The family of a Black teen involved in a fight at the Bridgewater Commons Mall has hired a nationally-known civil rights attorney.
Kye Husain was involved in a fight with a lighter skinned Hispanic teen at the mall last weekend. When police arrived, they grabbed the Hispanic teen and sat him down on a couch, all while throwing Husain to the ground and putting handcuffs on him. Both officers are also seen using their knees to hold the eighth grader down.
The entire incident was recorded on video, which has now gone viral. It has sparked allegations of racial bias in policing.
Husain’s family has hired Benjamin Crump as an attorney. Crump has previously represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
Crump says that the incident shows that there are two justice systems in America.
“When [the light skin teen] put his hands up and the white policewoman tapped him on the shoulder as if, you’re free to go, it tells us what we have been saying all along. It seems to be two justice systems in America – one for Black America and one for white America,” says Crump. “And the reason I think this video is being so viral, is because now we see it.”
The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating.
Crump says he thinks the officers should be suspended or terminated if they were doing biased police work.
The civil rights group People’s Organization for Progress will be holding a press conference on Saturday outside the Bridgewater Police Department to condemn the actions of the officers.