Robert Morton being choked by Mississippi Police officers
Clay County, MS — A violent brawl between Robert Morton, a 34-year old unarmed Black man, and highway patrol troopers in Mississippi was captured on video after the officers assaulted and even choked Morton in a brutal arrest after he was pulled over for speeding.The 4-minute video, which went viral and was viewed over 3 million times, showed Morton standing behind his car on the side of the road repeatedly asking the officer, “Why am I getting arrested?”
The officer can be heard telling Morton that he was pulled over for going 101 mph in a 65-mph zone. They continued arguing as Morton refused to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed so the officer added resisting arrest as a potential arrest.
Porsha Shields, Morton’s 4-month pregnant fiancée who was taking a video of the incident, can be heard begging her partner to be still while interacting with the charge. The officer then pulled out a taser and aimed it to Morton as he ordered him to get on the ground and show his identification.
Eventually, another officer came and immediately grabbed Morton by the neck, choking him, before both the officers tackled him to the ground.
“Oh my goodness!” Shields screamed. “You ain’t gotta do all that!… Y’all supposed to be out here protecting us!”
Morton was charged for speeding more than 20 miles over the speed limit, failure to wear seat belts, failure to properly seat belt a child, failure to give a driver’s license on command, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and malicious mischief, according to Clay County jail records. He was released from jail after posting a $1,754 bail.
Shields, who was also charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, said she was traumatized after the incident. She said she was slammed and mishandled by the officers too.
“I truly felt that I should have never told him I was pregnant because it seemed like he became more aggressive,” she told Keyzz Entertainment Television. “And, what hurts the most is knowing that my 4-year-old son witnessed me screaming, crying and getting assaulted as this event will psychologically impact us forever.”