BREAKING: Criminal Charge That Led to Eugene Police Racist Bodycam Scandal Dropped
The charge of second-degree theft has been dropped in an unexpected twist to the saga following journalist and documentary filmmaker Tim Lewis’ arrest on Jan. 30. Notably, the copious amount of footage obtained by Lewis during discovery is what led to the release of the video of former Eugene Police Officer Martin Siller’s racist private cell-phone conversation with Grantsville City Police Officer Garrett Freir.
The footage then sparked an internal investigation at the Utah police department, growing calls for Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner’s resignation, and the disclosure of a private EPD rest stop. The city’s independent police auditor, Craig Renetzky, was then congratulated for nine-months on the job by being awarded the ability to also teach at the University of Oregon by the city council.
“Frustrated and disappointed” is how Lewis described feeling about the news to Double Sided Media. “They brought all of this onto themselves and we were all ready to take our arguments into court and tell the story that needed to be told, but they took the basketball and walked off the court when they knew they were going to lose. Bunch of losers. They ain’t got game.”
