A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee returned an eight-count indictment today, charging former Memphis Police Officer Patric J. Ferguson with federal civil rights, kidnapping and weapons offenses related to the fatal shooting of a victim identified as R.H. The indictment also implicates Ferguson and a civilian, Joshua M. Rogers, in federal offenses for allegedly conspiring to cover up the fatal shooting and destroying evidence of the crimes. Additionally, Rogers is charged with being an accessory after the fact for purportedly assisting Ferguson in concealing his crimes.
The indictment alleges that on or about January 5, 2021, while on duty as a Memphis Police Department officer, Ferguson kidnapped and shot R.H. in the head, leading to R.H.’s death. It is further alleged that Ferguson conspired with Rogers to cover up the fatal shooting by disposing of R.H.’s body in the Wolf River in Memphis. The indictment goes on to claim that Rogers disposed of the car used to transport R.H.’s body by selling it at a scrap metal dealership.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI Memphis Field Office's Tarnished Badge Task Force and Memphis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Maura White and Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting.
It should be noted that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.