Community Update

On july 31 your SeminoleHeightsPatch published a very negative and for
the most part fictitious story about my arrest by the Tampa Police Department.
Your story was copied almost word for word from the Tampa Police Department
news release.

However, with a lack of objectivity you failed to publish
that the unexplained deadly force coordinated with  media coverage, by which I was rested has
resulted in one single misdemeanor charge. Eleven other misdemeanor charges
were dropped; they were essentially all the same charge, cooked up for media
sensationalism the charge of falsifying an official document avoids the many
false accusations made in your news story.

The police admit to targeting me without any public
complaint or charge. It appears that most of the allegations made against me
were made by a police agent who received substantial monetary benefit as well
as a free pass on a major felony for her as false accusations. It seems that
the police sent undercover agents into my church to entrap me several times
over the last few months. The police authorities even admit to accepting an
effort to have one of their agents seduce me into having sex with her. I
declined. The effort had no other point than to catch me in a compromising
position in order to smear my reputation and my efforts on behalf of the people
of the inner-city in which I live and minister. It is both a shame and an
outrage when law enforcement allows itself to be used for political purposes.

The police admit trying to entice me to commit serious
crimes. They were unsuccessful. Police also went through my Internet records and
could not find any incriminating information. However it does appear that the
police were under great pressure to arrest me no later than 3 PM July 31, 2013.
Hence the misdemeanor arrest.

It is very dangerous to be a voice for the poor in Tampa
when the authorities can take such action with impunity. It is even more
dangerous when your editor  seems greedier for tabloid profits and political
access than in pursuing either the facts or the truth. Perhaps the real story
here is the abuse of power by the police and your failure to report
it.

Bishop chuck leigh