Bobby Cutts Fired From Cop Job, Reinstated

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Through documents produced by a government-provided arbitration process, we have learned more about the firing of accused murderer Bobby Cutts from his job as a police officer in 2003.

Here's what we know: on October 16, 2002, Michael Meadows (Bobby Cutts' cousin) was arrested following a raid on his home. During the raid, investigators found seven ounces of cocaine, and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol hidden under a mattress. According to Federal Mediation the .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol found is registered to Bobby Cutts.

"He (Bobby Cutts) testified that it was his practice to keep a handgun in each of the three vehicles he owned for personal protection. As a police officer he was entitled to keep a weapon on his person when he was off duty," according to the report.

On October 17, 2002, just one day after his cousin was arrested, Bobby Cutts reported his gun stolen to his police supervisor. This was after he learned of his cousin's arrest. Cutts said he suspected his cousin had taken the gun from his car, according to the report, "He checked the Jeep Cherokee vehicle, and found the gun missing."

According to Cutts he testified that on the evening of October 15, 2002, he let his cousin Meadows borrow his vehicle, and the vehicle was returned at an undisclosed time. Cutts claims that's when he checked his car, and discovered the gun missing.

A police Internal Affairs investigation into this crime was well underway. On December 16, 2002, Cutts was advised in writing that Internal Affairs was conducting a criminal investigation. A senior investigator from the department interviewed Meadows who, "...admitted stealing the .22 caliber gun from the Grievant (Bobby Cutts)," according to the report. But, following Meadows sentence he served for this crime, reports state that Meadows now contended he did not steal the gun, but it was given to him by his cousin Cutts.

On March 7, 2003, Bobby Cutts was indicted by a Grand Jury for making a false statement under oath. This charge was brought forth because investigators claim he lied about how the weapon came into the possession of his cousin Meadows. Also, Cutts was found guilty of giving a weapon to a convicted felon. Michael Meadows has been in and out of trouble with the law since the early 1990's, and carries a long rap sheet.

According to the reports, two of the facts in dispute in this case are how Meadows got the pistol, and Officer Cutts did in fact tell the truth at the Preliminary Hearing. Internal Affairs claims it has enough evidence to find Cutts guilty of the charges, and guilty of perjury in connection with his testimony at the November 2002 preliminary hearing. In turn, Patrolman Bobby Cutts was terminated from employment with the Canton police department. According to the Federal Mediation documents, "The Union contends that the Employer (Canton Police) has opted to accept as credible the testimony of a convicted felon and a woman with whom he had an ongoing relation rather than that of Grievant (Bobby Cutts), a police officer for over three years with an unblemished record."

Cutts' lawyer believes the Sergeant investigating the case against Cutts was racially motivated because Cutts married a white woman.

Based on the analysis of the report, the decision rests upon the credibility of the witness. The evidence presented does not show "just cause" for termination, and within a matter of seven months, Bobby Cutts was promptly reinstated with full back pay to his position with the Canton Police department on September 16, 2003.

AMW has also learned that in 1998, according to the Massillon Municipal Court, a trespassing complaint was filed against Bobby Cutts by his former girlfriend Nikki Giavasis.

Niki says, "A year and a half after we had broke up he had been out one night drinking. He came to my house and he saw that there was someone there with me. He tried breaking in the house any way that he could. By the time the police had arrived he had kicked down my door. I was upstairs holding my daughter. I don't know what he would have done if the police hadn't come at that exact time."

According to official court documents, Bobby pleaded No Contest to the charges, and there was a motion to amend the charges and change them to Disorderly Conduct. Cutts paid $180.00 in court fees and he was released.

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