The LAPD was notorious for its own lawlessness and racial profiling back in the Rodney King ’90s. The police department hasnt been in the news lately as other PDs across the nation in places such as St. Louis, Chicago and New York have taken front stage and come under attack for their treatment of citizens, in particular black males.
It seems Los Angeles authorities are back on the attack in the new Trump Era. Music mogul Wyclef Jean says he was racially profiled, handcuffed and treated like a criminal by Los Angeles po-po. The Fugees founder and three-time Grammy winning producer says he wants an investigation into the humiliating matter.
Clef, 47 and one of the most powerful men in music, posted a video online Tuesday showing Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies detaining him as he got off of work at a nearby studio around 1:00 a.m. They say he was a possible suspect in an armed street robbery near a West Hollywood convenience store.
We’ve all heard this one before. A Black man being stopped as a suspect of a nearby crime. It never adds up and it didn’t this time. A millionaire brother who once attempted to run for President of Haiti committing strong-arm street robberies?
Yeah. OK.
LAPD another case of mistaken identity. Black man with red bandana robbed a gas station as I was in the studio working but im in handcuffs? pic.twitter.com/vjRfJUkooA
Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
You all see the police have handcuffs on me, Clef says in Instagram clips of the video. They just took off my Haitian bandanna. I am going to sue.
Later in a Twitter post Clef, originally born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti said he was appalled that deputies detained him and he was never told why he was being handcuffed,
They proceeded to ignore me and I was treated like a criminal until other police showed up and pointed out they had wrong person.
Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
The sheriffs department said it was apologetic for the incident and called the six-minute detainment unfortunate and acknowledged that Wyclef had no involvement whatsoever in this violent crime.
That doesnt make the music mogul feel any less violated. Another harsh reminder that no matter how far you have elevated in status and wealthy association, having darker skin leaves you susceptible to being treated with bias at any time.
“Jean was the victim of police bias and wants a formal investigation into racial profiling,” his spokesman Melanie Bonvicino said.
Clef really feels a little disrespected right now and is not used to cats not respecting his celebrity. Welcome to America in 2017.
