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Officer seen brandishing pepper spray during arrest at morning Black Femmes march was sued for wrongfully arresting and using brutal force against two young black men.
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The officer in question was identified by the streamer as Ofc Richardson. According to the SPD roster (current as of Nov. 2019), there is only one officer w/ that last name: Bradley Richardson.
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Richardson was sued along w/ the city in 2012 over the wrongful arrest of Josh Lawson and Christopher Franklin in 2010:
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The two were supposedly stopped because they matched the physical description of suspects in an armed robbery described as tall, skinny black men in black hoodies and blue jeans.
This is what they were wearing when they were arrested:
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This is what they were wearing when they were arrested:
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Richardson claims that he stopped them b/c they were acting suspiciously—a "Terry stop". The case Terry v. Ohio found it was constitutional to briefly detain based on "reasonable suspicion." This power is often abused to give legal cover for racial profiling
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What happened next is disputed.
Both parties agree Richardson drew his gun, but he claims the two defied his order to get down and continued walking toward him.
They say they both got on the ground immediately.
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Both parties agree Richardson drew his gun, but he claims the two defied his order to get down and continued walking toward him.
They say they both got on the ground immediately.
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Of course, all the dash cam footage from that part of the arrest is conveniently missing. Also convenient: A second officer arrived on the scene just in time to corroborate his version of events
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Both Lawson and Franklin say they sustained bruises from being thrown to the pavement. They said Richardson kicked Lawson in the face before restraining him with his knees on the chest/throat.
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According to the suit, Richardson and the other officers had a laugh at Lawson's middle name (Precious), mocking him: "Did that hurt Precious?" "Oh, are you okay precious?"
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Neither Lawson & Franklin had criminal records. Both were employed full-time and went to school. Yet Richardson was scoffing at the idea of them having credit cards in their names.
It made him angry. He seemed remiss that he didn't get to "shoot one"
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It made him angry. He seemed remiss that he didn't get to "shoot one"
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On the way to the station, Richardson was caught on tape saying that he would just "make stuff up" to charge them with.
In an interview with KOMO News, his Sgt said it was "sarcastic"
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In an interview with KOMO News, his Sgt said it was "sarcastic"
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Days after the suit was filed and the two were interviewed by KOMO for an investigative report, they were stopped at gunpoint outside a MacDonald's.
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Charges against Lawson and Franklin were ultimately dropped but their suit was partially dismissed in the Western District Court in 2014. It's unclear what the current status of it is, but Richardson clearly remains on the force.
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According to OpenPayrolls, Officer Richardson is making $56/hr working patrol in West Precinct, which totals $109,000 a year.
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https://openpayrolls.com/bradley-richardson-54209011
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https://openpayrolls.com/bradley-richardson-54209011
Also check out this investigative report on KOMO News of all places. https://komonews.com/archive/officer-threatens-to-make-up-evidence-after-arrest-of-innocent-men-11-21-2015
