A Black man from Virginia says he was falsely accused of stealing from his former employer, who fired him even after the allegations had been discovered to be false 10 minutes after Virginia Seashore Police Division officers took him into custody.
On Feb. 12, James Humphrey, who beforehand labored as a delivery supervisor for GBRS Group, stated through a GoFundMe marketing campaign that he has “endured immense emotional misery and monetary pressure” for the reason that ordeal.
He shared through TikTok the physique digital camera footage detailing what occurred throughout his arrest on Dec. 4, 2023. The video of the incident has gone viral with greater than 5 million views.
It reveals a GBRS Group worker telling officers, “We noticed him go away with the field,” referring to safety digital camera footage that appeared to point out Humphrey leaving the tactical coaching and model consulting firm with the field and returning with out it.
The field contained a BCM decrease, part of an AR-15 rifle, the worker stated within the clip.
“He didn’t ship it?” an officer is heard asking the worker. “No, it’s nonetheless excellent. The cargo nonetheless hasn’t been scanned in,” the person responds, in keeping with the physique cam footage.
Humphrey, who stated he handled lots of of packages a day, explains in a separate video that two weeks previous to his arrest, he and one other affiliate had been requested a few lacking package deal with no delivery quantity. He stated through TikTok he advised his employer that he didn’t know the place the package deal went and advised they verify the safety cameras.
“That they had checked the cameras over the weekend, and it’s me strolling out with the field, leaving for like 6 minutes and coming again with out the field,” Humphrey defined within the clip, chuckling.
“It would’ve been after I dropped it off someplace, FedEx, UPS,” he stated.
The next Monday, after the employer checked the footage, police arrived at Humphrey’s now-former office.
“I believed they was coming to purchase some belts, entire time, they coming to get me,” Humphrey stated.
Humphrey confronted a grand larceny of a firearm cost, which is a felony that carries a possible $2,500 wonderful and as much as 20 years imprisonment.
The physique digital camera reveals officers approaching Humphrey within the workplace. “What’s occurring?” he says because the officers start handcuffing and explaining the cost.
“Larceny, that is loopy, bro,” Humphrey responds in disbelief.
Officers transported Humphrey downtown, and within the interrogation room, he defined the character of his job, which he stated typically concerned taking packages from the constructing to couriers.
“I assume they didn’t imagine that as a result of on the finish, he was charging me,” Humphrey stated through TikTok.
As an officer transported him to the jail, he stated the officer obtained a name that the supposedly stolen package deal had been returned to GBRS Group.
“He went to the Justice of the Peace and stated, ‘drop the larceny cost, the package deal got here again,’ and I’m like, ‘what? God is working!’” Humphrey stated.
Physique cam footage reveals officers returning him to his job. Inside, the officers communicate with the worker who raised the grievance, who reveals them the field and says, “Ten minutes after you guys left, this confirmed up.”
Humphrey stated he received his stuff from work and left and was fired two days later.
“Regardless of the swift discovery of the merchandise and my innocence, the repercussions have been extreme,” Humphrey wrote on his GoFundMe web page, which has drawn in over $52,000 in donations. “I’ve misplaced my job, my status has been tarnished, and I’m left to select up the items and rebuild my life from scratch,” he stated.
“Including insult to damage, the police officer concerned within the case assured my employer that he would ‘doc the heck out of the report’ to absolve them of any potential repercussions, additional exacerbating the injustice I’ve confronted,” Humphrey wrote.
Humphrey stated he believed he might have initially grabbed the field with out checking the label, main him to mistake it for a FedEx field and dropping it off there.
“I believe I simply dropped it off behind the counter, didn’t get a receipt for it,” Humphrey stated. “If I’d’ve received a receipt, I in all probability would’ve observed the UPS label.”
He stated FedEx seemingly realized it was a UPS package deal, so the courier gave the field to UPS, which then returned the field to Humphrey’s former place of employment.
Individuals have taken to the Virginia Seashore Police Division’s Fb web page to denounce the officers’ actions, with one commenter calling for the firing of 1 officer.
“He did no investigating beforehand and had solely his buddy’s phrase that he stole one thing. He [cost] this man his job and status for a false allegation,” the commenter wrote, persevering with, “If the chief doesn’t acknowledge this disgraceful habits, then I’d recommend it’s time for a brand new chief!”
Humphrey stated through TikTok that he has tried to get a lawyer to assist him take authorized motion.
“I refuse to just accept this miscarriage of justice mendacity down. I’m dedicated to combating for my rights, clearing my identify and in search of restitution for the wrongful termination and the injury completed to my status and livelihood,” he wrote on GoFundMe.
Atlanta Black Star has contacted GBRS Group for a remark.
The Virginia Seashore Police Division advised Atlanta Black Star in a press release, “We’ve got opened an inner investigation into the incident to evaluate the actions of the responding officers and compliance with our insurance policies and procedures. As soon as accomplished, any sustained violations will outcome within the acceptable disciplinary and/or corrective motion.”
