A police officer's attorney says a Tennessee cop--fired over a case with accusations that the cop confiscated beer from minors then gave the alcohol to another officer--was an "overreaction".
Per testimony from a May 2011 court hearing, Cpl. Tim Horne was one of several Kingsport (TN) police officers involved in responding to a call regarding a party with underage drinking. The cops are said to have confiscated three full cases of Natural Lite brand beer from that party in the eastern Tennessee town, and that a partial fourth case of beer was reported to have also been confiscated from minors at the scene.
Kingsport Times-News, a local area newspaper, reported that Officer Horne admitted laughing at a comment that the Natural Lite beer should be given to another officer -- but Horne denies the comment. Later, the Natural Lite beer was allegedly given to the other police officer, Officer Horne allegedly approving an official police report which stated the confiscated alcohol had been destroyed.
The Kingsport police officer accused of receiving the beer seems to have (ahem) resigned. Perhaps that was a cue to exit stage left. Whatever the case, Horne's been fired over the matter, the police officer's attorneys claim that firing the cop from his job was an overreaction.