Police in Jonesboro, Arkansas, are facing scrutiny following the release of body camera footage capturing a ticket issued to a local pizza delivery driver—who says that officers have pulled him over more than seven times in under a year. The driver, Christian Mobley, says police have destroyed his livelihood after he lost his job due to receiving so many tickets. Police Accountability Report investigates the case as an example of how police departments around the country employ dirty tactics to maximize city revenues through ticketing.
Production: Stephen Janis, Taya Graham
Written by: Stephen Janis
Post-Production: Adam Coley
Transcript
Taya Graham: Hello, my name is Taya Graham, and welcome to the Police Accountability Report. As I always make clear, this show has a single purpose: holding the politically powerful institution of policing accountable. To do so, we don’t just focus on the bad behavior of individual cops. Instead, we examine the system that makes bad policing possible.
And today we will achieve that goal by showing not one, not two, but multiple questionable stops by police of a pizza delivery man trying to simply make a living. It’s an ongoing pattern of writing tickets, pulling him over — And yes, even an arrest — That we will investigate to reveal just how problematic the actions of these officers are.
But first, before we get started, I want you watching to know that if you have video evidence of police misconduct, please email it to us privately at par@therealnews.com, or reach out to me on Facebook or Twitter @tayasbaltimore, and we might be able to investigate for you.
And please, like, share, and comment on our videos. It helps us get the word out, and it can even help our guests — And of course you know I read your comments and appreciate them. You see those little hearts I give out down there. And I’ve even started doing a PAR comment of the week to show you how much I appreciate your thoughts and what a terrific community we have.
And we do have a Patreon: Accountability Reports. So if you feel inspired to donate, please do. We don’t run ads or take corporate dollars, so anything you can spare is truly appreciated. Alright, we’ve gotten that out of the way.
Now, there is no doubt that times are tough for the working class in this country: Grueling jobs, underpaid work, and insufficient benefits are not only commonplace but a veritable addendum to the American dream that, for some, has turned into a nightmare.
And that is why today we are telling the story of one man who personifies both the challenges and obstacles of making an honest living under extreme duress. The man in question, Christian Mobley, has been working as a pizza delivery person in Jonesboro, Arkansas, for years. There, he has been diligently delivering food, working late into the night to make ends meet.
But soon he found, along with the occupational hazards and inherent dangers of delivering food, another unexpected challenge he had to overcome to make ends meet: the Jonesboro, Arkansas, Police Department. That’s because in spring of 2023, police began pulling him over for minor traffic violations, car stops that often became confrontational and ever more contentious as police turned traffic enforcement into something entirely divorced from public safety. Encounters with police that changed his life.
Now, Christian’s story begins, like I said, in June of 2023. Christian was driving to work to start his delivery shift when a Jonesboro officer, Michael Starnes, pulled him over. Take a look.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Michael Starnes: What’s going on man? You all right? My name is Officer Starnes, Jonesboro Police Department. The reason I stopped you is you got a brake light out, your passenger side brake light. Is there a reason you’re not wearing your seatbelt today, sir?
Christian Mobley: No, I’m trying to get to Walmart so I can pick up [inaudible].
Officer Michael Starnes: You going to Walmart? You’re going the wrong way.
Christian Mobley: [Inaudible] go north, pick up the [inaudible].
Officer Michael Starnes: You got a driver’s license on you?
Christian Mobley: Yes, sir.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Now as you notice, the officer is already questioning Christian about circumstances that have nothing to do with his allegedly broken tail light. I’m not sure why he has to explain where he is going or even why. But the officer asks, let’s say, provocative questions, that heightened the tension of this stop. Just listen.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Michael Starnes: OK, Mr. Mobley, is there a reason you’re nervous? What’s wrong, man?
Christian Mobley: I mean, you’re telling me from all the way, who wouldn’t be nervous? You’re telling me all the way from back there. Well —
Officer Michael Starnes: You have a brake light out, man.
Christian Mobley: You tell somebody that long, I mean, you going to pull me over. You could have pulled me up —
Officer Michael Starnes: Well I thought you were going to turn to a residence back there. I wasn’t going to bother you because you were going to be at home, but I saw you driving. So I mean, you need to know your brake light’s out, don’t you? For your safety, right?
Christian Mobley: Alright.
Officer Michael Starnes: I mean, right? And you’re not wearing your seatbelt. That’s not safe either, man. I’ll be right back with you, OK?
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Now, I won’t judge for you, but I think Christian looks annoyed rather than nervous. And truly, if the officer was concerned about Christian’s safety, why were they focusing on his state of mind? But apparently Mr. Mobley’s answer did not satisfy the Jonesboro Police Department, because again they escalated the encounter. Just look.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Michael Starnes: [Inaudible]. Visibly shaken.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Now, before I play the next section of the video, I want you to notice how police often needlessly escalate a routine car stop. That is because, since the initial contact, at least two other officers appear, including the one I’m showing you now on the screen. They approach Christian’s car from the back. So how would any rational person not be afraid? How could you not be fearful of a rapid and, frankly, questionable ratcheting up of police presence? Just take a look at what happens next.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Michael Starnes: Hey Mr. Mobley, go ahead and step out for me, OK?
