Tenn. trooper suspended after sending white pride e-mail to 100s of state employees by mistake

Associated Press

Last update: November 13, 2009 - 2:40 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Tennessee state trooper who accidentally sent an e-mail proclaiming white pride to 787 state employees has been suspended for 15 days without pay and will have to attend diversity training.

The e-mail from Trooper Brent Gobbell states, in part, "You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member ... you call him a racist." It also includes a list of racist epithets.

The state Department of Safety says Gobbell sent the e-mail to himself so he could print a copy. He did not realize he had also sent it to hundreds of state employees.

An investigation revealed that Gobbell later deleted his responses to the original e-mail and attempted to delete the original too. Gobbell has apologized.

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