Newly released videos of an NBA player’s arrest in Milwaukee appear to show the officers involved were worried about a possible backlash. Police fired a stun gun at Sterling Brown, then arrested him in January over a late-night parking violation.
Newly revealed photos show injuries to Brown’s face and body.
Photos taken following the arrest of NBA player Sterling Brown.
WISN/CBS News
Last month, the Milwaukee Police Department released body-cam and squad-car videos that showed Brown’s January arrest, reports CBSN’s Vladimir Duthiers.
Now, new video shows that shortly afterwards, officers discussed potential accusations of racism. A new body camera video obtained by Milwaukee station WISN shows officers expressing concern over the perception of Brown’s arrest.
“If he makes a [expletive] complaint, it’s going to be a [expletive] media firestorm,” an officer says. “And then any little [expletive] thing that goes wrong is going to be, ‘Ohhhh, the Milwaukee Police Department is all racist, blah, blah, blah.'”
Another is heard saying, “We’re trying to protect ourselves.”
Initial video released last month showed Brown being thrown to the ground and shocked with a Taser after he parked his car in two handicapped spots outside a Walgreens.
In a new body-cam video, an officer is seen stepping on Brown’s ankle after he is on the ground.
Brown: “You’re stepping on my ankle, for what?”
Officer: “So you don’t kick us.”
An officer then begins to question if Brown is a Milwaukee Bucks player. “What you think? I look familiar, don’t I?” he responded.
In another new video, an officer appears to call a supervisor to request overtime pay. “I need to go on the overtime board if I’m not already,” he said.
He is heard singing, “Money, money, money, money, money!”
New photos, also obtained by WISN, show the injuries to Brown’s face and body after the arrest.
Brown was briefly jailed, but never charged with a crime. Hours after the incident, he played in an NBA game with bruises on his face.
Last month, when the initial videos were released, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he was outraged by the officers’ actions.
“This type of behavior, whether it’s toward a professional athlete or any other citizen, has no place in our city,” Barrett said.
Two sergeants and an officer were put on temporary leave for the incident, and the Milwaukee police chief apologized.
“CBS This Morning” reached out to the department and Brown’s attorney but did not hear back.
Brown has said he hopes to use his voice to help prevent incidents like this.
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