Tennessee: Millilngton Embattled Over Corruption

Mayor Hodges' Son Leads Prayer Vigil For Embattled City
Bonny Kinney

FAST FACTS
The son of embattled Millington Mayor Richard Hodges led a prayer vigil

A handful of supporters showed up to pray for the city

The vigil happened the same day the TBI released investigation documents
(Millington, TN 8/5/2011)

Unaware that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was preparing to release documents detailing the corruption investigation into his father, Daniel Hodges was rallying supporters to come to a prayer vigil at Millington City Hall. Hodges says it was not a rally for his father, Millington Mayor Richard Hodges, rather a call to God to care for the city.

"There is a lot going on right now and we just need to pray for God to put his hand on the city and just do what has to be done," said Angela Hodges, Daniel's wife.

Daniel Hodges said while he didn't know the documents were going to be released Friday, he did see the allegations against his father.

"I don't know what's true and what's false. I can't enlighten you on any of that. I wish I could. I wish I could stand here and say my dad is innocent or my dad is guilty. People are very quick to judge. There are obviously millions of rumors going around and they're not all true," Daniel Hodges said.

The TBI says Mayor Hodges participated in gambling at the Millington shop "Transmission Doctors." According to the documents, he had also accrued debt totalling more than $10 thousand, and was willing to offer city services in exchange for settling the debt. According to a confidential informant, Hodges talked about $40 thousand dollars worth of drainage work, and told him that the City of Millington was going to provide, "drainage work, curb cut, trees, grass and other work done outside of his business in Millington."

The documents also detail a conversation about giving the informant a real Millington police badge in exchange for money. Apparently Millington Police Chief Ray Douglas knew about the badge offer, but told authorities he did not want to give a police badge to the informant. The documents also state Chief Douglas knew about the gambling, but did not play.

The documents also say Mayor Hodges blamed the confidential informant for a previous suicide attempt by his wife, Rita, after the informant told the Mayor's wife he was still gambling at the transmission shop. Rita Hodges committed suicide the day before the city raids. On Monday, Mayor Hodges clutched a picture of his wife of 35 years, calling her his rock and promising to keep her picture at his seat in the City Aldermen chambers.

"None of us has really been able to grieve properly over this situation because of this other deal going on. But we trust in Jesus and that's where we put our own faith," Daniel Hodges said.

The young Hodges says whatever happens, he will always be there for his father.

"I will definitely support my dad no matter what the outcome is because no matter what happens with the Mayor's position and all that, he's still my father," Daniel Hodges said.


Commissioner responds to court documents mentioning his name and gambling
Tom Powell

FAST FACTS:
NC3 obtains court papers in Millington Corruption Case
Document talks about Commissioner Terry Roland's role as a whistle blower
Witness also claims he gambled with Roland

(Millington, TN) -- Name your game. Poker? Blackjack? If you're playing for money, it's gambling. In Tennessee that's illegal. So when court documents cited a witness telling investigators, "... Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland used to gamble with him at the Transmission Doctor's office," we had to get Roland's reaction.

"No big deal," he said. "Yeah I was over there. As far as taking place in big high stakes gambling? No. I wasn't over there maybe two or three times. It's been over a year and a half ago, way before I took office."

We asked Roland if he took part in games with lower stakes, like games for five or ten dollars a hand. An informant told investigators that's what went on at the transmission shop. "No," Roland said. "I was playing, we were cutting for, I might have played cut for five dollars once or twice, or I cut for whoever was going to buy refreshments and stuff. You know what I'm saying? Harmless."

What's not harmless, Roland says, is what the court papers say about Millington Mayor Richard Hodges, that the mayor offered city services to settle a $10,000 gambling debt with an informant.

Roland says he did nothing wrong during his limited visits to the transmission doctors. "The last time I was over there was a year and a half ago, before I took office. Now (if) anybody wants to make a big deal about that, that's on them, but I'm not backing up."

He says he's not backing away from helping in the ongoing investigation into corruption in Millington. Roland says he's the one who blew the whistle about a year ago, when he brought complaints about corruption to the authorities.

Roland says once the case went public he started to receive threats from "some of those involved." Roland would not say specifically who is making the threats.

Commissioner Roland also wanted to clear up several rumors he's heard surrounding the case and his role as a whistle blower. "Do I have a personal vendetta? No. Did I take pleasure in pushing for this investigation? No. Do I have any aspirations to run for mayor? Is this political? No."

We asked for an update on the case from the TBI. "When the investigation is complete, we'll turn the case file over to the DA who will then determine who will face what charges. Details of those charges aren't available at this time," a spokesperson wrote in response.