PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥 The state trooper who arrested two LGBTQ+ leaders after a contentious traffic stop in Philadelphia is no longer employed by the Pennsylvania state police, officials said Friday.
Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Adam Reed said the trooper, who has not been named, no longer works for the agency, though it's unclear whether he was fired and when he left the job.
鈥淚 can say as of today, he鈥檚 no longer employed. I can鈥檛 offer any additional information, as we don鈥檛 comment on personnel matters," Reed said.
In March, after a traffic stop on an elevated stretch of highway in the city, part of which was captured on video. Morrison heads the city鈥檚 Office of LGBT Affairs and McLean runs an LGBTQ+ community center in the city.
The arrests led Mayor Cherelle Parker to weigh in, calling the exchange between the trooper, who appears to be white, and the Black couple 鈥渧ery concerning.鈥
The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association criticized the state police for not standing behind the trooper.
鈥淭his decision is reprehensible,鈥 Union President Stephen Polishan said in an statement. 鈥淭his young trooper, on the job for only six months, deserved better from our department.鈥
Lawyer Kevin Mincey, who represents the couple, declined to comment. He is preparing to file a suit against the state police and the trooper on their behalf.
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 trooper pulled Morrison over after maneuvering himself between their two vehicles, according to their lawyer.
Morrison took a video on her cellphone of the trooper handcuffing McLean after he stopped his car behind the trooper. In the video, McLean is lying in the rain on the shoulder of the highway. The trooper knocked the cellphone from her hand, ending the recording, Morrison's lawyer's have said.
The couple's lawyers have also questioned the reason for the stop, saying the trooper would not have had time to run the registration before he wedged between them and pulled Morrison over. The trooper, on the video, said he stopped her for tailgating and failing to have her lights on.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why he鈥檚 doing this,鈥 McLean cries to his wife as she recorded him being handcuffed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥檆ause I鈥檓 Black,鈥 McLean says.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not 鈥檆ause you鈥檙e Black,鈥 replies the trooper, who leaves McLean handcuffed on the highway shoulder and then moves to arrest Morrison.
