LINCOLN/BOYLE COUNTIES, Ky. (LEX 18) — LEX 18's Kayleigh Randle has been following the story of an incident between Danville Police Officer T.J. Godbey and a Danville man with dementia for weeks.
On Wednesday, she reviewed newly released body cam footage from a traffic stop in 2021. In this incident, Officer Godbey is arresting another elderly dementia patient.
Kayleigh talked to Bill Goode, the son of William, who details what happened to his late father in the early morning of September 23, 2021.
"My dad was an old man and he wouldn't hurt nobody. He would give you his last five dollar bill, he used to hold doors open for people while he was at the gas station," explains Bill Goode. "I never seen my dad really get upset about nothing. He always had a smile on his face."
WATCH MORE: Officer T.J. Godbey Employment History
The late 74-year-old William Goode is described as a father, friend, and compassionate man who always looked out for others before himself. He was also diagnosed with both dementia and Alzheimer's.
Goode passed away on May 7, 2022.
On September 21, 2023, Goode was driving to work at the Blue Grass Stockyards around 1:30 a.m. when he was pulled over by Officer T.J. Godbey, who the Stanford Police Department employed at the time.
Godbey was not wearing a body camera, but this footage from Danville officers who came to help with the call shows some of what happened early that morning.
According to a Stanford Police Department citizen complaint filed by Bill Goode, William Goode was seen driving recklessly and in the wrong lane. Officer Godbey conducted a traffic stop, but Goode refused to stop his vehicle and drove for another 6.6 miles. Alongside Godbey, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Boyle County Sheriff's Office, and Danville Police were called for assistance on a low-speed pursuit heading toward Boyle County. Goode was driving around 40 mph.
Law enforcement eventually contained Goode's vehicle, forcing him to stop. Goode was commanded to step out of the vehicle and did as told. Once out of the vehicle, Goode and Godbey exchanged some words, and Goode reached back into his vehicle to get his license.
"They asked for his ID , well he went and got back into his car, his car- his Kia. And that's when all heck broke loose," explains Bill Goode.
With no body cams being worn, what happened next was not recorded.
WATCH MORE: Body Cam Footage From After Arrest of Danville Dementia Patient
The complaint reads that Officer Godbey and a Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy pulled Goode back from his vehicle. Goode then "tensed up" and resisted officers. This prompted Godbey to deliver two knee strikes to his thigh. Godbey and several other officers took him to the ground, where officers attempted to put Goode's hands behind his back, but Goode refused. Officer Godbey then delivered one cycle from his taser in drive stun mode and handcuffed Goode.
The document continues to explain Goode sustained scrapes, scratches, and abrasions from the asphalt and was evaluated by the Boyle County EMS.
In photos provided to LEX 18 by Bill Goode, his father is pictured with black and blue bruises littering his face and body with a bandage on his arm and several cuts covering his face, hands, and arms.
"When you hear a phone call that your dad got beat up by cops, and you see pictures afterwards and a cop admitted to you," describes Bill Goode. "I called him at the Stanford Police Department, they connected me with Officer Godbey and he confirmed that he did use force because he thought my dad was drinking or on drugs."
Bill says his dad was not on drugs or under the influence. A breathalyzer test was conducted that indicated William's BAC was zero.
In the body cam footage, Danville Police Officers are heard discussing the incident, confirming his BAC was zero and his jeep was normal. They also acknowledge Goode had some "pretty good injuries" and that they had never worked with Godbey before.
"It makes me angry because I couldn't do nothing for him at the time, and now he's gone," said Bill Goode. "I've been reliving it like it was yesterday, it hurt me. A little man like that should not be a cop anywhere."
LEX 18 received a statement from Ephraim Helton, a defense attorney with Helton Law Office:
"Again, a rush to judgment. Again, no evidence of alcohol blew zero on PBT. Again, an elderly person with dementia, subjected to excessive force and violence. Again, TJ Godbey is involved. And now, he continues to roam our streets with the power of the badge. Surely, those at City Hall can at the very least put him on administrative leave. Are our elected officials truly and honestly doing their due diligence?"
In a Facebook post, Blue Grass Stockyards where William Goode used to work said this about him:
"Blue Grass Stockyards was sad to learn of the passing of long-time employee Will Goode. Will was a loyal employee that loved working at Blue Grass. Will had a quite demeanor and was more than willing to help out anyone at anytime."
"All cops ain't bad for number one. You got about 15 to 20% of cops are bad. Watch out for those. Record, record everybody bring your phones out and start recording because 9 chances out of 10, not all cops have body cams," said Bill Goode.
The investigation was closed on November 8, 2021. Godbey's use of excessive force was found "not unreasonable or excessive responses to the resistance displayed by Goode," according to the citizen complaint.
