MS Police Chief & Staffers Fired After Allegedly Forcing Mentally-Disabled Teen to Eat Cinnamon
- Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:06am by
Billy Hallowell
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A situation out of Tutwiler, Mississippi, involving cinnamon, public officials purportedly behaving badly and a mentally disabled man has led to the firing of a police chief and four of his staffers. According to reports, Chief Terry Tyler and his co-workers allegedly encouraged (some say forced) a mentally disabled man to eat the spice.
On the surface, this may seem benign, however swallowing cinnamon can be a difficult task. The “Cinnamon Challenge” has become a familiar prank for individuals and groups around the nation to partake in (there are thousands of examples posted on YouTube). Here’s how it works: An individual will try to swallow cinnamon powder without water. But the substance is usually so dry that they end up coughing it up.
In a video of the incident that was posted on YouTube, the victim, Denareus “Ted” Martin, 18, can be seen coughing and running for water seconds after cinnamon was poured on his tongue by town clerk Angelia Chandler.
In a separate video, Martin is seen boxing with another police officer. Both clips have been removed from YouTube. The videos were taken while the teenager was doing community service at the Tutwiler City Hall, as he was working off fines from what the Daily Mail called “a minor criminal charge.” In addition to Tyler and Chandler’s firing, officers Jimmy Johnson, Bobby Banks Jr. and court clerk LaToya Ellis were also let go.
According to Ellis Pittman, a lawyer for Martin, all parties involved were “laughing, grinning and having a grand time” during the incident. Their laughs and enjoyment can be heard in the videos, which were purportedly shot and posted by Banks.
In this brief teaser clip, laughing can be heard:
Ellis also claims that the incident may have stemmed from comments that Martin made in court. Prior to the “Cinnamon Challenge,” he had apparently said that the officers weren’t doing their job — comments that may have led the officers to take revenge.
However, Tyler is denying the allegations waged against him.
“It’s a bunch of lies and false allegations,” he said in an interview with the AP. “I don’t have anything to hide. I don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”
Both the district attorney’s office and the FBI are investigating the alleged incidents.
(H/T: Daily Mail)
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Comments (40)
g.prunty
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 1:10amthank God that’s all they did i am sorry but for the most part police of today are corrupt ignorant and surely not to be trusted.to bad bad because there are good God fearing cops out there that looks bad because of these such things.but the fact is the tides have turned there are more bad cops than good.to the good cops sorry but you have to see what is going on so to the good cops what can i say but God bless you and be careful out there.
Report Post »FlowerBell
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 10:30pmThe unfortunate cinnamon eater in this situation wasn’t the only mentally-challenged person in the room. The sad, juvenile behavior displayed by adults lately is sickening. They are shameless people and should be treated as such.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:06amFLOWERBELL, I agree. Recently I was shocked at a youg person that I know that was talking about being dared to eat cinnamon and how awful it was. Is this some new and ridiculous fad? I don’t think I have ever heard of it before then and was suprised when I saw this story. Regardless, it was inappropriate and the people responsible should loose their jobs. If I were the parent I would consalt an attorney. Not neccessarily for money but to see to it that the so called adults with so called intelligience were held accountable.
Report Post »702TruthSeeker
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 9:21pmhttp://youtu.be/Xv6Mzcs8Vuw
Report Post »proudinfidel54
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:27pmI don’t believe the prank intended for that quantity of cinnammon to be used, that was enough powder to gag a horse no matter what kind of powder it was, let alone cinn.
Report Post »702TruthSeeker
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 9:20pmthat’s terrible, but this happened down the street from me a few days ago:
http://youtu.be/Xv6Mzcs8Vuw
Report Post »palmettopalflorida
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 5:51pmNot having a bit of PC-ness in me, and since it appears no one else has, I’ll take the plunge. If this is the way blacks in positions of authority treat blacks, with cruel pranks, then I will ask how well have they been treating other races . . . YES, I do mean WHITES?
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 4:39amdid you hear that demonic laugh?
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:39amI don’t think they saw him as a black man, but a disabled person. Having a disabled son, I’ve seen so much prejudice you would be amazed. When my son was little and had no communication, we spoke in sign language. I actually had a mother steer her daughter away from him in a playground and not let her play with him. He was oblivious, but it broke my heart. There are ignorant people out there.
Report Post »BlackBeaver
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 5:12pmThere are bad people in every occupation, including law enforcement. These police earned their termination by abusing their position and authority.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:13amBLACKBEAVER, do you think that the union will allow them to really be fired?
Report Post »Plan B
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 2:43pmWow, I can not believe what I typed and erased. I will change it to animals.
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 2:00pmHas nothing to be ashamed of? How about the problem that landed your ass in jail in the first place..punk!
