JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi town has fired its police chief, two officers and two town officials after a video surfaced purportedly showing them encouraging a mentally disabled man to eat a mouthful of cinnamon as part of a prank.
An attorney for the 18-year-old disabled man says the video was taken at City Hall by one of the officials in the town of Tutwiler and posted on YouTube. It has since been taken down.
In the video, a substance is poured into Martin's mouth while a group of people can be heard laughing in the background. Martin starts coughing and spitting the cinnamon out.
Former Tutwiler Police Chief Terry Tyler says the allegations are false and he doesn't have anything to be ashamed of. He says he is talking to a lawyer.