What we know about the Philly LGBT official detained by Pa. State Police

Two prominent leaders in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community — including the director of a city office — were detained by Pennsylvania State Police following a heated confrontation during a traffic stop.

Celena Morrison, the city’s executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, and her husband, Darius McLean, were arrested Saturday morning, on I-76, after state police said a trooper attempted to pull over Morrison for multiple traffic violations. Things escalated after police said McLean became “verbally combative” toward the trooper, then resisted arrest. Morrison was arrested after police said she “interfered in the trooper’s attempt to arrest” McLean.

Questions arose, though, after video of the interaction posted online showed McLean and Morrison saying they did not know why they were being arrested, and pleading to the trooper to let them go. Later in the video, as Morrison is being detained, she can be heard saying, “He just punched me.”

Both were taken into custody and were released Saturday evening. At this time, they are not facing any charges. The trooper who made the arrest has been placed on restricted duty. Here’s what we know about the interaction and people involved:

Morrison, 51, is the city’s executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs. She was named to the role in 2020 by former Mayor Jim Kenney, becoming what officials at the time believed to be the first openly transgender person to lead any city office or department.

McLean, 35, is the chief operating officer of the Philadelphia-based William Way Community Center and director of the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center.

Neither could be reached for comment Sunday.

Lt. Adam Reed, a spokesperson for the state police, said the trooper initially pulled over Morrison, who was driving a gray Infiniti sedan, after observing “multiple vehicle code violations.” Reed said the car’s registration was expired and suspended, and that its windows were illegally tinted, headlights were not illuminated in the rain, and Morrison was following too closely behind another driver.

Shortly after the trooper pulled Morrison over on the shoulder of the highway, state police said, McLean pulled up behind the trooper in a green Dodge sedan. Police said that before making contact with Morrison, the trooper approached McLean, who “became verbally combative toward the trooper.”

Police said McLean then “refused multiple lawful orders” from the trooper. When the trooper attempted to arrest him, police said he resisted arrest.

Police said Morrison then attempted to “interfere” with the arrest of McLean, and was also arrested.

“Both individuals were arrested for resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct, and other related charges,” state police said.

Morrison took a video of a portion of the interaction that was posted on social media by her sister shortly after.

The video does not include footage of the trooper’s initial interaction with McLean. It begins with McLean lying on his side on the pavement, with the trooper attempting to handcuff him.

“Do you want to get tased? Put your hands behind your back!” the officer can be heard yelling.

“OK! They are!” McLean says.

“That is my husband! Please!” Morrison yells.

“It’s OK, baby, it’s OK ... I don’t know why he’s doing this,” McLean says.

At one point, as Morrison steps closer, the officer begins yelling at her to get back.

“I work for the mayor! I work for the mayor!” Morrison shouts.

The officer shouts at her to get back.

“Please just stop,” McLean says. “It’s because I’m Black.”

“It’s not ‘cause you’re Black,’” the trooper said in response.

“Yes it is!” Morrison shouts from behind the camera.

The trooper, after handcuffing McLean, then can be seen walking toward Morrison, telling her to turn around. The camera pans and the phone appears to fall to the ground. In the background, Morrison and McLean can be heard screaming.

“Give me your hand or you’re getting tased!” the trooper can be heard shouting.

“I don’t know why this is happening,” Morrison said. “We ain’t done nothing wrong.”

Then, she said: “He just punched me.”

The video cuts off as McLean and Morrison speak to each other in distress, and the trooper appears to talk over police radio.

State police said they initially filed several misdemeanor and summary charges against Morrison and McLean, but the District Attorney’s Office declined the charges.

Jane Roh, spokesperson for the DA’s Office, said that no charging decisions have been made but that officials are investigating all aspects of the incident.

For now, the couple is not facing charges.

There is an ongoing internal investigation, state police said Monday, which will include interviewing witnesses. The trooper, whose name has not been publicly released, is on restricted duty until results amid the investigation, and won’t be able on patrol until the process concludes.

The trooper was not wearing a body-worn camera, as the program “is not yet fully deployed across the state.” He said the trooper’s vehicle was equipped with a mobile video recorder and microphone.

Troopers’ lack of body cameras has been a point of discussion in the past, particularly in the wake of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Anthony Allegrini Jr., who was killed by a state trooper on I-95 last year. Pennsylvania State Police announced a pilot program to equip officers with the cameras last year in the wake of Allegrini’s death, but not all have received them.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement posted to X on Saturday that the video shared online was “very concerning.”

She declined to speak further on the matter when approached by reporters on Sunday. Her spokesperson, Joe Grace, said only that the mayor “deeply cares about all city employees, including Celena Morrison.”