Vicksburg Police Chief Tommy Moffett testified Thursday he didn’t want to fire a 17-year officer after a self-reported assault on a prisoner – but investigations gave him no choice.

The testimony came during a tense, graphic, daylong hearing before the three members of the Vicksburg Civil Service Commission who will vote within 10 days on whether to uphold, reverse or modify the termination of former Officer Clay Griffin.

“My desire was that the investigation would yield something different, but it yielded what it yielded, and I acted accordingly,” said Moffett.

The confrontation between Griffin, who had been working 10 years as a prisoner transfer officer, and Joseph Parson, a 27-year-old suspected of accessory to robbery, occurred at police headquarters Jan. 26. Parson remains in jail with bond set at $50,000, jail records show.

Reports by investigators and by Griffin differed only slightly about what happened.

Parson, in wrist and ankle shackles, had been returned to a holding cell after a night session of municipal court. He threatened Griffin and members of his family in graphic, sexual terms.

Griffin, his voice breaking, testified he took Parson from the cell, locked the door on the five others in custody and pushed Parson against a wall, he said, “Because what he said about my wife was not correct; it was not proper.”

He said his thought was to counsel the prisoner, but conceded physical contact.

The same night Griffin apologized to Parson, broke down in tears and reported what had happened to his supervisor, Sgt. Mike Bryant.

After Bryant investigated and recommended to Moffett that Griffin be fired, Moffett said he directed more-thorough investigation by VPD internal affairs investigator Larry Burns.

Burns interviewed Griffin, Parson and other prisoners who were in the holding cell with Parson that night, Burns said Thursday. Burns found that statements of Griffin and Parsons were also largely consistent.

The two main points on which Griffin’s and Parson’s statements disagreed were “whether or not (Griffin) struck (Parson) and whether or not (Griffin) actually choked (Parson),” Burns said.

Parson said Griffin did put Griffin’s forearm around Parson’s neck, Burns said. Parson did not seek or require medical treatment.

Griffin, now working as an E-911 dispatcher, was represented in the appeal of his termination by Vicksburg attorneys Travis Vance, Richard Dean and Dan A. McIntosh. The city was represented by staff associate attorney Walterine Langford.

Griffin said he and other officers whose jobs include transporting prisoners often endure verbal abuse. “They always threaten you,” Griffin said. “They always threaten to kill you.” He appeared remorseful for breaking under the pressure.

In total, the commission heard from 11 witnesses during about nine hours of testimony. If the commission’s decision is adverse to his client, Vance has said an appeal will be filed in Warren County Circuit Court.

“He did no more than defend the rights of his family,” Vance said.