PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The state trooper seen on video arresting a city official and her husband on the Schuylkill Expressway two months ago is no longer with Pennsylvania State Police.
On March 2, around 9 a.m., the unidentified trooper is seen on video standing over a man curled up on the shoulder of the expressway, threatening to tase him if he doesn’t put his hands behind his back.
Recording the incident was Celena Morrison, executive director of Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs. She is heard shouting at the officer in the video, identifying the man on the ground as her husband, Darius McLean, the chief operating officer at William Way LGBT Community Center.
“That is my husband … I work for the mayor,” she said.
The two were driving separately to take a car in for repairs.
Police say Morrison was pulled over for multiple code violations. McLean stopped his car behind the trooper’s cruiser before the video began.
McLean and Morrison were arrested and charged with resisting arrest and several other offenses.
Morrison alleged the state trooper aggressively arrested her and her husband because they are both Black.
“I knew that I couldn’t pull the officer off of Darius and my pleas for him to stop were ignored,” she said. “Fearing the worst was about to happen, I yelled out to the officer, ‘I work for the mayor’ multiple times hoping that would make him realize he was dealing with people he did not need to be afraid of.”
Their lawyer threatened a civil lawsuit against the state police.
Amid the investigation, the trooper was put on restrictive duty.
State police officials have not confirmed whether he resigned or was dismissed, but the union that represents the troopers said he was fired and called the move "reprehensible."
“This young trooper, on the job for only six months, deserved better from our department," the union said. "The department’s leadership should have fought against the attacks made about this young man’s character. Instead, they abandoned him. We can only conclude this decision is a response to a politically charged atmosphere in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania, which is making it increasingly difficult for law enforcement to carry out even their most basic duties.”