rocky Mount schools.
“While it appeared clear that the officers did their job pursuant to policy procedure and law, subsequent to Ms. Smith’s intervention, two of the officers found themselves fired, one suspended…. We have information and belief and it’s laid out in the lawsuit that… it was explained to them that it was a political firing and that sometimes that had to happen in situations.”
This is not the first time Smith overstepped proper protocal and proceedures, Midgette said, adding they're gathering data from other GPD officers and will be ammending the complaint as they gather more information. Council member Kandi Smith, who is running for State House, declined an interview with PRE saying she has not received the lawsuit.
