MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC-TV) - Why did it take so long to evict a squatter living in a multi-million dollar mansion? It is a question many people are asking after police say Tabitha Gentry lived inside a foreclosed home on Shady Grove Road for nearly a week without permission.
Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong offered an explanation Tuesday.
He said that police chose a conservative course of action out of an abundance of caution.
"Regardless of what the circumstances are, or the perceived circumstances are, we look for an alternative not to put those children and not to put even Tabitha in harms way," said Armstrong.
Gentry calls herself Abka Re Bey.
On Monday, she tried to reiterate to the judge that she does not recognize authority as a self-proclaimed Moorish-American national.
Director Armstrong says her beliefs do not exempt her from the law.
"Certainly we hold them to the same level of the law that we would hold any other citizen to," he explained. "And if we encounter them and they break the law, we hold them responsible, we hold them accountable for that."
Armstrong says MPD does not have a policy for dealing with any particular group, religion, race, or ethnicity, but a growing sovereign citizen movement could garner more specific attention soon.
"These incidents are becoming more common," said Armstrong. "At some point, I can see us getting our lawyers a whole lot busier than they are now doing research on how to handle these situations."
Gentry declined Action News 5's request for an interview.
She remains locked up on $2 million bond and will be back in court March 26.
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Tabitha Gentry
