(Memphis) A man is on a mission. He says he was attacked and wants the people who did it held responsible.
James Winstead says he and his family were roughed up by an off-duty deputy and a security guard last January, but that police and the sheriff’s department refuse to do anything about it.
He erected a sign on Stage Road asking for witnesses.
“I am not giving up,” said Winstead.
He’s calling for a witness, anyone, who may have seen what happened outside the church one year ago.
James says he was attacked and it wasn’t just him, it was also his wife and child.
“They twisted her into a pretzel, threw her against the wall and handcuffed her.”
James says it all started with a traffic jam on Stage Road.
He got out of his car to ask security at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church what the back-up was all about.
“When I turned, the black male chest-bumped me and threw an elbow, tried to take my head off,” said Winstead.
He says the security guard then dragged him to a room in the church, where his wife and son followed, only to be attacked by an off-duty Shelby County deputy.
Here’s his wife’s 911 call to police:
“Let go of me! Let go of me! He grabbed my neck!” she says in the recording.
Twelve months later, he’s hoping the sign will find other people who may have called 911 that day.
“There were a handful of calls that were made that could testify to what happened, so what people don’t know is that there were a handful of people that could have seen me get assaulted on the highway.”
James says he followed city ordinance and put the sign up about 15 feet away from Stage Road. The information is kind of hard to read, but he is hoping someone will take the time to read it.
“Justice will never be served for what happened to my family – period. However, I am looking for accountability.”
Memphis Police and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office already dropped the case but James says he never will, “Because I saw them assault my wife and my child.”
The Shelby County Sheriff`s Office did look into the case after Winstaed filed a complaint.
They decided the deputy didn’t violate procedures and closed the case.
Winstead says the FBI has even gotten involved because a Shelby County deputy is accused of abusing his authority.
Still, he needs more witnesses to come forward.