Christian Mobley: Did I do something?
Officer Michael Starnes: I’ll explain all that to you in just a second. Just go back here. So this is a high drug traffic area. So what I’m going to do is I’m just going to run a dog around your vehicle, and if it doesn’t hit, we’ll be out of here. Is there anything in your vehicle that’s illegal?
Christian Mobley: I’m just going to Walmart. I’m a pickup driver for Walmart.
Officer Michael Starnes: I get it man. I get it man. That’s all I’m trying to prove, man. Trying to prove your exact [inaudible]. OK? Is there anything on you illegal?
Christian Mobley: Nothing [inaudible].
Officer Michael Starnes: Mind we search you real quick? Is that OK? Yes or no? Yes or no?
Christian Mobley: Yeah, sure. [Inaudible] nothing in the car.
Officer Michael Starnes: Go ahead and turn around for me. [Inaudible]. [Inaudible] your hat. Just want to spray [inaudible]. There’s nothing illegal in here at all?
Christian Mobley: [Inaudible].
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: So the overarching crime under investigation here is an allegedly broken tail light — Although, the cop never uses his body camera to record the evidence. From that point, police construct a narrative that Mr. Mobley, because he’s driving in a so-called “high drug crime area”, should be subject to a drug-sniffing dog to test his car.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Michael Starnes: She’s been letting it go.
Police Officer 1: So dispatch let her go.
Officer Michael Starnes: Yeah, essentially. Hey dude, I appreciate your patience, man. On your brake light, I’m going to give you a verbal warning, [inaudible] give you a citation for no seatbelt [inaudible].
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: So after the entire ordeal of being personally searched, then his car subject to a drug-sniffing dog, Christian is given a citation. That’s right. All the assorted officers, including a drug K-9 unit, deployed to battle a broken tail light. But for all the duress Christian experienced with this stop, he was soon pulled over again in March of 2024. Let’s listen as an officer justified stopping him.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Police Officer 2: Adam nor zebra, 86 M ANZ 86 M on Nettleton by the country club. Send me another unit over here. I’m not sure what he’s doing.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: “He’s over by the country club. I’m not sure what he’s doing.” I mean, that’s interesting. So driving by a country club is suddenly a crime. First he was driving in a high drug and crime area and that was justification to search his car, and now he’s driving next to a country club. Apparently Jonesboro is just a bunch of no-go zones for delivery drivers.
And like the previous stop, apparently one officer was not enough to corral Mr. Mobley. Shortly after he was pulled over, another cop showed up on the scene. Take a look.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Christian Mobley: How was y’all harassing me? I just told you, cops are always following me. That’s harassment.
Police Officer 3: That’s not harassment.
Christian Mobley: It is harassment —
Police Officer 3: There’s officers who drive every day, every [crosstalk].
Christian Mobley: You on it too. You want to harass me too?
Police Officer 4: I just came here because he asked for backup, man. [Pause]. He’s clear.
Christian Mobley: I’m always clear. I ain’t never committed no crimes. I’m always clear. You ain’t never going to catch me with nothing, no drugs or nothing.
Police Officer 3: Listen, dude, bring it down [crosstalk]. Just bring it down.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Now, the car stop then takes a troubling turn as the officer says something that seems very pointed and, honestly, a bit disturbing.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Police Officer 4: Where have I talked to you before? Your name sounds familiar.
Christian Mobley: Yeah, I got these cops always following me, and harassing me. So if I don’t come home, you know where I’m at. They’re arresting me for no reason.
Police Officer 4: We’re not arresting you for anything, man.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: But yet again, this car stop ends without charges. Not even a ticket, as the officer never fully articulates what Christian was apparently doing wrong other than driving adjacent to a country club.
But this is not the last encounter in the series of stops that have pervaded Mr. Mobley’s life. That’s because, just months later, he’s pulled over yet again, this time just outside his workplace. See for yourself.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Christian Mobley: Yeah. What’s up?
Officer Odie: What’s going on?
Christian Mobley: Yeah, what’s going on? I’m working.
Officer Odie: [Crosstalk] JPD —
Christian Mobley: I’m working right now. I know.
Officer Odie: Officer with JPD. The reason I stopped you is because you didn’t use the turn signal [inaudible].
Christian Mobley: Yeah, I did use the turn signal. Yeah, I did.
Officer Odie: You didn’t use it 100 [inaudible].
Christian Mobley: I used the turn signal. Yeah, I did. [Crosstalk] What’s your name?
Officer Odie: — 100 feet prior to turning into the parking lot.
Christian Mobley: What’s your name?
Officer Odie: Can I have your driver’s license [crosstalk], registration, and insurance? What?
Christian Mobley: What’s your name? Name and badge number?
Officer Odie: [Pause] Driver’s license, registration, insurance.
Christian Mobley: Name and badge number. Name and badge number [crosstalk].
