In some relatively serious off the court news, Bucks’ rookie Sterling Brown plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against the Milwaukee Police Department as a result of being tased and arrested in January, reports Gina Barton and Ashley Lutheran of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The police released the body cam footage of the incident during a press conference earlier this evening, and as one can see, the video doesn’t really demonstrate the Bucks’ guard acting wrongfully in any way, with Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett even going as far as saying the officer’s actions against Brown made him uneasy.
“It was a disturbing video when I saw it, and I know that the police chief (Morales) feels the same way,” Barrett said yesterday. “And I don’t know exactly what actions his department is going to take, but it is disconcerting to see some of the actions in that video.”
Brown and the Bucks have since released statements, with Brown saying, in part:
My experience in January with the Milwaukee Police Department was wrong and shouldn’t happen to anybody. What should have been a simple parking ticket turned into an attempt at police intimidation, followed by the unlawful use of physical force, including being handcuffed and tased, and then unlawfully booked. This experience with the Milwaukee Police Department has forced me to stand up and tell my story so that I can help prevent these injustices from happening in the future.
During today’s conference, police chief Alfonso Morales said that the officers involved “acted inappropriately” and “were recently disciplined,” but did not take any questions from reporters.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Amid a time of uncertainty, Pistons’ general manager Jeff Bower continues to operate business as usual, taking control of the front office until told otherwise, reports Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Bower’s contract expires on June 30, and the team is considering a pool of candidates to run the front office.
- One silver lining of the Cavaliers’ relative struggles this postseason is more profit for owner Dan Gilbert, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. The Cavs have already played eight home games this postseason, matching their total from all of last year’s playoffs. Home playoff games can net a team upwards of $3MM per contest.
- In other Pistons news, Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press tweets that coach of the year candidate Dwane Casey is highly likely to be considered for the team’s open head coaching vacancy, while a decision on the front office should come in early June.
I think caseys coaching style from the past with what he has learned this year could be good with pistons they can be shutdown defensively if drummond can keep grabbing the boards and he can inspire Griffin to give it his all both ways all the time their guard would have all the room in the world
The police report said Brown was “taken down under control” and he was. NIGHTLINE reporting said that was a lie because they were brutal or something. THAT was the lie. Looked clean enough to me, and the tazing came when he was already down, which eliminates falling.
It’s not racism unless the cops would have acted differently if Brown was white. Hard to say, but I think anyone who sees someone parked across three handicapped spaces might wish the driver got a takedown & taze regardless of race.
The mayor & such are costing taxpayers civil-suit money with their comments.
Was the response right? If the Golden Rule, was an actual rule, I would have preferred what Brown got to the $250 fine posted on the signs. But not if I get booked anyway. Unless I could win a lawsuit over it. Then yes.
PS, On the linked-to video the takedown occurs at about 9 minutes in. I like that we have videos to reference nowadays, and that in this case, we can see the whole thing without someone editing it for effect.
Are you really saying a citizen deserves to be tazed by police for a parking violation? Jeeze
Probably not, assuming “deserved” ever matters. I would like to see/hear the short cop’s copcam.
Cops get nervous about “second locations” but “second cops” also sounds dangerous. All they know is that there’s an incident.
You clearly didn’t watch the video in it’s entirety then. The short officer approached Brown with a clear chip on his shoulder. Instead of identifying himself with a simple “office bigot from MPD” he asks “Ya got a license”. That set the tone immediately. Then he tells Brown to step back from him, while approaching Brown at the same time. Keep in mind too, this occurred in January at 2am. Nobody was in the parking lot. All the officer had to do was write him a ticket and be done with it. Even the police department recognized the officer didn’t follow protocol and apologized. So for you to defend the officer when his own department doesn’t even his back shows how ignorance is bliss. Have a good day, carry on.
Not racism though. That’s the point. Nobody would care if Brown was white.
Keep telling yourself that. No matter how many times you tell your small mind, it doesn’t change things in reality.
Totally agree with you LordBanana, in which world it is right for the police to abuse like this of their powers? They should fire all the officers involved.
My biggest draw back was y this officer called for 2 cars to back him up. And y he kept saying Brown was walking towards him. When he asked for Browns drivers license and he said it’s in the car. Of course he’s gunna walk towards the car to get it. And the officer automatically assumed he was gunna get in and drive off. The first officer should be fired. The arriving officers were trusting the word of the first officer that brown was being hostile. Which they should trust the word of the original officer. So the others should b disciplined the first should be fired.
First officer did not ask for all those cars; he asked for one backup; and not that some other cops take over questioning, and that he lose control of the situation and even access to Brown.
If you watch all the tape, you can hear him complaining when they pull up. And then he got sidelined by the others.
All first cop wanted to do was deliver a coply lecture before the ticket. They all do that. If you’re speeding, they say, “well you didn’t get there very quickly did you”.