THE Dukes of Hazzard was a popular TV series in which the attempts of Boss Hogg, a corrupt county commissioner in the American Deep South, to impose his own brand of justice were constantly thwarted by the free-wheeling, fast-driving “Duke Boys”.

Danny Crosby is the real-life Mayor of Coopertown, Tennessee, who — like Boss Hogg — is fond of white stetsons, police cars and speeding tickets. According to court documents filed this week, the similarities do not stop there.

A 17-page “writ of ouster”, a rarely used Tennessee procedure to remove an elected official, was presented to Robertson County Chancery Court on Tuesday by John Carney, the District Attorney, stating the mayor has “exhibited an unworthiness to occupy the office”.

The writ alleges that Mr Crosby systematically sought to “shake down” passing motorists with traffic fines, targeting undocumented Hispanic workers and soldiers because they were more likely to pay. He is said to have ordered police to arrest or intimidate political opponents, and fostered an atmosphere of intolerance against blacks and gays.

The document claims Mr Crosby routinely refers to black people as “niggers”, saying: “Everyone should own one.”

After swearing in a police officer on Martin Luther King Day, he is alleged to have said: “Happy James Earl Ray Day” — a reference to the man who assassinated the civil rights leader in 1968.

Other allegations include violating child labour laws by employing his stepson and the son of a local alderman to mow grass, then allowing the teenagers to herd cattle using a patrol car, and trying to tamper with records so that a police report of suspected domestic abuse of his wife “disappeared”.

Mr Crosby insists he has done nothing wrong, and said the document was “full of garbage and lies”. Mr Carney’s investigation began after complaints from motorists that Coopertown — a former whiskey-making centre 20 miles northwest of Nashville — was being run as a “traffic trap”. The police budget tripled to $452,000 (£250,000) last year with the purchase of patrol cars.

Income from traffic fines was expected to total $400,000, almost a third of Coopertown’s revenue, after Mr Crosby unilaterally decided to lower speed limits. Mr Crosby, who has subsequently raised speed limits again, says the measure was introduced to improve public safety. But the documents filed on Tuesday claim that police were instructed to let motorists off if they produced one of the mayor’s business cards with his initials on the back.

The District Attorney interviewed many of the 536 residents in the town of 3,176 people who signed a petition to remove Mr Crosby, including about 30 who complained of intimidation.

Glenda Slawson, a long-time Crosby critic, alleges that police were ordered to plant “a liquor bottle” in her car to fabricate drink-driving charges. The document states that the mayor made crude sexual references to her in conversation with police.

Mr Crosby, a high-school drop-out who himself spent a year in jail for burglary, said: “I have never told anyone, police officer or otherwise, to lock anyone up.”

He is looking forward to his day in court, saying: “They ain’t seen nothing yet. The truth will be presented.

“I have never made any statements about any race or lifestyle,” he said. “I have friends who are black and gay . . . As far as the claims that I have made threats and intimidated people, those are lies. To say that I targeted soldiers, Hispanics and blacks is a lie.”

The mayor has clearly divided this town, where council meetings are regularly marred by walk outs and shouting matches. His supporters credit Mr Crosby with cleaning up Coopertown and fixing roads.

Edmund Niec, the city recorder, said: “There are some pretty funny things going on here, there are two factions — one of which does not want the city to exist.

“But I like Danny Crosby. He tells it like it is.”

NIGHTMAYORS

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