Officer Odie: Driver’s license —
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Odie: — Registration, insurance.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: OK, so I’m just going to have to be blunt for a moment. I understand enforcing the law is not easy and is often complicated. I understand officers have to do their jobs to make sure we obey certain rules of the road. But to pull a man working to make a living for not signaling quickly enough within 100 feet, is that really worth anyone’s time, let alone a police officer’s?
How many times have we been told traffic stops are one of the most dangerous facets of policing? How many law enforcement officials have repeatedly claimed that they take a mortal risk simply by pulling over a driver to procure their license and registration? My point here is why? If indeed this is so risky, why bother to pull over a man for a traffic infraction that is so minor and of such little consequence? Why take the risk if the alleged misdeed is so inconsequential?
Well, Stephen has been working on that question, and we’ll discuss it later. But despite the questionable nature of the allegation, the Jonesboro officer presses on and actually escalates the encounter. Just watch.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Christian Mobley: Hey [censored], I need to get my, uh, my driver’s license out of there.
Officer Odie: Driver’s license, registration, and insurance.
Christian Mobley: I need to go in there and get my driver’s license out of there.
Officer Odie: You not going inside.
Christian Mobley: It’s inside.
Officer Odie: Well you not going inside. I’ll take your name and date of birth. Matter of fact, step out for me.
Christian Mobley: We have to lock our stuff up in the car — Up in the job then. All right, cool.
Officer Odie: You [inaudible] away? Do you have any weapons on you?
Christian Mobley: No, I don’t have no, no weapons, nothing on me. Alright, cool. I’m working right now. As you can see, Papa Johns, I’m working.
Officer Odie: What’s your name, date of birth, man?
Christian Mobley: Christian Mobley.
Officer Odie: [Inaudible].
Christian Mobley: I did use the turn signal. I did.
Officer Odie: You didn’t. If you stop talking over me and let me explain.
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Odie: You didn’t use the turn signal 100 feet prior before making this right turn into this parking lot.
Christian Mobley: I used the turn signal fully, and you know I did.
Officer Odie: Not 100 feet prior. That’s what I’m saying.
Christian Mobley: 100 feet prior. I used the turn [crosstalk] —
Officer Odie: You keep trying to talk over me and you giving the wrong information.
Christian Mobley: OK, man. OK. This is clearly harassment.
Officer Odie: Do you have any registration and [crosstalk] —?
Christian Mobley: Yeah, I got everything you need in the car.
Officer Odie: Where is it?
Christian Mobley: Can I get in the car?
Officer Odie: Of course, go ahead.
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Odie: Registration and insurance please.
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Odie: Hold on, hold on, hold on.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Now, as the stop continues, I want you to notice something as I run the video. Again, these car stops are not being conducted by a single officer. No. This apparently serious offense of not signaling more than 100 feet before the turn has actually warranted not one, not two, but seemingly three cops at least. That’s three law enforcement officers for one pizza delivery man who apparently made an ill-timed use of his turn signal. Take a look at how this increased police presence makes this stop even more tense.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Christian Mobley: This is clearly harassment.
Police Officer 5: I’m only going to ask you this one time, OK? Stay right there. Don’t move. You understand what I’m telling you?
Christian Mobley: Yeah, I understand what you’re telling me fully, officer.
Police Officer 6: …Name and date of birth [inaudible]?
Christian Mobley: Am I being detained?
Police Officer 6: Yes [crosstalk]. At the moment, yes.
Christian Mobley: I’m being detained?
Police Officer 6: At the moment, yes.
Officer Thomas: Where is it at in the glove box?
Christian Mobley: It’s in the glove box. My insurance and everything’s in the glove box, officer.
Officer Thomas: Are you giving us consent to go in there and get it?
Christian Mobley: You said I’m being detained, right?
Officer Thomas: Yes sir.
Christian Mobley: So if I’m being —
Officer Thomas: — [Inaudible] have to have consent for you to go inside there so we can get your —
Christian Mobley: So if I deny, if I deny…
Officer Thomas: If you deny it, we’ll cite you for not having proof of…
Christian Mobley: OK, go on there and get it. Go on there and get it. Come get my keys out the car and get my driver’s license out the box.
Police Officer 6: Because you’re supposed to have it while you’re driving. So we just won’t even worry about that. You shouldn’t be driving without a license.
Christian Mobley: Yeah, yeah. Come get my keys out the car.
Officer Thomas: No, stay over there.
Christian Mobley: Come get my keys out the car so you can get my driver’s out the box.
Police Officer 6: [Crosstalk] If you keep yelling, I’m gonna detain you and put you in the vehicle. Stop yelling [inaudible].
Officer Thomas: Until we tell you to, don’t throw nothing. OK? Thank you.
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Thomas: Let’s get this right. You’re not in control, you don’t get to tell him what to do. You don’t get [crosstalk] —
Christian Mobley: I get you officer. I got you. What’s your name and badge number?
Officer Thomas: D. Thomas. 1533.
Christian Mobley: Thank you. Thank you, officer. Yeah, they harassing me [censored]. They harassing me.
