Vidalia — A Natchez police officer charged last month in connection with a murder was recently granted a speedy trial for crimes he claims he did not commit.

Officer Vincent Bates was indicted on charges of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder and reckless operation of a motor vehicle for reportedly interfering with the arrest of his son Vincent Dotson, who was also indicted for reportedly shooting and killing Derec “Beedy” Dobbins, 24, on Aug. 28 on Morris Lee Lane in Vidalia.

Bates was placed on administrative leave by the Natchez Police Department following his indictment.

Bates’ attorney, Ronnie McMillin, said he filed a motion for a speedy trial on his client’s behalf in an effort to quickly prove Bates’ innocence so the officer can get back to work.

According to court documents, Bates claims he was called by Vidalia Police Chief Arthur Lewis for help locating his son to be arrested the day of the murder. Bates did not know Dotson’s whereabouts, but reportedly told Lewis he would look for Dotson and have Dotson turn himself in.

Phone records will show that Lewis called Bates, McMillin said, and will also show Bates contacted several family members over the course of the search to locate Dotson, with whom McMillin said Bates never talked to directly.

Another son of Bates’ who was in the car with Bates can also testify to Bates’ involvement in helping locate Dotson, McMillin said.

A statement from Lewis verifying he requested Bates’ help in locating Dotson was not made available to the grand jury, McMillin said, casting Bates’ involvement that day “in a totally different light.”

McMillin said when Concordia Parish sheriff’s deputies caught up with Dotson, the vehicle he was in was being shepherded by Bates to the Vidalia Police Department. Bates was driving his personal vehicle, not a Natchez police car.

Bates kept his distance from Dotson, McMillin said, because he had been informed by family members that Dotson was afraid of his father’s reaction to his involvement with a murder.

McMillin said Bates followed Dotson at a distance in his car to ensure Dotson turned himself in but as not to spook him into fleeing.

After Bates was able to get a message to Dotson’s sister, who was driving the car Dotson was in to pull over, McMillin said, Dotson’s sister pulled the car over and deputies were able to arrest Dotson.

McMillin said a deputy alleges that Bates followed the deputy too closely, a claim Bates denies.

“And how can you assist someone in an escape by following (a deputy) too closely?” McMillin said.

Bates was not arrested the night of his alleged interference with Dotson’s arrest, McMillin said. He was arrested by a SWAT team at his house only after the indictment.

Bates was subpoenaed by the State of Louisiana as a witness during the grand jury investigation involving the charges against Dotson, McMillin said, but was not informed he was a target of an investigation nor was he invited to testify before the grand jury concerning any allegations against him.

McMillin said the night of Dotson’s arrest, a deputy who presumably arrested Bates’ son expressed intense anger toward him after Bates asked to talk to him.

The deputy reportedly loudly called Bates an explicative and claimed Bates tried to run him off the road.

Bates said he does not know why the deputy has made the claims against him, and contends he was not interfering with his son’s arrest, he was assisting in it.

“What he said, it’s definitely not true,” Bates said. “I feel like he (is) a young officer, and he was trying to make himself look good, and it got out of hand.”

McMillin said it is “pretty rare” for the defense to present its case prior to trial.

“The criminal defense generally rests on the assumption of innocence and makes the state lay all that out,” he said.

“The reason we want to go to trial is because Mr. Bates has done absolutely nothing wrong.”

Bates said the case has put a burden on his family, especially around the holidays, because he is out of work.

“I have no source of income right now, and what’s been done, it’s not right,” he said.

Bates said he has had an outpouring of support from his co-workers and community members.

“I just really want to thank everyone for their support,” he said.

Bates’ trial has been set for Jan. 15, McMillin said, in the Seventh Judicial District Court of Louisiana in Concordia Parish.