Two former Soddy-Daisy police officers who claim they were wrongfully terminated after speaking out about a fellow officer may have had ulterior motives, according to the city’s attorney.
City Manager Burt Johnson just didn’t trust them anymore, attorney Keith Grant said during a Tuesday legal conference.
Eric Jenkins and Jake Elrod were called to the stand April 30 and May 21 during hearings in the case of Justin Whaley, 43, a former Hamilton County paramedic who was convicted of reckless vehicular homicide.
They testified about a fellow officer, Sgt. Jeremy Wright, who they both accused of showing untrustworthy behavior and being sexually inappropriate.
The city of Soddy-Daisy immediately placed Jenkins and Elrod on paid leave, and they were ultimately fired July 31.