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City executives arrested in controversial traffic stop speak out
Celena Morrison-McLean, head of the city’s office of LGBT Affairs and her husband, Kalen McLean, speak out after they were involved in a controversial traffic stop last weekend.
PHILADELPHIA - Speaking for the first time publicly, the head of the city’s office of LGBT Affairs, Celena Morrison-McLean and her husband, Kalen McLean, said they did not do anything wrong, and they have nothing to hide after Saturday’s controversial arrest by a State Police Trooper on I-76.
Standing next to their lawyers from the Mincey, Fitzpatrick, Ross Firm, Morrison-McLean, and McLean said at the very least they want an apology from the State Police for how they were treated.
"I now know there was nothing I could have done or said that was going to stop this trooper from violating our rights." said the city executive.
Their story directly challenges what State Police said happened on I-76 West Saturday morning just after nine.
PA State Police launch internal investigation after controversial arrest of city official, her husband
Pennsylvania State Police have launched an internal affairs investigation after video of the controversial arrest of city official, her husband on the Vine Street Expressway made its rounds over the weekend.
The couple claimed they were returning from picking up their Infinity in need of repairs from a relative in New Jersey. Morrison, at the wheel, said she was a few car-lengths behind a state trooper under the overpass on I-76 West near 30th. Street Station when he pulls behind her and puts on his lights and siren. She pulled over and her husband, following in a rental vehicle, parked behind the trooper.
Darius McLean said, "I never imagined that I would ever be staring at a police officer pointing his gun at me while screaming at me in rage or being pulled out of my car."
McLean ended up on the pavement cuffed and arrested.
According to information released by police and internal documents reviewed by FOX 29, Trooper Andrew Zaborowski, a 2023 graduate of the academy, was the officer who made the arrest.
In the mid-morning press conference, Morrison said she believes she was targeted because she is Black.
In a statement, State Police have said the Infinity was stopped for "multiple vehicle code violations", but while admitting they’re not certain if the Pa. registration was active, the attorneys are challenging the police account.
Morrison is heard on video yelling at the trooper that she work for the mayor. She claimed in the press conference she did that in an attempt to convince the State Trooper they were not people he should be scared of.
Trooper Zaborowski is recorded yelling at the couple that, "this was a simple traffic stop you didn’t have your lights on, didn’t have your lights on and you were tailgating."
On Monday, the head of the State Police said he was "concerned about the issues raised", and Zaborowski, seen advancing on Morrison as she records, is on desk duty.
Morrison said, "it’s disheartening that as Black individuals we’re all too familiar with the use of the phrase, stop resisting as a green light for excessive force by law enforcement.