Man falsely accused of shooting officer speaks out

ATLANTA - Man questioned, search after police shooting speaks out

Rodreikus Scott wiped tears from his face as he described what his life was like the days after Jackson Police Officer Sherry Hall claimed she was shot by a big Black man with dreadlocks.

“When you're going places, people are pointing you out like; 'He's the one who shot a cop.' it’s humiliating. It's been tough,” Scott, 40, said from his attorney's office in DeKalb County.

Within hours of the September 13 shooting, GBI investigators contacted the Jackson native to question if he shot the officer since he fit the description Hall's gave 911 operators. “The image she conjured up was that of a black man with a thick body with dreadlocks. She wanted to sound like she was the hero so she even said she fired back at the gunman. Lies… all lies at Mr. Scott's expense,” said attorney Harold Spence.

Scott said he allowed investigators to search his home and his car. He said they searched his body for gunshot wounds since hall claimed she fired at her purported gunman.

“They also made me take off my clothes in front of my one year old daughter. It was humiliating. I felt like cattle,” he told reporters.

Authorities ultimately determined Officer Hall was, in fact, lying. More than a week after the shooting, they said she made the whole story up to cover up what really happened--an apparent, self-inflicted gunshot wound at the hands of an officer who had only been on the job three months.

“I want to be very clear. We don't have an issue with the GBI. They were only doing what they were supposed to do which is investigate the shooting of an officer. Our problem is with the City of Jackson and the officer who set this ordeal into motion with false accusations," said attorney Mawuli Davis.

After spending more than 600 hours investigating Hall's claims, GBI investigators charged her with four felonies: violation of the oath of office, false statements, tampering with evidence and interference with government property. The attorneys say they have not filed a lawsuit, but add they haven't ruled one out either.

“What we thought was a victimless crime is, in fact, a crime with a victim. This has been hard on him,” Davis said.

Hall is no longer on the Jackson Police force and is now is jail without bond.

“Honestly, I don't know if an apology will help or not. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but I just want someone to acknowledge that this shouldn't have happened to me,” Scott said with his loved ones at his side.