Opinion
County music star Chris Young was arrested Monday night and charged with assault on an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Now, however, surveillance footage of the incident has been released which “may undermine” the police version of events, according to a legal expert.
Young man arrested
WSMV reported that Young, 38, was arrested Monday evening after an altercation with Alcoholic Beverage Commission officers who were completing a compliance check around 8:30 pm at the Tin Roof on Demonbreun Street, where Young was sitting at the bar. After officers checked his identification, Young followed them and began asking questions while he recorded them.
Officers said Young eventually held out his hand to stop them from leaving and “hit” one of them in the shoulder. This led to officers pushing Young even harder, causing him to fall into a chair and to the ground. It took two officers to physically detain Young and take him into custody.
Surveillance footage, however, calls this narrative into question.
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The legal experts speak
“The fact that the officer apparently said…in his affidavit that he was shot as…is not what appears to have happened,” Devin McRae, partner at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae, told Fox News LLP. “So, that could undermine his entire affidavit, not just on that detail, but on everything else.”
“This is essentially the best evidence of what happened, rather than someone trying to testify to what happened based on their own recollection,” he added. “So, the jury will be able to see what really happened.
Bryan M. Sullivan, a partner at the same firm, agreed with McRae.
“Videos, if authenticated and admitted into evidence, can be very powerful to a jury as they provide the jury with a basis for determining the credibility of the memory of witnesses and participants,” he explained. “Typically, and it’s human nature, people tell their version of events that makes them appear in the best possible light.”
McRae chimed in, admitting that the surveillance footage could still cause some “problems.”
“There may be some problems with completeness because we don’t know what happened before or after,” he warned. “Surveillance only shows this part.”
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Young’s lawyer leaves
Bill Ramsey, the attorney representing Young, still believes the footage will exonerate his client.
“What happened to my client Chris Young in a Nashville bar Monday night was wrong and he should never have been arrested and charged in the first place,” Ramsey said. “In light of the video evidence, Tennessee ABC must drop the charges and apologize for the physical, emotional and professional harm done to my client.”
When asked to comment on the situation, a TABC spokesperson said, “The matter is pending in the Davidson County Court of General Appeals and we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Find out more about this in the video below.
Young became a household name after winning the “Nashville Star” singing competition in 2006, and his first single, “Drinkin’ Me Lonely,” became a No. 1 hit. He has released eight studio albums and his next titled “Young Love & Saturday Nights” releases March 22.
What do you think of Young’s arrest? Let us know in the comments section.
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