DETROIT A Michigan police officer was embroiled in controversy last month after a man discovered Ku Klux Klan memorabilia inside his home,which was up for sale. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The stationreported that since posting the KKK application on Facebook, Robert and Reyna Mathis have receiveddeath threats. The Muskegon Police Department announced on Aug. 8 that it had opened an internal investigation after a social media post was "brought to its attention" accusing the veteran officer of "being in possession of certain items associated with a white supremacy group.". When asked if hecontactedone of the owners, Mathis said he did not. The citizen complaints were investigated by the department and Anderson was exonerated in both cases, the report states. Police in Muskegon, Michigan, launched an internal investigation of officer Charles Anderson last week after the would-be homebuyer, who is black, said he discovered a Confederate flag display and a framed Ku Klux Klan application during a tour of the home. Finally we hear the officer - and his wife - explain themselves. Now, the. I feel sick to my stomach knowing that I walk to the home of one of the most racist people in Muskegon hiding behind his uniform and possibly harassing people of color and different nationalities, Mathis says in the post. Related Story: Michigan Police Officer Charles Anderson on Leave After KKK Items Found in his Home. A white Michigan police officer fired after a framed Ku Klux Klan application and Confederate flags were found in his home, denied being a racist in an inquiry into the items and said he collected antiques and memorabilia linked to The Dukes of Hazzard television series. A report by then-Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague found that Julius Johnson hit Anderson in the head with a police radio and "another blunt object" and noted that Anderson was forced to get a . He posted a picture on Facebook of a framed KKK application he found. Frank Peterson, the city manager of Muskegon, confirmed on Friday that the officer, Charles Anderson, had been terminated, but said a report on the inquiry conducted by the Muskegon Police Department would not be released until next week. An unsettling discovery in the home of a local police officer rocks an entire city. Because he was a police officer, it was my moral obligation to say something about it.. After seeing the framed KKK document, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Application for Citizenship, Army veteran and prospective homebuyer Rob Mathis took to Facebook to share what he saw. The public radio program aired the first part, titled A Couple Walks Into a House on Jan. 21, and the second part, A City Walks Into an Investigation on Jan. 28. She was sentenced to 60 days and $414 in fines. "If he had just been anybody else," he said, "I wouldve just told my wife, you know, lets put an offer in on the house.". Close alerts. August 12, 2019 / 10:44 AM After he posted the picture of the application and the messages poured in, he said, he was trying to explain all of this to my 12-year-old daughter., Its a bad apple, not all law enforcement, Mr. Mathis said. Mathis said he had received death threats after uploading the images to Facebook. Although details of the investigation have not been released, Jeffrey Lewis, chief of the Police Department and Muskegons director of public safety, told the citys commissioners on Aug. 27, What you saw on social media is pretty much the way it is.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The authorities said that Mr. Johnson had repeatedly hit the officer in the head with a blunt object. . ARPA Details Officer Charles Anderson was terminated after a disciplinary hearing concluded Thursday afternoon, Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson told NBC News. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson and the city attorney's officereleased a 421-page reporton the investigation of Charles Anderson, as well as his history as a policeofficer before he was fired. He also said that the police had warned him about a death threat. All Rights Reserved. His wife, Rachael Anderson, told WOOD-TV her husband isn't a Klan member. Address Police Department City Hall1st Floor 933 Terrace St Muskegon, MI 49440 Hours Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 5:30pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Closed Phone (231) 724-6903 Fax (231) 724-2043 Send a message Document Search Stay Connected Lewis questioned Andersons claim that the Confederate flags in his home were part of an extensive Dukes of Hazzard television show collection, telling Calhoun that Anderson never produced requested photos of the collection and so That bucket didnt hold water.. Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214761835347198&set=a.1058959801946&type=3. "I feel as though we are being punished because of something we saw in a home that we never asked to see.". The report states they refused to comply with Andersons commands and Reyna Mathis "struck him in the face and eye with her hand." The city and Anderson agree neither party will publicly disparage the other party, including, "comments or statements to the press. Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. MUSKEGON, Mich. A white Muskegon police officer who displayed Ku Klux Klan memorabilia inside his home, which was up for sale, will retire with benefits from the department at the end of the year. I walked into the most racist home Ive ever been in in my life, Mr. Mathis said. Anyone can read what you share. ", Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Monday Thursday: 8:00am 5:30pm discovered Ku Klux Klan memorabilia inside his home, California utility cuts power to more than 20,000 customers, US Army soldier planned to kill 'antifa' activists, bomb a major news network, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Calhoun questions if the Mathises would have had an easier time if Lewis had gone public with his own concerns at the time. In the first case, Robert was pulled over by Anderson for speeding, while Reyna was in the passenger seat. The former police officer did not remove the item from the wall because he forgot it was in his antique collection room. Though Muskegon has a majority white population, over 31% of residents are Black. Anderson has never spoken with the media about the case, and the producer of the This American Life programs didnt have luck reaching him either. Anderson was fired in September following the release of the 421-page investigation by Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis and Muskegon City Manager Peterson. 1119, Deasha Hill In2016, a complaint stated that the officer did not give back a driver's license to an arrestee and that he did not secure a vehicle after the arrest. Charles Anderson was placed on leave last month after a prospective home buyer said they saw a Ku Klux Klan application and Confederate flags in his house. Reyna and Robert Mathis said they believe the department tried to tarnish their images to make Anderson look good and as if the couple was seeking revenge after 11 years. And they said they sent their daughter away to live with an aunt after they saw a photo on social media of their daughter playing in their front yard with the message we know where you live. Extra troubling was the fact their home was 500 feet from the road set back in some woods, Calhoun pointed out. Ten years ago, Officer Anderson shot and killed Julius Johnson, an unarmed black man, during a foot chase. Rob Mathis, the prospective homebuyer, posted on Facebook. He was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing when the shooting was deemed to be an act of self-defense. Rob and Reyna Mathis, who live in Muskegon Township, said they felt a range of emotions, including anger, sadness and shame, after they saw the Ku Klux Klan document inside the house in Holton Township, about 20 miles northeast of Muskegon. RELATED: The. A second citizen complaint from 2016 involved a DUI arrest in which Anderson did not secure a vehicle after the arrest and did not return a person's driver's license, according to the report. He was cleared of wrongdoing in the 2009 shooting of an unarmed black man, who, an investigation found, used Anderson's police radio and . When Calhoun pressed her on how that might be offensive and scary to some people, Rachel Anderson said that didnt change her opinion. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. The county prosecutor at the time determined that Mr. Anderson had shot in self-defense and cleared him of any wrongdoing. Mathis is a U.S. Army veteran who was bornin Detroit. Through the professional practice of law enforcement and in partnership with our citizenry, we will create and maintain a safe and secure community; protecting life and property, reducing crime, responding with compassion and establishing a high level of public trust that together improves the quality of life in our community. [email protected] Hilson said the investigation's results will drive reconsideration of the 2009 case, according to MLive.com. Address 1990 E. Apple Avenue Muskegon, MI 49442 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:45 PM (Closed 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM for Lunch Hour) Contact Phone: (231) 777-1666 (For Non-Emergencies Only) FOR ALL EMERGENCIES DIAL 911 Chief of Police Tim A. Thielbar [email protected] Ext. Hilson told the outlet in Aug. I guess I cant answer that question. We hope that you find the information on our website helpful and easy to find. Although Rob and Reyna Mathis originally debated whether to share the photos publicly, they said they felt a need to inform the community about what they had witnessed. In a report released by Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson last year officer Charles Anderson claimed the framed Ku Klux Klan application on a bedroom wall at his home was part of an antiques collection. A police officer in Michigan was terminated on Thursday after a prospective homebuyer who had been touring the officers house posted a picture on social media of a framed Ku Klux Klan application he had seen there, spurring an internal investigation. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Peterson refused to provide further details about what was discussed during the disciplinary hearing, but said that a redacted version of the inquiry into . Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson was placed on paid administrative leave after a house hunter who was viewing the officer's home said he saw a framed Ku Klux Klan application and. She told NBC News on Monday that she was defending herself against Anderson in that incident and that when her lawyer asked to enter the dashboard camera from the police vehicle as evidence, the department was unable to locate it so she was placed on probation. Upon announcing the investigation, the Muskegon Police Department acknowledged the post, which brought to their attention the possibility of Anderson being in possession of certain items associated with a white supremacy group.. Muskegon, MI - The veteran Muskegon police officer who was fired after a complaint that he had a vintage Ku Klux Klan (KKK) application hanging in his house had previous run-ins with his accusers. Reyna was jailedfor obstruction and assault on an officer. 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