Attorneys representing the Alameda County Sheriff’s MP suing Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri for assault after Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals accuse the executive branch of using the race as a factor.
According to the Daniel Kaplan from AthleticDeputy Alan Strickland wrote in a court case on Tuesday that Ujiri did not show his ID prior to the argument and that the NBA wanted extra vigilant security.
As part of Ujiri’s counter suit Body cam material The incident was made public, which appears to support the executive’s claim that Strickland pushed him twice, despite Ujiri flashing a card that appears to be attached to his body.
“The body camera video produced by the plaintiff on July 17, 2020 did not reveal any new information to the defendants,” Strickland wrote, according to Athletic.
“In reality, the defendants made this motion to exploit the now pervasive prejudice against law enforcement and falsely use racial animosity and prejudice. This is the reason for Plaintiff Alan Strickland’s behavior at the time of the incident.”
Ujiri released an explanation Almost two weeks ago, he said, “The video unfortunately shows how terribly I was treated last year by a police officer in the middle of my team, the Toronto Raptors, who won their first World Cup.
“It was an exciting moment for our organization, for our players, for our city, for our country and for me personally given my long professional journey to the NBA. Unfortunately, at that moment I was reminded that despite all my hard work and success, there are some people, including those who are supposed to protect us, who always and only see me as something not worthy of respectful engagement.
“And there is only one indisputable reason why that is – because I am black.”
Ujiri’s counterclaim came several months after Strickland sued him on medical expenses, lost wages and other costs for sustaining serious injuries resulting in “great mental, physical, emotional and psychological pain and suffering”.
In February, Strickland filed a lawsuit in court alleging that Ujiri attacked him and failed to show his ID, leading to the now viral confrontation.