Officer Thomas: Get your hands out your pocket.
Christian Mobley: Ain’t no weapons on me.
Officer Thomas: Get your hands out of your pockets. I’m just telling you [crosstalk] —
Christian Mobley: My bad. I’m used to putting my hand in my pocket, man. That’s all it is [crosstalk].
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: OK, just wait a moment. I think I actually undercounted the number of cops at the scene this time. It looks like there are at least four officers who’ve joined this investigation. And guess what? More cops probably means more problems. And that’s exactly what happened, as police decided to put Christian in handcuffs. Just look.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Christian Mobley: Huh? What’s your badge number? What’s your badge number?
Police Officer 7: [Inaudible].
Christian Mobley: Thank you. Who is that right there?
Officer Thomas: He’s not a part of this traffic stop. It doesn’t concern you.
Christian Mobley: OK. Hey, hey, hey [censored]. They won’t let me get my license out the box. They won’t let — He’s my manager.
Police Officer 7: Don’t be yelling back and forth.
Christian Mobley: He, yeah, they harassing me [censored].
Police Officer 7: What did I just say?
Christian Mobley: Hey, [censored], they harassing me [censored].
Police Officer 7: Hey, put him back in there. Put him back in the truck.
Officer Thomas: Here’s what’s going on. [Inaudible] behind your back.
Christian Mobley: I’m being arrested?
Police Officer 7: You’re being detained.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: That’s right. They detained him — Although this looks like an arrest to me. And again, this entire ordeal did not lead to any actual charges, just more mental anguish for Mr. Mobley. But it wasn’t over, not hardly. Just 48 hours later, just two days after the stop we just watched, Christian was pulled over again by the same officer.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Odie: [Inaudible] Jonesboro Police Department.
Christian Mobley: I know [inaudible].
Officer Odie: The reason I stopped you is because you was following too close.
Christian Mobley: No I wasn’t.
Officer Odie: Yes you were.
Christian Mobley: No.
Officer Odie: You flashed me with your high beams. No I wasn’t. When I pulled over into this parking lot, you was so close, you almost rear-ended me. OK. What was the purpose of you —
Christian Mobley: You harassing me again, Odie.
Officer Odie: Can I have your driver’s license, registration, insurance?
Christian Mobley: What’s the traffic infraction, Odie?
Officer Odie: Driver’s license, registration, and insurance.
Christian Mobley: You harassing me again, Odie!
Officer Odie: Mr. Mobley.
Christian Mobley: OK.
Officer Odie: Driver’s license, registration, insurance.
Christian Mobley: Do you know that’s BS, Odie.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: But this time, the crime was apparently following too closely. But this time as well, the officer seems to have decided that he would employ the full extent of his police powers. Take a look.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Odie: Set out. Step out. Step out.
Christian Mobley: Here’s your driver’s license here.
Officer Odie: No, step out. It’s too late.
Christian Mobley: Here it is. Here it is. What you doing man?
Officer Odie: Step out.
Christian Mobley: What are you doing?
Officer Odie: Turn around.
Christian Mobley: What are you doing, Odie?
Officer Odie: Hands behind your back.
Christian Mobley: What are you doing?
Officer Odie: Hands behind your back.
Christian Mobley: What am I being arrested for, Odie [handcuffs close]? What am I being arrested for?
Officer Odie: Obstruction.
Christian Mobley: For what?
Officer Odie: 1-42 dispatch.
Christian Mobley: Oh damn, this is bullshit.
Officer Odie: 15 one time.
Christian Mobley: You know this is bullshit, right?
Officer Odie: Turn around. I asked you three times to give me your information.
Christian Mobley: I gave it to you. It’s in your hand.
Officer Odie: I’m only required to ask you once. You gave it to me once I came over here and told you to step out the vehicle.
Christian Mobley: You know what you’re doing is BS, man.
Officer Odie: Let’s go.
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: Obstruction. Well, that’s interesting. Bear in mind obstruction is premised upon obstructing an investigation into a separate crime, and since the officer did not articulate what the underlying crime is, we have no idea how he is justifying the charge — A lack of full disclosure that is not addressed during a postarrest discussion. Let’s watch.
[VIDEO CLIP BEGINS]
Officer Odie: Mr. Mobley.
Christian Mobley: Yeah?
Officer Odie: What’s a good phone number for you?
Christian Mobley: What am I being arrested for?
Officer Odie: Obstruction.
Christian Mobley: I’m being arrested for obstruction?
Officer Odie: Yes sir. What’s a good phone number?
Christian Mobley: How did I obstruct, Odie?
Officer Odie: Are you going to tell me your phone number, Mr. Mobley?
Christian Mobley: What’s the number for?
Officer Odie: For your citation.
Christian Mobley: How did I obstruct, Odie?
Officer Odie: What’s your current address?
Christian Mobley: You know my address, Odie. It’s on the driver’s license.
Officer Odie: OK. You mind telling it to me?
Christian Mobley: It’s on the driver’s license.
Officer Odie: All right. Well, like I said, you going to jail tonight for obstruction. I asked you three times to provide me with your identification.
