MEMPHIS, Tenn. — “Press conference tomorrow. He going to do a press conference tomorrow,” Keedran Franklin yelled. “He hurt. Y’all can’t see he hurt?”
Supporters stood between reporters and Frank Gibson as WREG tried to ask him questions Saturday.
Gibson, who is best known as Frank Gottie, was released from jail.
“He came over here while I was at my sister’s wake and stole my battery out my vehicle, put my tires on flat,” Xaviera Crawford said.
Gottie is accused of knocking his ex-girlfriend down and resisting arrest.
He told WREG the allegations against him never happened.
“They said something about a battery. Come on, man. Why would I even be on the scene if I stole something? Come on man. That don’t make sense,” Gottie told WREG over the phone from inside of 201 Poplar.
Police said Gottie was out of control, refused to give his name and would not give in to commands.
“Check on Gottie. Check on Gottie. He’s been arrested,” Detric Golden recalled a phone conversation he received Friday night.
Gottie is the third leader in the black community to be arrested since a massive Black Lives Matter protest that shut down the I-40 bridge in July.
“It’s perfect timing if you will. It is — it is quite suspicious,” Golden explained.
Devante Hill was arrested on two outstanding warrants, Joseph Kyles was accused of choking his girlfriend, and Gottie was charged just days before a massive protest — he said — he was planning at Graceland.
“Cooler heads may not prevail on Monday if this is not handled the way this should be handled,” Golden said.
The Memphis Police Department said the recent arrests are not a part of some conspiracy against Black Lives Matter supporters.
An MPD Spokesperson issued the following statement:
“Officers with the Memphis Police Department responded to a call requesting officer assistance related to a domestic violence situation. The details to this arrest have been made available. The Memphis Police Department does not target individuals, we respond to calls of service and uphold the law.”
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens said, “While The Coalition supports the efforts of all people who stand for social justice, peace and equity; the people involved in recent arrests are not members of Coalition of Concerned Citizens.”
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