John Tyson, CFO, shown forced out of stranger's bed in arrest footage
By: 0:00 - Body cam 1
10:01 - Body cam 2
20:49 - Transport
30:30 - Booking
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A new video released by the Fayettesville, Ark. police department shows the lapel footage of officers arresting the great-grandson of the founder of Tyson Foods.
On Monday, Nov. 7, KATV reported that John R. Tyson, the CFO of Tyson Foods, had been arrested by Fayetteville police the preceding Sunday after being discovered passed out drunk in a stranger’s house. The police report said, “A college-age female was very alarmed that a male who she did not know was inside of her residence uninvited.” Tyson was booked into the Washington County jail and charged with public intoxication and criminal trespass.
“Because of Tyson's unlawful presence in a house, where he was not invited, paired with the odor of intoxicants, and his general demeanor when confronted by uniformed officers demonstrated his likelihood to endanger himself, others, property, and cause unreasonable annoyance to people surrounding him due to his level of intoxication, he was placed under arrest for criminal trespass and public intoxication," the police report said.
The day after the arrest, The National Desk submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Fayetteville Police Department to gain access to the body cam footage of the arrest. The footage was just recently provided to media outlets at the end of this week.
In one, 30-minute video from the body cam of the arresting officer, police are seen pulling up to the residence and directed inside by three, college-age people (most likely the residents) inside and to the bedroom that Tyson commandeered. Police enter the residence and navigate to the bedroom using flashlights. The officers find the room, turn on the lights and find Tyson curled up under the covers, his clothes strewn about the floor (the arresting officer remarks “Yeah, he’s naked” at the scene). The lead officer recovers Tyson’s driver’s license from his pants to confirm identity while encouraging others entering the house to keep quiet as to not startle the still-sleeping CFO.
Three officers then surround the bed while the lead officer begins to attempt to rouse Tyson gently but forcefully from sleep. After calling out “John,” the officer then softly prods the sleeping body while saying “Hey Mr. Tyson.” Tyson seems to wake, although does not seem to be aware of his situation or surroundings, while the officer explains they are Fayetteville police and that he is not in his house.
The 32-year-old food magnate sits up and motions with his right arm several times before turning over and attempting to return to sleep. The officer responds saying “John, I need you to wake up and talk to me before I drag you out of here butt-naked.” After Tyson refuses to respond, Fayetteville police repeat the warning to get out of bed and cooperate or be dragged out and go to jail in his current state of dress. Tyson attempts to snuggle into bed at which point the officers pull the covers off the bed, sit him up and handcuff him. Police attempt to get him to pull himself out of bed, during which exchange Tyson says “No I’m going to sleep” and officers respond “No you’re not, you’re going to jail” and “this isn’t your house.” Tyson is then led out of the house while police gather his belongings. All of this happens within the first five minutes of film.
In an earnings call with investors on Monday, Tyson apologized for the incident. “I’m embarrassed and I want to let you know that I take full responsibility for my actions,” the great-grandson of the meat-processing company’s founder said. "I also want to apologize to our investors as I have to our employees This was an incident inconsistent with our company values as well as my personal values. I just wanted you guys to hear this directly from me and to know that I’m committed to making sure this never happens again.
Tyson Foods’ CEO Donnie King said that company’s board is going to oversee an independent and “thorough review of this matter.”