Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson at a press conference at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 4 announced that the city would appeal the court order to release the body-worn camera (BWC) videos of the domestic disturbance at the home of Greensboro City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba on Dec. 28, 2023.
Monday, March 4 was the deadline that North Carolina Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour had set for the Greensboro Police Department to release the BWC videos from the Greensboro police officers who responded to 911 calls reporting domestic violence at Jaiyeoba’s home on Dec. 28.
At the press conference Thompson said, “This decision stems from the city’s unwavering commitment to protect the integrity of the investigative process, safeguarding the privacy of involved parties and the inadvertent exposure of sensitive information. While we recognize the importance of transparency, we believe that appealing this ruling is necessary to ensure that all aspects of this investigation are conducted with the utmost care and consideration for the individuals involved.”
Thompson’s version of what occurred at Jaiyeoba’s home also differs from the official police report that was withheld from the public for almost a month after the incident.
Thompson said that his boss, Jaiyeoba, was the only person at the scene that had “observable signs of injuries.” The police report lists two of Jaiyeoba’s daughters each as having an “Apparent Minor Injury.” Tai Jaiyeoba is also listed on the report as having an “Apparent Minor Injury.” But according to Thompson Tai Jaiyeoba was the only one with “observable signs of injuries.”
Attorneys from the Greensboro city attorney’s office opposed the release of the BWC videos at the hearing before North Carolina Superior Court Judge Baddour on Monday, Feb. 19. However, last week Jaiyeoba, as a private citizen, hired a criminal defense attorney, James Quander, counsel with Womble Bond Dickinson in Winston-Salem, to represent him and file a “motion to intervene” in the case. The hearing on that motion to intervene was scheduled for Monday, March 4, but was postponed until Tuesday, March 5 because of a lack of notice.
In September, one of the attorneys involved in the case, Amiel Rossabi, who is the attorney for the Greensboro Police Officers Association, filed documents with the court stating that he would not be available for court the week of March 4 to March 8. It is called “secured leave” and is supposed to be recognized by the court so that attorneys can take a vacation without being called back to court.
If Rossabi’s secured leave is recognized by the court, it would delay any hearing on the case until Monday, March 11 at the earliest.
What is the Chief hiding? Below is the North Carolina General Statue that may answer this question.
Chief have you been threaten by the Mayor and/or city council to lose his job?
G.S.14‑230. Willfully failing to discharge duties.
(a) If any clerk of any court of record, sheriff, magistrate, school board member, county
commissioner, county surveyor, coroner, treasurer, or official of any of the State institutions, or
of any county, city or town, shall willfully omit, neglect or refuse to discharge any of the duties
of his office, for default whereof it is not elsewhere provided that he shall be indicted, he shall
be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. If it shall be proved that such officer, after his
qualification, willfully and corruptly omitted, neglected or refused to discharge any of the
duties of his office, or willfully and corruptly violated his oath of office according to the true
intent and meaning thereof, such officer shall be guilty of misbehavior in office, and shall be
punished by removal therefrom under the sentence of the court as a part of the punishment for
the offense.
I smell bovine excrement. Just another cover-up from our intrepid city fathers. The contention that the “investigation is on going” begs credibility. If the situation was duch a “nothing burger” the investigation should have been concluded weeks ago.
The city council will go to extraordinary lengsth to justify not firing Der Führer.
Taiwo Jaiyeoba has been fired. The City has not made a public announcement yet but it is coming.
Ask Zack Matheny. He’ll confirm.
If only it were true. One can hope.
The City Council will be voting on terminating his contract before Tuesday’s Council Meeting.
It is true. You’ll see within the next few days.
It is true. He’s being fired for reasons unrelated to the BWC footage.
You’ll see within a few days.
Wish we could fire matheny
The City Council will be voting on terminating his contract before Tuesday’s Council Meeting.
******
Good.
What a dreadful egotist this man was, as he declared himself “CEO of Greensboro”, having lived here for barely one year.
He was about to get fired in Charlotte too, but jumped before he was pushed – and he jumped to Greensboro where he found a fawning and fatuous city council. Even those Pollyanna progressives are now regretting their decision to take him on.
– And let’s see the video. They are desperate to keep it hidden. So much for liberal transparency…
Only in Greensboro can you have so many snafus. We are not only the armpit of the state but the laughing stock too.
It’s a little lower than the arm pit.
Similar to how America is quickly becoming the laughingstock of the world.
If only the City of Greensboro fought for its citizens as hard as they fight for one of their own. Who do they think pays the taxes that pay for their salareries and perks?
My tax dollars are going to fight a court order of a tape that should have been voluntarily released when the incident happened. NOONE gets special treatment unless you for the City or County.
As usual great decision making
I find it interesting the chief of police doesn’t mind throwing us, his own officers to the wolves to appease the minority of whiner’s. but keep covering when it IS in the best interest of keeping the city running and transparent.
The Chief has lost a lot of respect. Reminds me of how the council treated David Wray over the James hinson fiasco. Shame on Chief Thompson. Too bad h answered the phone.
