Trooper in I-76 arrest video no longer with Pennsylvania State Police – NBC10 Philadelphia

A state trooper who was caught on a viral video arresting two LGBTQ+ Philadelphia officers in March is no longer employed by the Pennsylvania State Police.

“We can confirm that he is no longer employed with our department,” a Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson told NBC10 on Friday, May 10.

The arrest of Celena Morrison and Darius McLean

On March 2, 2024, at 9:09 a.m., a member of the Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia Barracks, initiated a traffic stop on a gray Infiniti sedan on I-76 westbound at mile marker 344.9 in Philadelphia. State police said the trooper discovered several vehicle code violations. Before the trooper spoke with the driver of the Infiniti, later identified as 51-year-old Celena Morrison, a green Dodge sedan arrived and parked behind the trooper’s vehicle, state police said.

The officer then approached the driver of the Dodge, later identified as Morrison’s husband, 35-year-old Darius McLean. State police said McLean became “verbally combative” with the trooper and refused to comply with the trooper’s demands. When the officer attempted to arrest him, McLean allegedly resisted.

State police said Morrison then approached the trooper and tried to stop him from arresting her husband.

Morrison and McLean were subsequently arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct and other related offenses. The pair were held for about 12 hours before being released.

Morrison and McLean argue over state police report

Morrison heads Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs and is a top adviser to Mayor Cherelle Parker, while McLean runs an LGBTQ+ community center in the city. A video of her arrest later surfaced on social media.

After the arrest and release of the video, Morrison’s attorneys spoke out about the incident and disputed the state police report.

Morrison said she began recording the arrest because she feared for her husband’s life as a police officer handcuffed him.

Morrison’s lawyers claim the officer then charged at her “like a linebacker” and threw her cellphone away from her, ending the recording.

“That state trooper held my husband’s life in his hands,” Morrison said at a news conference in March. “Fearing that the worst might happen, I shouted to the police officer several times, ‘I work for the mayor,’ hoping to make him realize that he was dealing with people he didn’t have to be afraid of .”

Morrison and McLean both said in March that they planned to file a lawsuit over the traffic stop. They also said that at the time of the incident they were driving in a row to drop off a car for repairs. Her lawyers questioned the officer’s apparent “belligerent” police tactics.

“What is it about the training he is receiving that makes him believe this is an appropriate way to deal with the civilians he is sworn to protect and serve?” asked attorney Riley Ross.

He also questioned the reason for the stop, saying the officer didn’t have time to complete the registration before pushing between them and pulling Morrison toward him. The officer said on the video that he pulled her over because she was following too closely and didn’t turn on her lights.

Morrison claimed she was targeted because she was black.

“It is disheartening that as Black people we are all too familiar with the phrase, ‘Stop resisting!’ as a green light for excessive force by law enforcement,” Morrison said.

McLean, who was following his wife, said he stopped to ensure her safety before the officer first turned to speak to him, quickly drew his gun and ordered him to the ground. The police officer can be heard asking who he was and why he stopped.

McLean said he couldn’t shake the image of the police officer “rushing toward my wife and attacking her as I lay handcuffed in the street.” He tried to tell passing traffic to call 911, the attorneys said.

Mayor Parker called the cell phone video recorded by Morrison “very concerning.”

“I know now that there was nothing I could have done or said to stop this soldier from violating our rights,” Morrison said.

Morrison, who is transgender, has held city office since 2020. McLean is the chief operating officer of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

The police officer involved in the incident was initially placed on restricted duty. Although he is no longer employed by the Pennsylvania State Police, officials have not released his identity.