By Bruce CT Wright, NewsOne
While the coronavirus has quickly changed a lot about the world that we live in, in certain circumstances things have remained the same. That latter part seemed to be true in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, where a video was purportedly filmed of police officers detaining a handcuffed Black man and allegedly planting drugs on the suspect.
The footage went viral after first being posted on social media on Monday and shows three police officers surrounding a Black man who is lying on his side while handcuffed. One officer, a white man who is not holding the suspect down, can be seen looking around while the suspect protested.
“Ain’t no crack in that bag!” the man exclaimed. “Where the crack at?”
In a split second later, the cop who was looking around is shown producing a piece of a white substance in his left hand — out of nowhere — and putting it down on the grass beneath them. The onlookers could quickly be heard saying that the officer planted the substance near the suspect. His body language seemed to indicate that he had just found something.
“She’s recording!” one woman could be heard saying.
The officer then looks up, apparently sees he is being recorded, gets up and walks hurriedly in the direction of the camera.
“Get out the way!” a voice says, probably directed to the person filming. “Go inside! Go inside now!”
Watch the troubling video below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B91w1y1lDoi/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Aside from this apparent instance of police corruption, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is no stranger to controversy.
It was only in 2018 when the detectives with the department were involved in the death of Keeven Robinson, a 22-year-old New Orleans native who was was suspected of dealing narcotics. When Robinson saw the detectives at a gas station, police said he attempted to drive away but crashed his car. Police said he tried to run on foot but was cornered in a backyard, leading to an alleged struggle with cops that caused him to stop breathing. He was taken to a hospital and died from what police said was complications from asthma issues during the struggle. However, a coroner said Robinson died of asphyxiation.
Just two weeks ago, it was determined that two of the four detectives involved in Robinson’s death were previously accused of using excessive force on suspects. All four of the detectives involved have each been defendants in civil rights cases, too, according to local news outlet 4WWL.
There has been no acknowledgment from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office over the new video of the officer appearing to plant drugs on the suspect in the viral video. People were being encouraged to file complaints with the department.
–This is an officer with the Jefferson Parish police department. Their Internal affairs number is 👉🏿504-832-2362. Turn that outrage into action. https://t.co/cMkVErrSRt
— Teantheshade (@Teantheshade3) March 17, 2020
This article originally appeared on NewsOne.