Councilman's conflict with protesters escalates as dueling charges filed

Nov. 17—The conflict between a young Decatur councilman and people who have been protesting a Decatur police officer's fatal shooting of Steve Perkins — including the city's response to the incident — escalated Wednesday with the filing of dueling complaints with the Police Department.

Walter Orr, a Perkins supporter, on Thursday said he filed a complaint against Hunter Pepper alleging the councilman intentionally bumped him twice following the Nov. 6 council meeting.

Pepper said he filed harassment complaints against Orr, Kourtney West and Cornelius Echols.

Orr and Pepper filed police reports at about the same time Wednesday afternoon, so they saw each other as the reports were filed, as did West and Echols, who were accompanying Orr.

The Decatur Daily filed an open records request with the city Thursday seeking copies of the four complaints, but City Attorney Herman said the complaints had not yet been moved to police records and thus were not available.

Pepper said he has scheduled a press conference for noon Friday at City Hall to discuss the issues.

The protesters of Perkins' Sept. 29 shooting death have been upset with Pepper because he has refused to comment publicly about the case.

After the Nov. 6 meeting, Pepper left the dais with the intent, he said, of talking to the family of Jaiden DeJarnett, a 16-year-old who died in a wreck at the end a 35-mile Decatur police pursuit on Sept. 4.

In the video made by Orr and posted on TikTok, Pepper tells Orr several times to "move." Orr alleges that Pepper at that time "bumped me twice," which Pepper denies. It is not clear from the video whether the two made physical contact.

Orr said Thursday that his report against Pepper is only about the Nov. 6 incident.

Pepper said he doesn't believe the charges will stand up.

"There's video evidence of what he said happened and what he said happened isn't true," Pepper said.

Orr said Monday that Pepper was trying to provoke him while Pepper claimed the protester threatened him multiple times, and alleged Orr threatened "physical harm against myself and my family."

"He gave false allegations," Orr said. "There's not a video or one piece of evidence that shows a statement that I've made towards him or his family."

Orr said he doesn't understand how Pepper believes he harassed him.

"Where is the proof of the harassment?" Orr said. "Was it because I got him on camera? Was it because I record the council meeting? Was it because I got him coming across the (U.S. 31) bridge during the protest?"

Orr said there are dozens of people who can vouch that he's never talked to Pepper.

"Not once have I even had a conversation with this man. When this man approaches me, I tell him, 'I don't even speak to you.' How can I harass somebody I've never even had a conversation with?" he said.

Orr said the two did speak to each other briefly Nov. 6 as he arrived at City Hall.

"Hunter Pepper spoke to me when I first walked into City Hall heading into the (council) chambers, and I said, 'Why are you speaking to me? You know I don't even mess with you.' I continued to the chamber and I said three times, 'Why is this man trying to speak to me when I've never spoke to him?' I don't even mess with him."

Otherwise, Orr said the Police Department can check the City Hall cameras on Nov. 6 and none of them will show him approaching Pepper again.

"I demand that Chief (Todd) Pinion pull the camera (video) from Nov. 6 if he wants to solve this issue of letting a councilman slander an innocent person," Orr said. "Pull the cameras from Nov. 6; you will never see me approaching Hunter Pepper."

West, a 24-year-old college student, said she hasn't heard from the Police Department and she's not sure what charges could be made against her.

"I haven't threatened Hunter Pepper," said West, who was charged by Decatur police with disorderly conduct during a protest last month. "I've only spoke to him one time in person and that was at our last City Council meeting (on Monday)."

After Pepper finished talking to some other people following the meeting, West said they had one short encounter.

"I told him I found it highly disrespectful that he shows up to a City Council meeting and doesn't choose to wear a bra when there are children present. And that was it. Those are the only words I've spoken to Hunter Pepper in my entire life," West said.

Echols also said he doesn't understand how Pepper reached the conclusion that harassment charges were appropriate, especially since their only interaction was brief and was four weeks ago before a council meeting.

"I never threatened that guy one time," Echols said. "Why would he come forward four weeks later? I don't know what he and Mr. Orr have going on, but it had nothing to do with me."

Police arrested Echols, 36, on Nov. 7 on charges of failure to display insurance, operating a vehicle with an expired tag and criminal littering, a class B misdemeanor.

He was booked into Morgan County Jail and released about two hours later on a $900 bond. His vehicle was also towed and impounded.

Echols said he is being careful because of this arrest.

"I don't need any more conflict that could make them revoke my bond," Echols said. "I have kids with disabilities. What are they going to do without me? I don't have a criminal record. I don't know if it's the tattoos that spooks him. There's no ill will toward Hunter Pepper.

"I'm not the individual he's trying to paint me out to be or assuming that I am. I don't even look his way. If he doesn't like me, he doesn't like me. Don't put me in jail on bogus charges."

In response, Pepper said there's more to the story than what was said by Echols, West and Orr, but he wouldn't get into the details "because it could potentially taint the case."

"As I was always taught, there's three sides to every story — my side, her side and the truth. I personally believe my side is the truth and I have evidence to prove it," Pepper said.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.