State Trooper Who Arrested LGBTQ+ Leaders in Philadelphia No Longer Works for State Police

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The state trooper who arrested two LGBTQ+ leaders after a controversial traffic stop in Philadelphia is no longer employed by the Pennsylvania State Police, officials announced Friday.

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Adam Reed said the trooper, who was not named, no longer works for the agency, although it is unclear whether he was fired nor when he left his post.

“I can say that as of today he is no longer employed. I cannot offer any additional information, as we do not comment on personnel matters,” Reed said.

In March, Celena Morrison and her husband Darius McLean were arrested after a traffic stop on an elevated stretch of highway in the city, part of which was caught on camera. Morrison runs the city’s office of LGBT affairs and McLean runs an LGBTQ+ community center in the city.

The arrests led Mayor Cherelle Parker to intervene, calling the exchange between the officer, who appears to be white, and the Black couple “very concerning.”

The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association criticized state police for failing to support the trooper.

“This decision is reprehensible,” union president Stephen Polishan said in a statement. “This young soldier, on the job for only six months, deserved better from our department. »

Attorney Kevin Mincey, who represents the couple, declined to comment. He is preparing to file a lawsuit on their behalf against the state police and the trooper.

The couple was detained for about 12 hours after the 9 a.m. March 2 traffic stop in which they were driving separately to take a car for repairs when a police officer stopped Morrison after he maneuvered between their two vehicles, according to their lawyer.

Morrison took cellphone video of the officer handcuffing McLean after he stopped his car behind the officer. In the video, McLean is lying in the rain on the shoulder of the highway. The officer snatched the cellphone from his hand, ending the recording, Morrison’s attorney said.

The couple’s lawyers also questioned the reason for the stop, saying the officer would not have had time to make the recording before cornering them and arresting Morrison. The officer, on the video, said he pulled her over for tailgating and failing to turn on her lights.

“I don’t know why he’s doing this,” McLean shouted to his wife as she recorded him being handcuffed.

“It’s because I’m black,” McLean says.

“It’s not because you’re black,” replies the police officer, who leaves McLean handcuffed on the shoulder of the highway, then prepares to arrest Morrison.