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 Floyd Dent, 57, contends police planted the cocaine after the
traffic stop on Jan. 28 in Inkster, Michigan, about 14 miles west of
downtown Detroit. Gregory Rohl, Dent's attorney, has said his
client, who is black, was targeted because of his race.
Dent, who has worked for Ford Motor Company for decades, was
initially charged with assault, resisting arrest, and possession of
cocaine. A judge dismissed the assault and resisting arrest charges
and Michigan State Police are investigating the case.
Civil rights activists plan to demonstrate on Wednesday in front of
the Inkster police station over the incident, the latest in a series
of altercations that have raised concerns about excessive use of
force by police.
All officers seen in the video of Dent's arrest are white and about
three-quarters of Inkster's residents are African-American,
according to U.S. Census figures.
One of the officers involved in Dent's arrest, William Melendez, was
among several then-Detroit police officers accused in federal
indictments in 2003 of misconduct. A jury acquitted the officers of
the charges that included planting evidence.
Melendez has been named as a defendant in several federal civil
lawsuits dating to 1996, including one stemming from a 2011 arrest
in Inkster where he was accused of excessive force.
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Melendez testified in March that he and his partner stopped Dent
after the Detroit resident ran a stop sign after leaving a motel
known for narcotics activity. Dent's attorney has said he was at the
motel to drop off a bottle of alcohol for a friend.
In the video Melendez can be seen exiting the police vehicle with
gun drawn, while his partner pulls Dent from the car. Melendez can
be seen wrapping his arm around Dent's neck and punching him on the
head while his partner handcuffs him.
Another officer can be seen Tasering Dent, who was hospitalized for
injuries to his face and head.
(Reporting by Serena Maria Daniels; Editing by David Bailey and Eric
Walsh)
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