Six Attorneys Face Misconduct Allegations in $100M Civil Rights Lawsuit Against City of Memphis and Memphis Police Department
Pro Se Plaintiff Rev. Gerald Kiner Takes on City Attorneys in David vs. Goliath Battle
Staff, Investigative Report, September 16, 2024
MEMPHIS, TN —- In what is shaping up to be one of the most explosive civil rights lawsuits in recent Memphis history, six attorneys representing the City of Memphis, the Memphis Police Department, and three individual officers stand accused of misconduct in a federal case that could cost the city up to $100 million. At the heart of this legal storm is a courageous pastor, Rev. Gerald Kiner, who has taken on the city’s legal juggernaut as a pro se plaintiff, alleging systemic corruption, police brutality, and a coordinated cover-up involving fabricated police reports.
Rev. Kiner, a leader of a local Memphis church, was dragged from his pulpit in the middle of delivering a Sunday sermon in an incident that has shocked the religious community. The three Memphis police officers involved—identified as Officer Leon, Officer Wiley, and Officer Cook—allegedly ambushed Kiner during his 11am Sunday morning service without warning, detaining him in front of his congregation which became hysyerical. In what can only be described as an egregious abuse of power, Kiner claims the officers then fabricated details in their police reports to justify their actions, a claim substantiated by witness testimony and evidence unveiled during discovery.
A Heroic Stand for Justice
Rev. Kiner, representing himself in this complex legal battle, has become a symbol of defiance and resilience, standing up not only for his own rights but for the rights of countless others in Memphis who have suffered under a justice system he describes as “broken and corrupt.” His church, the cornerstone of his life’s work, became a battleground for his civil rights, and now, this battle has expanded into a federal courtroom. Kiner’s case highlights the dangers faced by those who dare to challenge authority, particularly in a city with a long history of civil rights abuses.
“This is not just about me. This is about every citizen who has been wrongfully targeted, abused, and silenced by the very institutions that are supposed to protect us,” said Rev. Kiner during a recent interview. “I’m standing up for my civil rights, my congregation that was devastated, and everyone in Memphis who has been mistreated by the police.”
Allegations of Corruption and Misconduct
The attorneys defending the City of Memphis and its police officers find themselves at the heart of a legal firestorm. Kiner faces two law firms in this high-profile case: Godwin, Morris, Laurenzi & Bloomfield, P.C., with Deborah Godwin and Mary McKinney representing the officers in their individual capacities, and Reifers, Holmes & Peters, LLC, featuring Rodrick Holmes and Faith Merriweather, defending both the city and the officers in their official capacities. Additionally, Tannera Gibson and Barbalette Davis from the City of Memphis legal team are also involved. Altogether, these six attorneys are facing misconduct allegations.
Rev. Kiner has filed a motion seeking to disqualify all six attorneys for their roles in what he calls an orchestrated attempt to cover up police brutality and suppress evidence. Kiner’s legal filings point to a pattern of bad faith behavior, including the fabrication of police reports and the withholding of critical body camera footage- footage that was supposedly submitted 3 days ago by via a link submitted to Kiner by Reifers, Holmes & Peters, LLC, but when Kiner attempted to open it – the file stated: “This folder is empty”.
In a particularly damning allegation, Kiner claims that the attorneys have actively participated in obstructing justice, violating Tennessee’s Rules of Professional Conduct. His filings argue that the defense attorneys have continued to defend a case based on falsified reports, making them complicit in a crime that reaches far beyond the courtroom.
Discovery Obstruction and Ethical Breaches
The attorneys have also come under fire for their obstructionist tactics during discovery. Kiner has accused the defense of deliberately withholding critical body cam footage for over 18 months, footage that could further substantiate his claims and prove the officers’ misconduct. Despite numerous requests, the defense has yet to hand over this key evidence, raising serious questions about their commitment to transparency and justice.
“This isn’t just about a few bad officers. This is about an entire system that is willing to hide the truth and obstruct justice to protect its own,” Kiner asserted, adding “The people of Memphis deserve better than this.”
Kiner’s allegations of misconduct are supported by Supreme Court precedent. In his motions, he cites Chambers v. NASCO, Inc., a landmark case that grants courts the power to sanction attorneys and parties who engage in bad faith conduct. Kiner argues that the defense’s behavior in his case rises to this level, calling for severe sanctions, including the disqualification of all six attorneys and a default judgment in his favor.
A History of Civil Rights Abuses
Kiner’s lawsuit is not an isolated incident. The Memphis Police Department has been under scrutiny for years, facing multiple allegations of civil rights violations. Just last year, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a federal investigation into the department’s patterns and practices, prompted by a flood of complaints about unconstitutional policing. Kiner’s case, with its deeply troubling allegations of fabricated evidence and police brutality, could become a watershed moment in this broader investigation.
The Defense’s Tattered Reputation
The attorneys representing the City of Memphis have done little to salvage their reputations in the wake of these damning allegations. In settlement discussions, Kiner motion alleges that the defense offered an insultingly low amount, demonstrating their unwillingness to take his claims seriously. The settlement offer, which Kiner described as “disrespectful and dismissive,” further underscores the defense’s strategy of downplaying the severity of the case.
In court filings, Kiner has meticulously documented the defense’s bad faith tactics, from stalling discovery to evading responsibility for their client’s actions. These actions, he argues, are not just unethical—they are emblematic of a deeply flawed legal defense strategy aimed at protecting corrupt officers at all costs.
A Call for Justice and a $10M Scholarship Fund
As Rev. Kiner’s case moves forward, the stakes could not be higher. With $100 million on the line, the lawsuit threatens to expose the dark underbelly of Memphis’s legal and policing systems. For Kiner, the case is not just about financial restitution—it is about accountability and justice.
“I won’t stop until the truth comes out,” Kiner said. “The people of Memphis deserve to know what kind of leadership they’re dealing with but when I win I will make sure all the black men and women and other minorities who have been treated unfairly by the Memphis Police wins as well.
Kiner plans to use a portion of the proceeds from the lawsuit to create a $10 million scholarship fund for African Americans and other minorities but especially black males who have filed misconduct complaints against the Memphis Police Department. Kiner says, “Most young black men never recover from police misconduct and brutality. I am a witness to the ongoing psychological impact, which can become crippling at times due to the fear of being targeted by police, pulled over by police, or the recurring nightmares from that one hellafied unconstitutional encounter. It is too much to ask anyone to simply forget. The saddest part of all is that most of the victims are never compensated. I intend to change that by establishing a scholarship fund to provide a full four-year college scholarship for victims who’ve never been compensated. If one or two of them can become lawyers to help challenge the lawyers who make a living defending police injustice, our city will be all the better for it.”
As the case proceeds, all eyes will be on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, where a courageous pastor faces off against the city’s legal machine in a battle for truth and justice. The outcome of this case could reverberate far beyond Memphis, sending a message that no one—no matter how powerful—is above the law.
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