Christian Mobley: I gave it to you.
Officer Odie: After the fact. I came over there [crosstalk] —
Christian Mobley: How was I obstructing though, Odie? How was I obstructing?
[VIDEO CLIP ENDS]
Taya Graham: And so Christian is taken to jail without sufficient justification, and truly without understanding what crime he’d committed. And as you’ll learn later, this had devastating consequences for him and his livelihood.
But there is more to the story, so much more that we’re actually not showing all the video now. Instead, there will be a part two of our investigation into the Jonesboro Police Department. And please feel free to reach out with your own stories of your interactions with the Jonesboro Police Department. And we will be soon joined by Christian to tell us how this continuing series of police encounters has impacted his life and what he wants to happen as a result.
But first we will be joined by my reporting partner, Stephen Janis, who’s been reaching out to the police and examining the documents. Stephen, thank you so much for joining me
Stephen Janis: Taya, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Taya Graham: Now, first, I know you sent a lengthy email to the Jonesboro, Arkansas, Police Department. What did you ask and how did they respond?
Stephen Janis: Well, I was very specific because I was very concerned about the probable cause for putting Mr. Mobley through all these car stops and some of the searches. So I asked them very specifically, how do you designate a high-crime area in the city? Is that like an official designation? What is the process you use? Secondly, I asked about the country club: Is driving within the vicinity of a country club actually a crime, and how do you establish this? Basically I was looking for a criteria for how they decide when to pull someone over and what that means.
Now, you sent an email to answer the Jonesboro Police Department. We actually sat and talked to them on the phone. We actually spoke to a traffic sergeant there who said he would get back to us. I have not heard, but we’re going to keep following up. And I just want to let people know we did our due diligence to get these people to respond. We let them know the questions we had. We asked specific questions, and we did not get a response. But they have certainly been put on notice about this.
Taya Graham: So you have reviewed all the video in depth. Do you think the officers had probable cause to stop Christian?
Stephen Janis: Well Taya, certainly not, because I have a lot of experience with being pulled over myself and living in a city where part of their crime enforcement was to pull random people over all the time. And these stops, saying high-crime area, that’s so subjective. Driving near a country club, even more odd. And I can’t even call it subjective, just kind of crazy.
And then the stops occurred later when he was driving 100 feet. I mean, how on earth is any person supposed to know? How is a cop supposed to know that? How do you know when someone’s not put a turn signal on 100 feet before they turn? That’s just impossible. So to me, these stops are highly questionable. I don’t think the law backs it up, and I think the questions need to be asked.
Taya Graham: Stephen, can you give me some background on the Jonesboro Police? How large is the department and what their crime rates look like?
Stephen Janis: Taya, there are a lot of different ways to look at crime statistics, and we’ve seen some reports that say Jonesboro has somewhat of a high crime rate, although it’s not that much different from the rest of major cities in Arkansas. Some people have given them a B-plus for certain types of crimes and a C for violent crimes, so they’re all over the board. Obviously they have some problem with crime.
But I will say as a word of caution that pulling people over randomly does not reduce crime. They did that a lot in Baltimore and it didn’t work. And if that’s the department strategy — And I really wish they would talk to us about this — Then I think they’re going in the wrong direction.
Taya Graham: And now to give us a sense of how his ongoing encounters with police have affected his life and his livelihood, and how his perception of law enforcement has changed, I’m joined by Christian Mobley. Christian, thank you so much for joining us.
Christian Mobley: No problem.
Taya Graham: Now first, please walk me through what we’re seeing in this video. You’re working in food delivery, driving back from a stop, I assume. What happens when the officer pulls behind you? What did they say, and why are they pulling you over?
Christian Mobley: I didn’t use the turn signal at 100 feet before making the turn — But I used the turn signal.
Taya Graham: So the officer initially says you’re not using your turn signal and then admits, well, you used the turn signal, you just didn’t use it within 100 feet of the turn. What were your thoughts when he said this, and do you agree with his assessment?
Christian Mobley: What you don’t see, what you don’t see is there’s another cop on the left side of me. He’s right on the left side of me, and Odie is behind me. So it’s like they kind of got me boxed in. But yeah, it’s just harassment. The police department is actually across the street from Papa John’s, so they sit over there all the time stalking me, trying to make their presence felt. It’s like they’re just trying to agitate me all the time, and it’s just what they do.
Taya Graham: This seems to be a simple traffic enforcement issue, and really, if you were guilty at all, there should have just been a warning. Why did it escalate? It seemed like there were four officers on the scene just for a turn signal infraction.
Christian Mobley: Simply put, they don’t like me. They don’t like the fact that I stand up to them and they can’t bully me or intimidate me, and I speak out against them. So they just got a problem with that. But like I said, I’m not really necessarily doing this for me. I know I’m not the only one in this town dealing with this kind of stuff, so this is more so for the other people that’s dealing with this. And somebody needs to do something about it. I feel like I’m the one to do something about it.
