Article Author:
Associated Press
Michael Goldberg
Ms. Jackson, Miss (AP) — A case involving a white Mississippi Highway Patrol officer and three black men was discovered in a viral video released by police. After showing the officer, it is under investigation. Put the handcuffed man in a chokehold and wrestle it into a ditch.
A video taken in Macomb on Friday by a man named Packer Lewis sparked outrage over the actions of officers.
The video was shot by Eugene Lewis, one of Lewis' brothers. is shown handcuffed and standing in the street, shouting that Packer Lewis and another brother, Darius Lewis, are documenting the incident. Suddenly, officers grabbed Eugene Lewis by the neck, pulled him across the street, and knocked him to the ground. At one point, the officer appears to use his knee to immobilize him.
"That's how George Floyd died," Packer-Lewis said on Facebook, referring to the 2020 murder of Floyd, a black man pinned under the lap of a Minneapolis police officer. yelled while recording his stream on Live. Over 9 minutes.
Packer-Lewis said he became aggressive after officers in Mississippi told Brother Lewis to leave the scene.
"He said you all have to leave. It's not all your business. It's our brother, so it's our job," Lewis said. told the Associated Press on Monday.
After detaining Eugene Lewis in a patrol car, officers approached two other brothers and pointed their weapons at one of them. Packer and Darius Lewis were arrested after another officer arrived.
Officials said an investigation was ongoing. Authorities have not identified the officers involved, nor have they disclosed why Eugene Lewis was handcuffed.Packer Lewis said his brother was stopped on suspicion of speeding and had an expired license.
"Mississippi State Department of Public Safety announced that there was an incident in McComb, Mississippi, in which Mississippi Highway Patrolmen arrested a subject.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety: "This incident is being investigated internally by the Department of Public Safety. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is also investigating."
McComb Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said: , asked for patience while the investigation unfolded.
“Many of you, like me, have seen videos of the Mississippi Highway Patrol Officer and Mr. Eugene Lewis. "I ask for your permission to complete the investigation and for me to make your voice heard."
Rep. Darryl Porter Jr. was contacted and asked to intervene on behalf of the City of Macomb due to the involvement of the state-run Mississippi Highway Patrol.
In a statement, Summit Democrat Porter Jr. said he was told by the head of public safety that the incident was being investigated by the Department of the Interior and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Packer's Lewis said his brothers were released from prison on Friday night but were held until Sunday night due to previous criminal convictions. He said he faces eight charges related to the case, including obstruction of justice. Days later, he's still processing Friday's events.
"I've seen this kind of activity on TV, so it was kind of a shock. But I never thought I'd put it into practice. I never thought I would be a part of it.”
The incident came less than a month after the chief of police in Lexington, 130 miles (210 kilometers) north of Macomb, was fired. occurred in The Lexington police chief was filmed using racist slurs and talking about how many people he had killed in the course of his duties, according to the Mississippi Investigative Reporting Center.
Texas Howard Henderson, director of his Southern University Judicial Research Center and senior his fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Mr. Lewis' video shows "Bad Police 101." Told.
"He was clearly losing control and seemed afraid of the gentleman's recording, so he overreacted at that moment," Henderson said. rice field.
Henderson said the police should hire more black officers because they bring a different perspective to the job than their white colleagues.
A 2017 Pew Research survey of police officers found that 72% of white police officers said police killings of black people were an "isolated incident" rather than a "sign of a broader problem." It turns out that less than half of black police officers do. Between.
These disparities breed mistrust, and mistrust breeds inadequate police, Henderson said.
“Trust in the community is the key to successful policing. "And only through police action can we improve community interaction and foster shared responsibility for dealing with crime and disorder," Henderson said.
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Michael Goldberg, Associated Press/Report Form. • Member of the American State House News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover hidden issues. Follow him on his Twitter at twitter.com/mikergoldberg.