Resurfaced Video Shows White Mississippi Officer Brutally Arresting Black Man During Traffic Stop

A video of two officers brutally and forcibly arresting a Black man in Mississippi has resurfaced and gone viral.

The video, which was shot earlier in July, starts off with a Black man, Robert Morton standing next to his car after being pulled over for allegedly speeding. The video was recorded by the victim’s pregnant fiancé Porsha Shields, and was posted on Facebook on July 15 by Laquisha Cummings. The video has now gained over 2 million views and numerous comments.

The couple was pulled over with their four-year-old son still in the car. The video began with Shields asking, “why are you taking him to jail?” Morton then questioned the Mississippi Highway Patrol officer, who was identified as Brandon Barry, why he was being arrested, as he explained why he resisted having handcuffs put on him. Morton continued to ask what he did, as Barry demanded that he get on the ground. Morton then asked him again to explain what he’d done wrong.

Barry finally told Morton that he was pulled over for speeding at 101 miles per hour when the speed limit was 65, which Morton denied. Barry then added that Morton would be charged with speeding as well as failure to identify. However, Morton explained that Barry did not tell him what his charges were when he was being pulled over. “You asked for my license before you even told me what you pulled me over for,” Morton said. Barry confirmed Morton’s account of the incident, but still tried to make Morton put his hands behind his back. Morton eventually became so frustrated he pulled away from Barry, but kept his hands in the air. Barry then pulled his taser on Morton while Morton had his hands in the air.

Another officer, identified as James Scott, arrived to the scene and without words jumped towards Morton and forcibly tried to push Morton’s hands behind his back. “Put your hands behind your fucking back!” Scott demanded. He then wrapped his hand around Morton’s neck and slammed him against the car. Barry and Scott then wrestled Morton to the ground as Shields repeatedly screamed, “y’all don’t have to do all that!”

Shields said that when she told officers she was pregnant, the officers became even more aggressive. “I truly felt that I should have never told him I was pregnant because it seemed like he became more aggressive,” Shields said. “And, what hurts the most is knowing that my four-year-old son witnessed me screaming, crying, and getting assaulted as this event will psychologically impact us forever.” 

According to The Daily Mail, Morton was charged with speeding, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, seat belt violation, failure to provide identification and a $35 fee for breaking the cop’s whistle. Shields was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.  The couple were released the same day as the arrest.