Taya Graham: Now, you were trying to communicate with your manager or one of your coworkers. You tried to explain to the officers where your information was. Why do you think they were so adamant about stopping you from communicating with your manager?
Christian Mobley: They knew that if he could get my driver’s license they probably wouldn’t have, they probably wouldn’t be able to get me with that charge of failure to present driver’s license. But when I come into work, my driver’s license is always in my wallet, and I lock my wallet up in my locker, so I forgot it that day. So that’s why my driver’s license wasn’t on me at the time.
Taya Graham: So what surprised me was that they placed you in cuffs, effectively, for trying to speak. How did they treat you? Did they put you in the back of the car? You can’t really see because the video goes dark for a little period of time.
Christian Mobley: Well, they didn’t put me in the back of the car, they just cuffed me. They just took my phone, placed it on the hood of his patrol vehicle, and that’s why the screen went dark. But I was in front of the vehicle, handcuffed.
Taya Graham: So this wasn’t the first time Jonesboro police officers have followed you looking for traffic infractions. Can you tell me how many other times you’ve been pulled over this year, and for what?
Christian Mobley: If I could, off the top of my head, I could say at least five times. It’s like they would pull me over to try to find out where I live, try to get my… They would issue me warnings, but they would pull me over. It’s like they trying to find out who I am and where I live at so they can monitor me or something.
Taya Graham: So I know you mentioned that after one of your traffic stops with Officer Sgt James D. Stout on March 3 this year, you said he followed you into a Walmart afterwards. Do you believe this is harassment?
Christian Mobley: It is something they do. It’s like this little thing they do. It was after the encounter. I was doing Walmart Spark. And while I’m doing Walmart Spark, he drives by me and kind of nods at me. It’s something they do. They’ll drive by you and they’ll nod at you, like, we’re watching you. It is just something they all do. It’s like a little gang thing that they do. And yeah, he drove past me. He nodded at me like he’s trying to intimidate, like he’s trying to send me a message. They all do it.
Taya Graham: They said they aren’t following you, but pull you over because they thought you were brake checking them? Can you please explain?
Christian Mobley: I was just coming from Natural Grocers, and they have this thing where they’ll always get behind me and start telling me, and he was just doing the same thing. And what you don’t see is him looking in his mirror. I can see him looking in his mirror, making a face, trying to intimidate me. It’s what you don’t see in the video. So I’m just slowing down to see what he’s on, and then he turns his lights on and said, I’m trying to brake check him. It is what it is.
Taya Graham: So Officer Michael Starnes of the Jonesboro Police Department pulled you over June 27 this year, allegedly for having a brake light out. But then he started saying you look nervous. Considering how often you’ve been pulled over this year, I would be nervous too. Do you think he was hoping to search your car? And he was talking about smelling deodorizing spray in your car, and talking about running a K-9 around your vehicle, and that you’re in a very high-crime area. I’m familiar with that sort of police procedure as a Baltimore City resident. Do you think he was fishing for a bigger crime than a traffic infraction?
Christian Mobley: It wasn’t a high-crime area, not at all. But I think he was just targeting me. But the very next day after that incident, I’m in Dollar General on East Johnson. He walks in. My back is to him. He walks in the dollar store and, like I said, as I turned around, I seen him standing there. He gives me this nod. He’s trying to send me a message, like, we’re going to be watching you. It’s what they do. It’s like they target people. It’s like a game to them.
Taya Graham: So you were driving your mother’s car during that stop, which is a nice looking car. And the officer said you were in a high-crime area. Do you think that you were being profiled? There were at least four officers on the scene and a K-9, so it seems like they were expecting you to be the catch they were fishing for. Is Jonesboro a place where there’s lots of criminal activity?
Christian Mobley: Not at all. I mean, nah. Even if you say you live in the hood in Jonesboro, it ain’t dangerous. Give me a break. Nah, it’s not high-crime at all.
Taya Graham: So Christian, how much has this cost you personally? I would imagine it is stressful just getting into your car for work considering how often you’ve been followed and ticketed and how much it costs in tickets and time going to court. What has this cost you, either financially or even emotionally or psychologically?
Christian Mobley: I would just say I’m built for it. No, I’m not. And like I said, they’re not going to intimidate me. I’m not the one they’re going to intimidate. I’m going to stand up, I’m going to stand up against them. But in the beginning it was kind of stressful because it was new to me. But it started to anger me, and that’s when I decided, you know what? I’m going to stand up against this. I’m going to bring light to this situation because I can’t be the only one in Jonesboro, Arkansas, dealing with this from these officers.
One time it got the best of me where I made a mistake and thought someone was following me, and I ended up getting arrested by Deputy Jordan Drum. But that was in the beginning when it was new to me, but now I built a tolerance for it and I know how to deal with it, and I know how to manipulate it and catch them in the process of trying to do it to me.
Taya Graham: Christian, I hate to ask this, but do you have any sort of criminal history that could explain why these officers have chosen to keep such a close eye on you?
Christian Mobley: No. The only thing, if you want to consider it, is when Deputy Jordan Drum from the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office, he arrested me. The only thing they charged me with was obstruction. That’s the only, I guess, major thing you can say that’s on my record. Everything else is just traffic tickets.
