Citizen’s arrest of Gary Pettway one-year anniversary

Grand Jury Man is a Robert Hefner illustration

The emboldened bullet points represent hotlinks to companion video clips.

All times are local (EDT).

• Beginning about 0930 hours: A view of the Courthouse from Donna’s Old Town Cafe where the group met beforehand.

• Beginning about 0945 hours: Going in. Going up.

• Beginning about 0951 hours: The start of this video captures our arrival in the Criminal Court Clerk’s Office, then Mr. Pettway’s arrest. Then the narrative goes proceeds to narrate following events.

• From the audio (not attached yet) the following approximate times are established: 0947 hours: Arrive at the Courthouse. 0951 hours: Presentation of documents to Court Clerk Rene Ezell. 0954 hours: Clerk Darleen Moser instructs us to “have a seat in the hall until we figure out…and we’ll help you with it”. 0955 hours: The Citizen’s arrest of Gary Pettway. 0956 to 0957 hours: Darron Bivens and Bill Illingworth with a platoon of other law enforcement officers push me back out into the hallway. 0958 hours: Sweetwater Police Detective Sergeant Bill Illingworth moves the group to the mid-level landing. 1000 hours: Deputy Sheriff Bennie Byrum arrives in civilian clothes (Green Mountain Dew tee-shirt). Then the Citizen’s arrest of Deputy Sheriff Bennie Byrum. 1007 hours: Deputy Sheriff Byrum delivers Judge Carroll Ross’ order to the Monroe County Grand Jury. Byrum then forces the group out of the Courthouse onto the front Courthouse portico. 1018-1020 hours: We reenter the building looking for a Madisonville police officer. Deputy Sheriff Byrum intercepts us, admits to his communication with Judge Ross. Forces us back outside to the Courthouse Portico.

• About 0956 -0957 hours: Sweetwater, TN Police Detective Sergeant Bill Illingworth and other law enforcement officers move us out of the Courtroom into the hallway.

• About 0958 hours: Standing on the mid-level landing discussing our status. It’s confirmed once again amongst the group the Madisonville Police have been summoned to respond to assist in the Citizen’s arrest of Gary Pettway.

• Just past 1000 hours: Deputy Sheriff Bennie Byrum arrives in civilian clothes (Green Mountain Dew tee-shirt). Byrum is placed under Citizen’s arrest.

• Approximately 1006 hours: While the group has been waiting/talking on the mid-level landing Deputy Sheriff Byrum has been in contact with Judge Carroll Ross. At 1007 hours Byrum confronts the group, delivers Carroll Ross’ verbal order to leave the Courthouse, and Byrum further delivers Ross’ written order to the Grand Jury.
  

• About 1008 hours: Moments after Deputy Sheriff Bennie Byrum has executed Judge Ross’ order for our removal from the Courthouse.

• Approximately 1015 hours: Sweetwater PD Detective Sergeant Bill Illingworth and I walk and talk.

• From the not yet attached audio file: At approximately 1017 hours we’re told in a call to 911 dispatch that a Madisonville Police Officer is waiting for us inside the Courthouse. We go back in to find the officer. Bennie Byrum intercepts us immediately upon our return into the building. At about 1018 hours Byrum pushes us back out a second time. By this time a group of law enforcement officers has gathered on the portico. One of those in assembly is Monroe County Sheriff Bill Bivens.

• Approximately 1019 -1024 hours: Madisonville Detective Sergeant Jeremy Harrell and I are in discussion. Deputy Sheriff Bennie Byrum is inside communicating with Judge Ross. Ross lays out to Byrum those charges upon which I’m to be arrested. Ross’ accusations are reduced to writing. Byrum then comes outside, hands the paper to Detective Harrell saying: “1, 2, 3 charges.” Harrell hands the writing to Madisonville PD Detective Captain Darron Bivens. By this time I see Monroe County Sheriff Bill Bivens standing next to Darron Bivens. I arrest Sheriff Bill Bivens. Madisonville Detective Darron Bivens then arrests me. This video link and the one below overlap.

• Approximately 1030 hours: My Citizen’s arrest of Monroe County Sheriff Bill Bivens. Madisonville Police Detective Captain Darron Bivens arrests me.