Discussion on Sterling Brown arrest investigation at Fire and Police Commission meeting postponed
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Police Department is facing more fallout from Sterling Brown's January arrest.
Police Chief Alfonso Morales was supposed to address the investigation Thursday night but the Fire and Police Commission says new information has come to light.
Sterling Brown's lawyer believes the Police Department could be trying to cover up evidence.
Brown's attorney sent a letter to Milwaukee Police Chief Morales and the Director of the Fire and Police Commission several weeks ago, showing concerns of posts from Milwaukee officer Erik Andrade seemingly joking about the stun-gun arrest of the Milwaukee Bucks player.
"Why the Fire and Police Commission are allowing potential evidence to disappear," said Mark Thomsen, Brown's attorney.
In the letter, Brown's lawyer also says the Police Department is "stonewalling" and seemingly "covering up" because he received only one video of the arrest and did not get additional documents like the officers' personnel files, MPD use of force reports, and prior discipline.
Even though Brown's lawyer told Morales of the posts in May, they only came to light after the lawsuit was filed on June 19. Because of that, an audit, to be presented by Police Chief Morales at the Fire and Police Commission meeting was canceled.
"We were ready to present since the morning today but with the changes and direction of the Fire and Police Commission we are not going to be allowed to talk about that," Chief Morales said.
The Chief only took a few questions from reporters Thursday. When asked when we would hear the public audit, Chief Morales stopped answering questions and walked away.
The Milwaukee community is clearly upset.
"We got to stop sticking our heads in the sand -- wake up!" a community member said in Thursday's Fire and Police Commission meeting.
The Fire and Police Commission Director says Officer Andrade has a right to speak before the Commission talks publicly about it.
"They get that opportunity to talk to the Commission and have the Commission hear them fresh without having made pre-judgments about it," Executive Director of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission La Keisha Butler said Thursday.
Brown's case is now causing the community to ask for more public audits on MPD's use of force.
"If we can do it with the Brown case because it's high profile, then we can do it with all cases," a community member said during the meeting.
The FPC Director says they have no intention to cover anything up and look forward to the public audit of the Sterling Brown investigation in the future.