NBA player sues Milwaukee Police Department

Milwaukee Bucks fans are excited about the prospects of their team next season, especially with a brand new arena opening up and the way the team handled itself last season, making the playoffs. But the city’s police department continues to be under fire for its alleged miscues with the Black community. And at the center of it all currently is Bucks player Sterling Brown, who filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Milwaukee PD and the city. According to the Milwaukee Sun-Sentinel, Brown is claiming wrongful arrest and the use of excessive force stemming from an incident that took place outside of a pharmacy on the city’s south side on Jan. 26. It’s another case of police attacking an unarmed Black man without warrant. In this case, Brown was parked in front of a Walgreens, where he had gone to fill a prescription. When he exited the store, about half a dozen police surrounded him. According to the lawsuit, one officer even drew his weapon, and another yelled “Taser, Taser, Taser.” Even though he did not resist any commands, he was forced to the ground and Tasered in the back.  Later that day, one of the officers posted about the incident on Facebook, using racist terms. Several things have come to light since the incident, including the fact that the officers did not provide Brown with his Miranda rights. What brought on these actions? Brown had reportedly parked in a spot reserved for those with disabilities. “He was attacked – his neck grabbed, he was kneed in the groin, he was Tased, handcuffed, left on the cold, wet pavement,” his attorney said at a news conference Tuesday. An officer then stood on the NBA player’s ankle for more than 2 minutes and Brown was left on the ground for 12 minutes, added Mark Thomsen, Brown’s lawyer. Thomsen called the alleged bad police work a “stain” on the city and an “insult” to “good” officers. “This kind of conduct must stop,” Thomsen said. “Mr. Brown would hope that the city would act swiftly and that when he hits the floor this next season in our new stadium, that we celebrate that Milwaukee is an example to the country of what a city can do to turn itself around.” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said in response to the lawsuit, “I’m hopeful this incident will be a turning point and allow us to take those actions necessary to improve police community relations.” Brown, 23, is asking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.