By Scott Brooks

A Knoxville man accused of shooting a red-light camera has a new theory about the crime.

Charges against Clifford Clark III were dismissed on July 30.

Clark was accused of firing several shots which destroyed the camera at the intersection of Broadway and I-640 in Nov. 2007.

He was arrested a short time later after police stopped his car near the scene.

But Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz dismissed the charges of vandalism and reckless endangerment.

Her order states that the arresting officers “immediately took action to search the vehicle without the benefit of any search warrant, nor was there any written consent to search.”

The judge also said evidence, particularly the damaged camera, was no longer available.

“The state was unable to produce the evidence  after inquiring has determined that some of the evidence is gone and some has apparently been recycled for use.”

The defense was then unable to examine the camera parts or do further testing on the items.

In an interview with freelance journalist John Lee, Clark said it’s a “tremendous relief” to have the case dismissed.
The interview is posted on YouTube.

Clark denies firing any shots at the camera and offers this suggestion in the interview: “I think it was the police. If that camera was shot, I can only believe it was the police who shot the camera.”

Clark alluded to a conspiracy in which the camera operators get paid by the City of Knoxville for every damaged camera.

He did not offer any evidence as to why police would help the camera companies.

But Clark did say he subpoenaed at least one former Knox County Sheriff’s deputy who would have testified that officers have in fact damaged cameras in the past.

Knox County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Martha Dooley said the Sheriff can’t make any comments because Clark has other criminal charges pending.

“As long as this is still in the court system, we really can’t say anything,” Dooley said.

Clark still faces unrelated charges of criminal trespass and allegedly pointing a shotgun at Knox County officers.

Those cases are set for trial in the fall.