According to the report, two detectives claimed Davis instructed them to not investigate the suspected predator, Terrill Marion “TC” Crane, after police discovered sexually explicit images of him with minor girls.
Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis of the Memphis Police Department, which is at the center of attention as protests of the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols sweep the nation, was previously fired by the Atlanta Police Department after being accused of attempting to cover up the sex crimes of a co-worker's husband.
As the Hastings Tribune reports, Davis was terminated from her position as APD's internal affairs commander "for her alleged involvement in a botched sex crimes investigation into the husband of an Atlanta police sergeant."
According to the report, two detectives claimed Davis instructed them to not investigate the suspected predator, Terrill Marion "TC" Crane, after police discovered sexually explicit images of him with minor girls. Crane was later indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of producing child pornography, to which he pleaded guilty to one count in January 2009.
The case required a federal indictment due to Atlanta police taking "no action," according to the publication. An investigation conducted by the city later found that Davis was at fault for the inaction.
Then-Chief Richard Pennington first demoted the long-time law enforcement official from major to lieutenant before deciding to fire her, though she was ultimately reinstated after challenging the decision with Atlanta's Civil Service Board.
Davis retired from the department in 2016 to become the chief of the Durham, North Carolina, police department. In June 2021, she became the Memphis Police Department's first female chief.
Less than two years later, her department is being implicated in the death of 29-year-old father Tyre Nichols, who died three days after being beat by former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith, who were all fired and charged. They are each facing seven counts: second-degree murder; aggravated assault, act in concert; two counts of aggravated kidnapping; two counts of official misconduct; and official oppression, according to Fox News.
Before the Friday release of the disturbing bodycam and surveillance footage of the fatal January 7 altercation, Davis shared her thoughts on the actions taken by her employees.
"I was outraged," Davis told Don Lemon of CNN on the morning of the release. "It was unconscionable. ... I don't think I’ve witnessed anything of that nature in my entire career. It was that bad."
According to the police chief, the video showed "acts that defy humanity," and a "disregard for life."
"Mr. Nichols was able to get away from these officers and they found him again at another location," Davis said. "At that point, there was an amount of aggression that is unexplainable."
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