According to Arizona Central, JAY-Z’s Roc Nation has offered support in securing legal aid towards to Dravon Ames and pregnant fiancé Aisha Harper, a couple with small children who were roughed up by Phoenix police last month. The incident was captured on video and has received a reprimand from the city’s top cop and mayor. In the video, officers are seen yanking the young people around and cursing at them, while they are in front of their small children. Why? The couple’s 4-year-old daughter took a baby doll out of the local Family Dollar. The store merchant called the cops, and as evidenced by the video, the officers responded with excessive force.
Team ROC was outraged, and have called for the termination of the cops in question. The philanthropic arm of JAY-Z’s empire has secured according to the site, Alex Shapiro to represent the family. According to Didier Morais, a PR spokesperson for the organization, Shapiro will offer his services pro-bono and plans on filing against one of the alleged officers for child neglect.
“There is no place for that behavior in our world – let alone our justice system – and we are calling for the immediate termination of the police officers in question,” Diaz said. “We are committed to supporting the family to ensure that justice is served.”
Roc Nation’s staff is not the only ones outraged, rapper Meek Mill almost bleeds with distress via Twitter.
Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, apologized over the weekend after viewing videos that showed the cops cussing like crazy, pulling out their guns and threatening to shoot a man in his face in front of his children (who are all minors).
The mayor said that she was “sick” at the police’s behavior.
In a statement she shared with the public:
“It was completely inappropriate and clearly unprofessional… There is no situation in which this behavior is ever close to acceptable. As a mother myself, seeing these children placed in such a terrifying situation is beyond upsetting.”
The Phoenix police chief, Jeri Williams, posted a video on the Police Department’s Facebook page with her feelings about what transpired.
Williams said, “[I am] disturbed by the language and the actions of our officer.”
Some sources say that the family will launch $10 million lawsuits against the Phoenix Police Department, accusing the officers of committing battery, unlawful imprisonment, false arrest and infliction of emotional distress.
