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Man ordered to pay officers for false allegation
Harvey Rice, Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
CONROE -- A man who accused two Conroe police officers of being Ku Klux Klan members must pay $100,000 to each officer, a Montgomery County judge ruled.
State District Judge Suzanne Stovall ordered John Williams Sr. of Conroe to pay the damage award to Sgt. Michael Tindall and officer Jon Buckholtz after determining that his accusations were false.
Williams made statements before the Conroe City Council and on television news reports, accusing Tindall, a 15-year veteran, and Buckholtz, a five-year veteran, of making racist remarks during a June 1999 narcotics arrest.
"We hope this is a deterrent in the future to others who will come in and file false accusations," Tindall said.
"I don't think we'll ever see any money," Buckholtz said. "It was never about money. It was merely about truth."
Tindall said relations between the police and the black community in Conroe were tense at that time and that such accusations worsened the situation and could put officers' lives in jeopardy.
Williams, a Conroe school district bus driver, appeared at the nonjury trial without an attorney.
Although Williams accused Tindall of making racial slurs during the arrest, the judge heard testimony showing that neither Williams nor Tindall was present during the arrests.
Tindall, who was off duty that day, said Williams arrived after two suspects had been taken to jail and accused Buckholtz of planting drugs to make the arrests.
Williams also spoke with a police supervisor whom he thought was Tindall, Tindall said.
Williams initially complained to Police Chief John Lindon, who said that he asked Williams to file a formal complaint and take a polygraph test. He said he told Williams that if he passed, he would require the two officers to take polygraph tests.
Instead of filing a complaint, Williams advised television stations and newspapers that he was going to denounce the officers before the City Council.
He accused the two officers of being members of the Ku Klux Klan and said numerous other Conroe officers also were members.
Buckholtz said he knows of no Klan members in the department.
"If I did, I wouldn't tolerate it," he said.
Man ordered to pay officers for false allegation
Harvey Rice, Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
CONROE -- A man who accused two Conroe police officers of being Ku Klux Klan members must pay $100,000 to each officer, a Montgomery County judge ruled.
State District Judge Suzanne Stovall ordered John Williams Sr. of Conroe to pay the damage award to Sgt. Michael Tindall and officer Jon Buckholtz after determining that his accusations were false.
Williams made statements before the Conroe City Council and on television news reports, accusing Tindall, a 15-year veteran, and Buckholtz, a five-year veteran, of making racist remarks during a June 1999 narcotics arrest.
"We hope this is a deterrent in the future to others who will come in and file false accusations," Tindall said.
"I don't think we'll ever see any money," Buckholtz said. "It was never about money. It was merely about truth."
Tindall said relations between the police and the black community in Conroe were tense at that time and that such accusations worsened the situation and could put officers' lives in jeopardy.
Williams, a Conroe school district bus driver, appeared at the nonjury trial without an attorney.
Although Williams accused Tindall of making racial slurs during the arrest, the judge heard testimony showing that neither Williams nor Tindall was present during the arrests.
Tindall, who was off duty that day, said Williams arrived after two suspects had been taken to jail and accused Buckholtz of planting drugs to make the arrests.
Williams also spoke with a police supervisor whom he thought was Tindall, Tindall said.
Williams initially complained to Police Chief John Lindon, who said that he asked Williams to file a formal complaint and take a polygraph test. He said he told Williams that if he passed, he would require the two officers to take polygraph tests.
Instead of filing a complaint, Williams advised television stations and newspapers that he was going to denounce the officers before the City Council.
He accused the two officers of being members of the Ku Klux Klan and said numerous other Conroe officers also were members.
Buckholtz said he knows of no Klan members in the department.
"If I did, I wouldn't tolerate it," he said.
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