Report Post »rationallyurs
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 1:23pmblack on black–not racist–just TYPICALLY STUPID—-your tax and affirmative action dollars at work
Report Post »blazingaway
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 12:16pmHe could have choked to death or gott’n it into his lungs.
Report Post »Yes, this is the sort of stupidity we see today because of our stupidity to hire people for reasons of race, equality and fairness instead of the right person for the right job who is most/best qualified.
We are turning our country into a state of mindless idiocy because we reward/support stupidity and tax/punish those who are accomplished. Don’t expect it to get any better until we change our stupid way of thinking.
COFemale
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:59amWell thank heaven this was a black on black crime, because if it were white officers making this black teen swallow dry cinnamon, it would be National news about Racist cops in Mississippi. Whew! another racist story averted. Some people are easily entertained.
I love cinnamon, but I have never tried to eat it dry; I always make cinnamon toast. I was thinking cinnamon sticks rather than the powder version. Now I know not to eat cinnamon dry.
Report Post »loveliberty83
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:52amthis is why testing of all ibefore they get police jobs somepeople are just plain mean
Report Post »Mr. Oshawott
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:38amYes, it’s just another day at the police department. The police officers get to exercise all sorts of cruel and unusual punishment toward their citizens, get sheer enjoyment and comedy out of their bestial actions, and get away with them scot-free. If anyone thinks that we aren’t living in a fascist police state, they are woefully mistaken, big time. I couldn’t care less if this “Cinnamon Challenge” prank was exercise by many people, what those ego-maniacal officers did to this mentally-challenged person is WRONG, simple as that.
Report Post »ariel33
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:29amCome on Blaze…let’s keep in mind that this young man was autistic.
Report Post »jroy6
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 2:15pmSo this guy being autistic makes it ok?
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:41amYes, and being autistic means he does things just for approval. My son (Down Syndrome and autistic) wouldn‘t report abuse because he thought he’d get someone in trouble. I had to have someone report it anonymously.
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:20amI’ll take their job and perform it with honesty, integrity, morals, values, and less pay!
Report Post »Bildozer1026
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:17amOh what a “great” state I live in. The local PD and SD always go on power trips. It is always the good-ole-boy system. If you know some one you are good. My brother was almost killed by a drunk driver and the sheriff who responded took the drunk guy home and the EMTs would not testify in court that the driver was drunk. So that is who is “protecting” is down here. Thanks guys.
Report Post »ToddinVB
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:14amTerry Tyler, Jimmy Johnson and Bobby Banks? Is it a requirement of officers in this town that their first and last names be comprised of the same letters?
Report Post »DD313
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 12:53pmThe Tutwiler twit trio, no doubt.
Report Post »geewhiz1962
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:12amMore Black on Black crime
Report Post »omgfolks
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 10:55amAnother example of why citizens should have a review board comprised of everyday citizens to monitor and control if needed the paramilitary (police) and goverment officials. They should be prosecuted for their wrongs, stripped of a gun permit for life and made to surrender all weapon in their homes. We need to send a clear message that these actions will not be tolerated.
Report Post »bigfatslob
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 10:28amPoor judgement shown here. Perhaps the municipality might want to reconcider its aff!rmative action policy.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 9:14amUnreal. We need to worry more about firing our commander…oops did I say that? Now that would be worth while and sensible.
Report Post »Rashomon
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:39amand you thought reno 911 wasn’t a reality show..
Report Post »steelreserve
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 9:02amIt’s called “The Red Dragon” and this trick is hilarious when it works right. Cinnamon shoots out of the persons nose and take it from me..it hurts and burns like you wouldn’t believe.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 3:03pmReno 911, or Super Troopers?
Reno 911 is about a bunch of cops who are completely incompitent. Super Troopers, on the other hand, is about a bunch of cops who make their entire day about messing with people’s minds.3
My vote is Super Troopers.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:24amPolice State run wild. Dont they have anything better to do like go write tickets to bring in revenue or harass the homeless or maybe do a show and tell at a school?
Report Post »I am glad they were fired. We have too damn many police now. The war on drugs has built this military force and it needs to go!
progressiveslayer
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:52amWar on drugs war on terror and war on poverty all BS,and the only war we need concern ourselves with is the war on the constitution and bill of rights.It’s been going on for a century and the idiots in this video are part of the problem.
Report Post »DD313
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:23amBullies are everywhere.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:21am.
Report Post »It’s better than Hanging………..
Steelhead
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 11:13ammonkey man- what’s your point?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 1:10pm.
Report Post »If you can‘t figure out it’s a slap at MS. Then there is no need to explain it to you…..
AJAYW
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 6:22pmPINHEAD you lipping off again, my my does trolling make you what you are or born that way
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