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A journalist's decision to handle a confrontation through civil rights litigation instead of criminal charges backfired when the city official he was investigating allegedly filed a false police report days later. The case highlights how quickly the tables can turn when accountability reporting threatens powerful interests.
The Initial Confrontation and Measured Response
Following an encounter where a city official named Hester allegedly grabbed him, the journalist made a calculated decision. When Tulsa Police Department officers arrived on scene, he explained his position clearly: he wouldn't pursue battery charges despite having grounds to do so.
"I'm not the kind of wimpy person that's going to seek a battery case against Hester for grabbing me," he told the responding officers. Instead, he planned to address the matter through federal court as a civil rights violation, believing that civil litigation was more appropriate than criminal prosecution.
The Calm Before the Storm
At the scene that day, another official named Testerman remained largely silent. According to the journalist, Testerman's only interaction with police was asking an officer for his contact information. The situation appeared resolved, with all parties going their separate ways.
What happened next would transform a seemingly closed incident into something far more serious. The journalist left believing the matter was settled, unaware that behind the scenes, wheels were already turning.
The Consultation That Changed Everything
After the journalist departed, Testerman apparently didn't let the matter rest. According to his own recorded 911 call, he consulted with city leaders about the situation before deciding how to proceed. The timing raises questions about coordination between officials.
"He had to converse with the city to figure out what they wanted him to do about the situation," the journalist later explained. This detail suggests the response wasn't spontaneous but calculated, involving multiple layers of city government.
When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted
The consultation led to a dramatic escalation. Testerman filed a police report claiming the journalist had punched him in the chest. Crucially, the report allegedly omitted that Testerman himself had been the initial aggressor in the physical confrontation.
The irony was inescapable: the very police department that worked for the city the journalist was investigating for grant fraud would now be tasked with serving his arrest warrant. The system had effectively weaponized itself against its investigator.
The Arrest That Completed the Circle
The false report set the legal machinery in motion. Tulsa Police Department officers, employed by the same city government facing scrutiny over grant fraud allegations, processed the warrant and made the arrest. The journalist who had shown restraint in not pursuing charges now found himself on the wrong side of fabricated accusations.
The case file remains active, and the full confrontation between the journalist and city officials was captured on video. What led to the initial grabbing incident, and how exactly did the false report narrative unfold in the 911 call?
Watch the complete footage to see how a civil rights investigation turned into a false arrest case that exposes the very corruption it sought to document.
