After acquittal, Knoxville activist Nzinga Amani still faces another legal hurdle
Local police reform activist Nzinga Bayano Amani secured a legal victory this week after a jury found them not guilty of obstructing a roadway, a charge related to their participation in a demonstration in the days following the police shooting of Anthony Thompson Jr.
But Amani, who uses they/them pronouns, insists they are being targeted for political activism and argued at the trial in Knox County Court that larger constitutional issues mattered more than the act of stepping into the road. The jury agreed.
But more charges related to the whole case are lingering. Amani still faces a legal fight stemming from the day they were arrested on a warrant months after that 2021 protest.
Here's a look at what happened and what's to come.
Why was Amani charged with obstructing a road in the first place?
The protest that spurred the Knoxville Police Department to cite Amani was one of dozens that followed in the weeks after a Knoxville police officer shot and killed Anthony Thompson Jr. in April 2021.
During this week's trial, Amani testified protesters that night were angry, sad and traumatized. As hundreds of demonstrators dispersed, Amani said, it became clear someone needed to direct traffic to avoid injuries from vehicles trying to leave the area.
Amani testified that Knoxville police officer Christopher Starr's vehicle "came out of nowhere, really fast," adding they made a "split-second decision" to try to block him from possibly running someone over.
Video played during the trial showed Amani stepped in front of Starr's vehicle, held their arm out and shouted "Whoa." Starr rolled down his window slightly before yelling at Amani to get out of the road. Amani gestured and yelled a reply, then Starr got out of his car and told Amani again to move out of the road. Amani yelled obscenities as he complied, and Starr said "thank you" before driving on.
What happened when Amani was arrested at a public forum nine months later?
Amani, who has said they were never made aware an arrest warrant had been issued for stepping into the street, made public appearances for months after the protest, most notably as a candidate for the Knoxville City Council. Police made no effort to arrest them on the warrant for months.
In January 2022, when Amani appeared at a meeting designed to gather community input on what leaders should look for in a new police chief, Knox County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested them outside the meeting room. Mayor Indya Kincannon's office had asked law enforcement to stay away from the public meeting.
Video of the arrest shows Amani was prone and passive on the floor of the lobby as three deputies handcuffed them and carried them face down by the arms and legs into a holding room not visible to the public.
Amani told Knox News a deputy pinned them to the wall and punched them in the face at least three times. Amani's face was visibly bruised in photos and video taken by Knox News after the encounter.
Who is Amani suing?
Amani has filed a federal lawsuit that asserts police waited to make the arrest until it could become a public spectacle designed to "maximize the chilling and humiliating effect.”
The lawsuit names two KPD officers, Lt. Jeff Pappas and Starr, and three Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Ronald Chaperon Jr., Joseph Coffey and David Cunningham, as well as the city and county. The suit asserts all parties involved were part of an unlawful conspiracy to violate Amani's rights.
What other charges does Amani face?
Related to the 2022 arrest, Amani has been charged with resisting arrest and assault of a first responder. Police say in court records Amani physically resisted by putting their hands behind their back while laying on the ground and then refusing to stand or walk. The complaint says Amani intentionally spit in an officer's face though Amani has said they coughed involuntarily while being restrained.
Amani is scheduled to appear April 2 in Knox County Court for a status conference. Their court-appointed attorney, Dillon Zinser, said he does not anticipate going to trial until late summer at the earliest.
"The main defense we're going to raise is (in) the federal lawsuit," Zinser said. The attorney added the basis for Amani being charged for assault is because police say they deliberately spit on an officer while Amani has said they coughed because they were being choked by the officer holding their shirt collar.
"That's not deliberate," Zinser said of coughing. "You have to show the person knowingly or intentionally engaged in the physical contact."
Similarly, Zinser said, Amani wasn't resisting arrest, adding that the moment they ordered them to stop, they got on the ground.
Liz Kellar is a public safety reporter for Knox News. You can reach her by email at lkellar@knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville police reform activist Nzinga Amani still faces charges
