Seattle man needed state official’s help to avoid charges for ‘walking while black’ [View all]
Despite criticism from both the public and a former state lawmaker, Seattle police defended arresting a 70-year-old black man last year without justification before a top Black official intervened, the Stranger reported.
According to former state Rep. Dawn Mason (D), officials “tried to convince me nothing was wrong” when Officer Cynthia Whitlach arrested William Wingate for allegedly threatening her with his golf club.
The Stranger posted dashboard camera footage on Wednesday of Wingate’s arrest after recently acquiring it through a public records request. The video shows Whitlach stopping her patrol car in front of Wingate, then ordering him to let go of the club, which he uses as a makeshift cane.
Wingate, a retired veteran and local bus driver, can be heard saying in the video that he has used the club to help him get around for 20 years.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/seattle-man-needed-state-officials-help-to-avoid-charges-for-walking-while-black/
Officer Cynthia Whitlach's interaction with Wingate begins at the 1:45 mark.
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