City Attorney Shifts Blame to Sterling Brown

(MADISON)–Late Friday evening a court document was filed by the Milwaukee City Attorney Grant Langley that claimed Milwaukee Bucks guard, Sterling Brown, was responsible for any injuries he sustained during his arrest in January, an incident that has received widespread criticism for the excessive use of police forced exercised by the Milwaukee Police Department.

The claim filed by Langley, whose career as an attorney for the City of Milwaukee dates back to the days of Milwaukee Chief of Police Harold Breier, read: “The injuries and damages sustained by the plaintiff, if any, were caused in whole or in part by their own acts or omissions.”

In response to Langley’s decision to fault Sterling Brown for the incident, an event that’s been condemned on a national level by media outlets and athletes alike, Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement:

“The comments from City Attorney Langley are troubling. For many in the community, there are serious questions about the police interaction, subsequent tasing, and intentional stepping on the ankle of Sterling Brown.”

“The singing of “Money, money, money” by one officer’s glee at the prospect of overtime pay during the incident is a problem. The questionable number of officers that responded, for one unarmed and non-combative individual is a problem. The idea that suspensions were handed out by the Police Department, and an apology was issued from the Mayor, but our City Attorney still believes Brown brought it on himself, is a problem. The attitude of always blaming the victim is a problem.”

“You’d think after paying out civil lawsuits in the millions, like $2.3 million to the family of Dontre Hamilton, or cases like that of Derek Williams, who died after begging for help in the back of a squad car, while officers stood around and ignored him, that has been given the green light to move forward in a civil lawsuit, we’d had learned something. But no apology or justice for those families were offered, that’s why they have ended up in civil litigation. All of this is a problem.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.