Just another cover up by Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson, Mayor Nancy Vaughan, and Guilford County District Attorney Avery Crump. Is this not a mirror image of the cover up by these three that involved two off-duty Greensboro Police Officer’s attempt to rob a known drug dealer Feb. 10, 2023 at 5:30 am in the morning in the Golden Gate Drive area of Greensboro? To my knowledge no criminal charges were ever filed against these Police Officers or the Drug Dealer that barricaded himself and shut down businesses in the area for over 4 hours.
Domestic violence is a vicious crime! If anyone of us had been involved and/or were the perpetrators we would have been arrested and taken to jail! Who gave our Mayor, our City Manager, our Greensboro Chief of Police, and his corrupt officers Diplomatic Immunity? All these people are not worthy of leading our city and county! In fact they deserve to been in jail for their unethical and criminal conduct!
Jim Donaldson
Geez dude. Give the Golden Gate fiasco a rest already. If there is a conspiracy, put up some facts and names. There is literally no one talking about your alleged incident. If this drug dealer got wronged, where is he? The press is always waiting to throw the police under the bus. They could do the cool shadowed out face thing and alter his voice for their interview. Hasn’t happened. Won’t happen. Makes me think it didn’t happen quite the way you’re making it out. It’s not like GPD covers for their own, at least at the lower ranks. They canned AND criminally charged at least four officers last year, and they made each of them nice and public. They even charged one of their own with homicide in an officer involved shooting a few years ago. Why would they not do that for your cops robbing people? Your story holds no water.
I’d bet your submarine has a screen door.
Bring back David Wray, a great man and good Police Chief. Oh wait I can’t say that, Don didn’t like him. Hmm wonder why maybe Hinson was in that equation
Officer Don reliably rushes to the defense of the GPD.
The Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson, GCC, Greensboro’s Legal Department, City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba, and outside attorneys for the City have worked and worked, have conspired, and have caucused repeatedly about what to do. What is on that tape? What is worth losing credibility by protecting Tai Jaiyeoba? The answer is Chief Thompson, GCC, and Legal are protecting themselves since they know how bad the behavior of Vaughn, Thompson and the entire GCC look on that tape. Especially since GCC has done everything to protect Tai Jaiyeoba from criticism. The public has a right to know. Taxpayers pay the salaries of everyone listed above, including outside attorneys indirectly. Tony Baker and Chuck Watts hate to lose; Tony Baker because it’s an ego thing, Chuck Watts because he believes he is above losing, and because he harbors resentment toward Whites; Tai Jaiyeoba is Black. Oh, what a mess the City of Greensboro is in, of their own making. At this point in time, the delay is a temporary win for Greensboro.
If this had been Mr. Parrish or Mr. Westmoreland, they would have long since been fired. The Chief has been told to fall in line. Given that he is not eligible for retirement yet, he has no choice. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one thrown under the bus when all is said and done and Tai walks away with a $500,000 + severance package
Mr. Parrish or Mr. Westmoreland would not have been involved in a domestic assault. If they were, they would not have been protected, not the right color.
Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, LAX, Denver, Detroit, NYC, Greensboro.
Washington, DC
The reasons given are absolute bs: to protect the integrity of the investigation? Really? Before the public could ask the first question it was announced the manager received no special treatment, the investigation is complete and no charges were necessary. So if the investigation is over, there is nothing to protect. Total nonsense. Why is the chief making such announcements? Has the manager, city council and city attorney’s office suddenly realized they have lost all credibility??? Does the chief realize how ridiculous he looks by claiming how he values transparency, and yet argues the BWC should NOT be released? Finally, the reason of “safeguarding the privacy of involved parties”, why does the city manager have a right to privacy the common citizens do not have? The judge ordered any identifying images (eg: addresses) and images of minors be obscured. This whole sorry episode is just another example of special treatment for those in power.
The Police Chief works for the City Manager, who then works for the council. Any questions, other than his integrity? Could be he’s already looking to go elsewhere, and I wouldn’t blame him.
I can’t hold this back…..I TOLD YOU SO!
How do we spell “Schadenfreude”, again!
You are soot on….
For a person in a position of authority such as the Greensboro police chief to spout the utter nonsense of his latest news conference brings nothing but ridicule upon the city. He stated that it would violate the families right to privacy to release the video and that he would defend ANY other citizen in that regard. Yeah, sure you have.
I will stop my diatribe with that inane and imbecilic excuse before busting a blood vessel. We truly do have idiots in control of the city of Greensboro.
Interesting. The dragging out of this matter is beginning to resemble the tactics that Donald Trump’s lawyers seem to be employing in his various matters in litigation…
From a poem by Sir Walter Scott written in 1808 which says . . .“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”.
It means when you act dishonestly, you’re initiating a problem which is then followed by a domino effect on the honesty of the City Council, and their attorneys. We teach this to our children until they say “I’m sorry” and plan to not do this again. But this is politics, and it will happend again until we get honest people in office and kick out the current group.
I am inclined to think that this appeal is merely a ploy to buy time in order to perfect a cover up.
The Chief has lost a lot of respect. Reminds me of how the council treated David Wray over the James hinson fiasco. Shame on Chief Thompson. Too bad he answered his phone.