Memphis Police Officer Facing Charges: Assaulted & Threatened to Kill 3 Black Children

From [HERE] Memphis Police Officer Margaret Taylor will face a judge today after being  arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault. Taylor has been removed from her job due to the charges that involve children. The incident happened Saturday evening at approximately 7:30. According to the affidavit of complaint, 13-year-old Kelvin Hall, 10-year-old Derriona Jones, and 16-year-old Collins Moore were going through the neighborhood asking people if they wanted their lawns mowed.  That's when the children say the off-duty officer got angry.

"We just walked on her porch and knocked on the door and asked if she wanted her yard cut, but she got an attitude so we just walked back up off the porch" said Kelvin Hall.     "She just kept hollering she a police, she a police.  That's when I told them come on let's go" said Collis Moore, a second victim.

The children say while they were in the area of Tutwiler and Stonewall, a car later pulled up next to them, the officer got out of the car and started cursing at them.

According to the children, the confrontation became physical and Taylor slapped 13-year-old Kelvin. "She had slapped me in my face on this side and then she threw a cigarette at me" said Kelvin.   Taylor also allegedly threatened the teens by showing them a handgun and advising them that she would harm them.

"She said if you come back on her street, she was going to kill us" said Kelvin.

And that is when the boys knew it was time to flee.

"Me and my brother when we saw the gun we left" said Derriona Jones, the third victim.  

And the boy's mother was also upset by the incident.

"That's just ridiculous for a police officer to act that way, and put her hands on a teenager" said Shala Hall, Kelvin's mother.

Investigators say Taylor is currently assigned to South Main Station and was hired with the Memphis Police Department in February 2001.

"I feel like the police should be here to protect, not going around threatening kids and doing harm to kids" said Sonia Walton, Collis and Derriona's mother.