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Cellphone Video Discovered, Four Shreveport Officers Placed On Leave

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
Credit Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News
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Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

ARREST VIDEO DISCOVERED -  According to several media reports  – Shreveport Chief of Police Ben Raymond has placed Four Shreveport Police Officers on departmental  leave after a cellphone video was discovered allegedly showing police officers beating Tommie  McGlothen  while he was being arrested.   It has been reported that McGlothen died shortly after --while in custody on April 5th. According to a statement released late Monday ,  Chief Raymond said:  "The matter is of great concern to me.  The Shreveport Police Department has conducted a thorough investigation which has been sent to the District Attorney’s Office.”   The statement also reads:   Louisiana State Police is reviewing the case to ensure greater transparency and  that  all four officers involved in the matter have been placed on departmental leave pending the conclusion of an investigation.  If the officers violated any policies, they will be disciplined  accordingly.”   

Caddo Parish D.A. James Stewart’s  office had issued a public statement earlier last week seeking public help with McGlothen’s death and another man, Wavey Austin who also allegedly died while in police custody on April 19th.

 A cellphone video from a witness to a police beating has prompted an investigation and four Shreveport Police Officers were placed on leave pending the outcome.

Copyright 2020 Red River Radio

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' experience to Red River Radio having started out as a radio news reporter and moving into television journalism as a newsmagazine producer / host, talk-show moderator, programming director and managing producer and news director / anchor for commercial, public broadcasting and educational television. He has more recently worked in advertising, marketing and public relations as a writer, video producer and media consultant. In pursuit of higher learning, Chuck studied Mass Communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.