On December. 3, 2018, Hamilton County deputy, Blake Kilpatrick, was videotaped beating and kicking Charles Toney. Toney, a rapper known as Interstate Tax, is shown in the video being kicked and punched by Kilpatrick. As a results of the beating Toney suffered a collapsed lung, broken nose, several broken ribs and a broken finger. Citing the ongoing litigation, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office referred all questions to county attorney Rheubin Taylor, who did not return a request for comment.
After the video went viral, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond placed Kilpatrick on desk duty and District Attorney Neal Pinkston asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. Kilpatrick has remained on administrative leave with pay, though community members, including the NAACP, and elected officials have called for his firing.
Two elected officials who have sought to hold the sheriff accountable is County Commissioners Warren Mackey and Commissioner Katheryn Geter. Because the sheriff is about to put Kilpatrick back to work they are hosting a community meeting on Thursday, August 12, 2021 at the Kingdom Center. At his five o’clock meeting the sheriff will be present to explain his actions. The public is invited to listen and to ask questions.