VIDEO: Plainclothes La. Troopers Tackle Teens
Nine Louisiana State Police troopers acted appropriately when they tackled two black teenagers in the French Quarter of New Orleans during pre-Mardi Gras festivities, according to a state police report.
New Orleans' mayor, police superintendent and NCCAP president criticized the state police's findings that followed an internal investigation of the Feb. 10 incident that was captured by video surveillance cameras two days before Mardi Gras, reports The Times-Picayune.
In the video, several plainclothes troopers approach the two teens as they stood against a wall. The troopers suspected Sidney Newman, 17, and Ferdinand Hunt, 18, were violating curfew. The two are not subject to the city's 16-and-under curfew law.
Later in the video, a uniformed New Orleans Police officer approaches the troopers. Officer Verna Hunt tells the troopers she is the mother of one of the boys. The troopers then released the boys to Officer Hunt.
The Department of Justice's civil rights division is investigating the incident.