A Black Security Guard Sues the Minnesota State Patrol for Civil Rights Violations and Unlawful Arrest During Protests
A Black man who worked as a security guard for a CNN crew covering protests in Minneapolis following George Floyd’s death last summer is suing two Minnesota State Patrol officers, accusing them of violating his civil rights and unlawful detention, his attorneys announced Tuesday.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court last Thursday on behalf of Michael Cooper, a 64-year-old retired veteran of the Illinois State Police. Cooper was jailed for nearly 20 hours on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and violating a curfew, but he was never charged, the complaint says.
The lawsuit says Cooper was jailed even though he had a CNN press credential and a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm, and even though journalists were exempt from the curfew imposed during the unrest.
