ASU officer’s lawyer finds racism allegations ‘offensive’
Jan 15, 2015, 9:37 PM | Updated: 9:37 pm
Last May, Arizona State English professor Ersula Ore made headlines nationwide when dashboard video of her arrest for a jaywalking offense was released.
In the footage, an upset Ore can be seen resisting arrest and kicking the detaining officer, who ultimately forces her to the ground in an attempt to handcuff her.
That officer, ASU’s Stewart Ferrin, was given notice that the university had intent to terminate him later this month, after his case was reviewed by campus police and the FBI.
On Wednesday, Jarrett Maupin, a Valley reverend, joined Mac and Gaydos to discuss the case, stating that Ore’s rights were violated and alleging that race played a role in the arrest, as Ore is African-American.
Officer Ferrin’s lawyer listened in and requested air time Thursday to tell his client’s side of the story.
“As I listened to the statements that were made, the allegations of racism — without one shred of information, only (Maupin’s) gut — it was offensive to me,” the lawyer, Mel McDonald, told the show.
McDonald went on to point out that Ore’s complaint was one of two filed against Ferrin by an African-American in his two years of tenure with the university. The other was dropped, he said. It was filed two months after the corresponding incident and dismissed when the person who filed the complaint learned that dashboard footage of the matter had been obtained by ASU.
McDonald was adamant that his client brought no implicit bias into the Ore arrest.
“There’s not one shred of evidence that this officer is a racist,” he said.
Throughout the interview, the lawyer steered the conversation back to Ore’s role in escalating the episode.
“The fact of the matter is jaywalking is a criminal offense in Arizona,” he continued. “And she pled guilty to something way more serious than that; she assaulted the officer.”
Ore has filed a notice of plaint against ASU, which informs the university of her legal team’s intent to file a $2 million lawsuit if they fail to fire Ferrin. There is nevertheless still a possibility that the institution will not follow through with its termination notice, according to McDonald. That decision is expected to come down on Jan. 21.