Taya Graham: By any chance, do you know why Officer Peyton Perkins was fired? He was one of the officers that was involved in your interactions.
Christian Mobley: I don’t know. I went in there, I went in there one day to get a FOIA video. And yeah, Trevor, I was talking to Trevor, Officer Trevor, and I said, I was talking to him about Perkins, and he said he got fired, and I asked him why. He wouldn’t disclose to me why he got fired. So I’m not really sure, but I’m happy he’s fired.
Taya Graham: If you could speak to the Jonesboro Police Department right now, what would you say? If you knew they were listening to you right this moment, what would you want to tell them?
Christian Mobley: Personally, I just want to tell them they cowards. They cowards. For you to do for them to try to put that type of… This is the type of stuff that can make people commit suicide. So for them to find some sort of satisfaction out of doing this type of stuff, they’re cowards. That’s what I would tell them. They’re cowards, and that’s all you’ll ever be.
Taya Graham: OK. I have a lot to say about what happened to Mr. Christian Mobley. Part of what I’m thinking about is directly related to the constant and, I think, obviously unnecessary police interactions we just witnessed. It seems, based upon the video evidence, that these traffic stops were the result of concerns other than just enforcing the law. One can only imagine the stress that Christian must have experienced when a drug-sniffing dog was deployed to search his car. Or one can guess how he felt when a police officer told him he was pulled over because he was driving near a country club.
All of these interactions with law enforcement hardly build a connection with the community. In fact, all of this police intervention for noncrimes only increases the distrust of institutions — And not just policing — That has become endemic in this country. And I don’t think policing like what we just witnessed is simply the result of officer overreach.
But that’s not the only aspect of Christian’s ordeal that concerns me. Something else bothers me about what we just watched that more than likely will get less attention than the stops themselves: an idea about law enforcement in this country that deserves to be discussed so that we understand what we’ve truly seen.
And to make it more comprehensible, I’m going to explain it as a story, a tale about people like Christian who work hard, struggle, keep trying, only to discover that the biggest obstacle to carving out a good life for himself is the government that’s supposed to serve him. The story starts almost 50 years ago, before Christian was even born. That’s when the working people of this country had benefited from one of the most robust expansions of the middle class in history. High union membership and less income inequality meant that the American dream was alive and well and, more importantly, actually possible.
But over the past 50 years everything changed: Union membership fell, income inequality rose, the road to the middle class was filled with potholes of neglect. As the wealth of the top 1% expanded to engulf the bottom 80%, it seemed like the hope for a comfortable middle-class life turned into an unattainable dream, a mirage of a long-forgotten social contract that seemed to move further and further away the harder we reached for it.
Now, the reason I bring this up is because the excessive policing we just witnessed is part and parcel of the lack of opportunity for the middle class. It’s something I’ve been thinking about because I’ve witnessed so many cases like this where police seem inexplicably drawn into conflicts with people whose biggest crime is being economically vulnerable.
Now, it made me think about something I heard about, one of the reasons America seemed so invested in the middle class 50 years ago. I don’t remember who it was, but their argument went like this:
The country’s political leadership, concerned over the Cold War with Russia, felt they had to prove that democracy could deliver for the people. The idea was that the best life prospects for the greatest number of people would lead to proof that a democratic society was an effective society. It would be proof that the whole system actually worked.
So what happened? That’s a good question. Apparently, after the end of the Cold War, our country’s elites decided to abandon the egalitarianism of making the greatest number of lives better. Without the so-called Red Scare, it seems like we all veered in the opposite direction, extracting the biggest gains for the smallest number of people. And I think, along with that decision, was the idea that, in order to prevent such an imbalanced system from collapsing, the elites turned to an institution that could, in some sense, keep the declining middle class and working class in check by sowing chaos in their midst.
And that’s why we see so many questionable car stops and ordeals like Christian’s. That’s why police roll out drug-sniffing dogs because you simply drive in an area they deemed, well, basically poor and off limits, or while you’re stopped a second time for driving next to a country club. No need to worry if you’ve committed a crime. No need to think about if you’re a threat to public safety. The whole idea is containment, to make you feel less capable of demanding your rights or of expecting a fair shake or of being treated fairly. The unnecessary scrutiny and inexplicable traffic stops is all a part of the same process to make you feel estranged from the rights that are bestowed upon you by the Constitution.
And to make this point even more salient, I want to share some news with you, a development to reinforce my argument that overpolicing is a consequence of rampant inequality.
Just as we were finishing recording our show, Christian sent me an email, and I want to read part of it to you: “I just found out I lost my job because of this arrest.” Christian wrote me. Not only that, his car was impounded and he spent three days in jail, and now he’s unemployed.
So I ask you, what exactly did law enforcement accomplish here? What exactly was the goal, the purpose, the public interest that was served by causing a hardworking man to lose his job? I am at a loss to explain the underlying societal justification for a process that culminates in this type of economic loss, that bolsters such unnecessary hardship, that conscripts humiliation to justify the deleterious effects of a society that are intrinsically unfair.
