PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Many questions remain after a video circulated online of a Pennsylvania state trooper arresting the director of Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs and her husband on the Vine Street Expressway on Saturday during a traffic stop — an incident that the mayor called “very concerning.”
The incident happened on I-76 around 9 a.m. Saturday. The nearly three-minute-long video begins with an unidentified state trooper standing over a man curled up on the ground, threatening to tase him if he doesn’t put his hands behind his back. The man appears to comply with the trooper’s orders. It's unclear what led up to that moment.
The person recording the cellphone video, identified by her sister and confirmed by Mayor Cherelle Parker, is Celena Morrison, executive director of Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs. She shouts at the officer, identifying the man on the ground as her husband, Darius McLean.
The trooper tells Morrison to move back, and after handcuffing the man on the ground, he walks toward Morrison. A scuffle ensues off-camera, as the phone falls to the ground and screaming is heard. The video cuts off as more arguing is heard between the trooper and Morrison.
Morrison and McLean were driving separate vehicles on the highway. Pennsylvania State Police said, in a press release, that the trooper initially pulled over a gray Infiniti sedan after multiple vehicle code violations were observed. That car was likely driven by Morrison, but officials did not verify.
Soon after, a green Dodge sedan pulled up and parked behind the trooper’s patrol vehicle. The trooper attempted to contact the driver of the Dodge — believed to be McLean. State officials said that driver became verbally combative and refused multiple orders from the trooper.
The trooper subsequently attempted to place them both under arrest, but the driver of the Dodge resisted arrest on multiple occasions, police said. The driver of the Infiniti allegedly interfered with the arrest of the driver of the Dodge, and was also arrested.
The drivers are both from Philadelphia. Pennsylvania State Police have not formally identified them.
The two were initially charged with misdemeanors, but the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office has declined those charges, pending a review. The DA's office said a “thorough, even-handed” investigation is pending.
The trooper involved has been placed on restricted duty.
Mayor Parker addressed the incident on X, formerly Twitter, calling the video “very concerning.” She said she would not provide further comment on the incident until an investigation has been completed.
The video was also condemned by the William Way LGBT Community Center, where McLean works. In a post on Facebook, executive director Chris Bartlett said the center is working with officials to “remedy the terrible situation.”
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Special Investigations Unit at 215-686-9608.
KYW Newsradio attempted to reach out to a member of Morrison's family and the Pennsylvania State Police for additional comment.