Criminal case dismissed for activist accused of defaming police officer on Facebook
Chuck Winborn, an activist and a member of Tarrant Crime Commission, was arrested Tuesday night on a defamation charge against a former police sergeant on social media.Contributed mug shot
A criminal charge of defamation against an activist and vocal critic of his town’s mayor was dismissed today, two days after his arrest.
The arrest stemmed from a video Winborn posted online that shows an officer going into the empty office of Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major after he was suspended in 2023.
Sgt. Derrick Williamson accused Winborn of illegally obtaining the footage and using it to defame Williamson by accusing him of breaking in.
Winborn, who is also a member of the citizen-led Tarrant Crime Commission, denied any wrongdoing.
Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Alaric May ordered charges dropped against Chuck Winborn at the request of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office.
“Chuck Winborn is very pleased that the district attorney’s office recognized that the charges against him should be dismissed,” his attorney Scott Morro told AL.com. “I believe the charges never should have been brought in the first place, and so did the district attorney’s office, that it did not meet the criteria for a criminal offense.”
Williamson is a close ally of Mayor Wayman Newton, while Winborn supports police chief Wendell Major and the council, with whom the mayor frequently clashes.
Winborn’s social media postings did not name Williamson. But Williamson said the footage includes identifying information that points to him.
The charges made against Winborn are a class B misdemeanor offense in the state. Alabama Code 13A-11-163 prohibits people from making false claims of a felony against private citizens.
Questions linger about how social media posts led to the arrest and a criminal charge.
In a report to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office obtained by AL.com, the investigator told Williamson that his complaint was a civil matter. However, he was able to obtain the criminal warrant from a county magistrate.
Morro called Winborn’s arrest an abuse of the criminal justice system for political purposes.
“Any attempts to silence individuals in this manner are inappropriate and are against our free speech, especially in a political arena,” he said. “Chuck Winborn wants the citizens to know that the truth is an absolute defense and shall set you free.”