Honestly, when I watch videos like these, I feel like all the mainstream media pundits who say discussing economic inequality is class warfare are right, except the abuse runs downhill to those who can least afford it, to people like Christian, who were struggling but working hard, and now must struggle even more just to overcome the government that he literally funds through his taxes — But only if the police department will allow him to work.
One of the things that is most discouraging about Christian’s ordeal is, like many cities we cover, Jonesboro spends more on policing than any other facet of city government. As Stephen pointed out, the city dedicates less to firefighting, sanitation, parks, recreation, and fixing city streets than to law enforcement. Basically, 37% of all the money their city collects goes to cops, cars, arrests, and jails.
But how do city leaders justify this expenditure? What do they say to residents who might ask why they need to find countless numbers of officers to conduct countless numbers of questionable stops? How do they explain the dedication of communal resources to a process that seems so unnecessary?
And Jonesboro is not the exception. Throughout this country, we invest more in handcuffs than we do in housing; more on cages than in keeping our cities clean; more on traffic stops than healthy recreation. And that’s what’s really intriguing. The recent trend in crime calls into question the entire justification for this hard-to-fathom spending.
As you may already know, there has been a historic drop in violent crime in many of the largest cities across the country. In our city, Baltimore, homicides reached a record low, dropping by nearly 40% over the last year. But what’s also intriguing about this good news is that it occurred when the police department also had a record number of vacancies. And Baltimore is not alone. Departments across the country have raised concerns about a dearth of new police officers, shortages that they simply can’t fill. Vacancies that have remained vacant.
So then how can we explain the historic drop in violence? If more police and increased spending on police will somehow deliver more public safety, then why did crime drop when fewer officers were on the streets? What exactly am I missing here when fewer cops translates into less crime?
I think what we’ve considered and truly examined is that perhaps all the spending on policing has less to do with crime than police partisans would want us to believe. That pumping tax dollars into shiny new SUVs for cops isn’t really about keeping us safe, but perhaps about keeping us in check.
Maybe, just maybe, cops have another purpose, an often unacknowledged role in the economic inequality that has engulfed people like Christian. Maybe, along with traffic stops and minor crimes, they are the guardians of the border between extravagant wealth and soul-crushing poverty. Maybe they are here not just to enforce the law, but impose boundaries on the chaos that communal poverty creates.
Just consider that roughly only 20% of property crimes and 40% of homicides are solved. I’m not saying it’s easy to catch a thief, but certainly that doesn’t seem to be the focus of police who have the time to constantly pull over the same man over and over and over again.
That’s why we take the time to report on cases like Christian’s. That’s why we produce a detailed show to scrutinize the actions of police that deserve the attention. And that’s why we tell the stories of people who end up on the wrong side of police overreach. That’s why we produce this show, so that someone other than the cops holding handcuffs can tell their side of the story.
I want to thank our guest, Christian Mobley, for bravely coming forward, supplying us the video evidence, and, of course, sharing his story. And we really hope that things are going to take a positive turn for you soon. Thank you so much for your time, Christian.
And, of course, I have to thank intrepid reporter Stephen Janis for his writing, research, and editing on this piece. Thank you, Stephen.
Stephen Janis: Taya, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Taya Graham: And, of course, I want to thank mods of the show, Noli Dee and Lacy R, for their support. Thank you. and a very special thanks to Accountability Report Patreons. We appreciate you, and I look forward to thanking each and every single one of you personally in our next livestream, especially Patreon associate producers Lucita Garcia, David K., and John E.R., and super friends Eddie Clegg, Kenneth K., Shane B., Pineapple Girl, Chris R., and Matter of Rights.
But also I want to thank a very special supporter of the show, Scott Rushing. Scott was kind enough to share his family story with us. Unfortunately, this case is a tragic use of excessive force that resulted in the death of his unarmed son, Tyler Rushing. 34-year-old Tyler Rushing was tasered, attacked by police K-9, shot, and killed on July 23, 2017, in Chico, California. But Scott has never given up on the hope that his family will receive justice for his son’s death, and neither have we. Scott, we appreciate you supporting our work, and we hope you’ll join us soon to update us on your progress on reforming the excessive force policies and training practices of private security guards. Thank you for your support, Scott.
And I want you watching to know that if you have video evidence of police misconduct or brutality, please share it with us, and we might be able to investigate for you. Please reach out to us. You can email us tips privately to par@therealnews.com and share your evidence of police misconduct. You can also message us at Police Accountability Report on Facebook or Instagram, or @eyesonpolice on Twitter. Or, of course, you can message me directly @tayasbaltimore on Twitter or Facebook. And please like and comment. I do read your comments and appreciate them. And we do have a Patreon link pinned in the comments below for Accountability Reports. If you feel inspired to donate, please do. We don’t run ads and never take corporate dollars, so anything you can spare is truly appreciated.
My name is Taya Graham, and I’m your host of the Police Accountability Report. Please be safe out there.
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