MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Talk show host Thaddeus Matthews went on a rant before appearing in court on sexual exploitation charges. Matthews posted a picture of a child performing a sex act on his Facebook page. The arrest, according to Matthews, is a vendetta by police.
Matthews wasn't happy to see all the reporters waiting for him outside the courtroom.
"You all want to come at me and I'll tell you I'm pretty f****** tired of it."
A defensive Thaddeus Matthews says he posted the picture of a child performing a sex act on Facebook, hoping the public could identify the child.
"I'm going fight it. I ain't pleading guilty. I tried to help the child, not hurt it and it went haywire."
If convicted, the move could land him in prison for more than a decade.
Matthew says his arrest is no surprise; he and the Memphis police have a history.
For years top brass tried to track down leaks in the department that resulted in Matthews getting confidential information, such as Dexter Cox's confession of killing a former MPD lieutenant.
Matthews says the pornographic picture presented the police with an opportunity.
"It's 'We finally got something on Thaddeus, we haven't been able to do that before'… It's selective prosecution. I call it selective prosecution because they ain't going after anyone else. It was on Instagram - hundreds of people had it."
But the controversial blogger and radio host is the one who posted it on Facebook for people to see.
An MPD spokesperson says the department does not operate on vendettas, and that Matthews was charged because of his actions.
