'It's because I'm black': Trooper arrests Philly LGBT Affairs head, husband amid traffic stop; trooper now on restricted duty



Pennsylvania State Police placed a trooper on restricted duty after he arrested the head of Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs along with her husband during a traffic stop over the weekend in the city, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

A portion of Saturday's arrest of Celena Morrison and her husband Darius McLean — CEO of a transgender resource center — was caught on video.

While state police charged the couple with resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct, and summary traffic citations, the paper said the office of city District Attorney Larry Krasner declined the charges, and Morrison and McLean were released from custody Saturday evening.

What are the details?

The Inquirer, citing state police, said the trooper pulled Morrison over on Interstate 676 for driving a grey Infiniti sedan with an expired and suspended registration, driving without headlights activated in the rain, illegally tinted windows, and driving too close to another car.

After the traffic stop, McLean pulled up behind them, the paper said, adding that state police said McLean “became verbally combative” and “refused multiple lawful orders" after the trooper approached him.

The trooper attempted to arrest McLean, and Morrison tried to intervene, the Inquirer said, adding that she also was arrested.

In Morrison's video of the arrest, she was heard yelling, “I work for the mayor! I work for the mayor!” as McLean was lying on the shoulder of the freeway, the paper said.

"Please, just stop. No! It's cause I'm black," McLean was heard saying, according to WPVI-TV.

"It's not 'cause you're black," the trooper replied, according to the station.

The trooper then walked toward Morrison and told her to "turn around" and "give me your hands, or you are getting tased," WPVI reported. At one point, Morrison was heard saying, “He just punched me," the Inquirer said.

More from the station:

The video continues to record while on the ground.

"This was a simple traffic stop cause you didn't have your lights on. You're tailgating," the officer explains to the couple. "Then, I don't know who you are. I don't need somebody rolling up on me."

"There was no need at all," one person is heard saying.

"You were about to tase me. You pulled your gun on me," another voice says.

"You were fighting with me," says a third voice.

"No, I wasn't fighting you," someone responds.

Anything else?

State police are conducting an internal investigation over the incident, the paper said, adding that during the unnamed trooper's restricted duty, he won't be on patrol.

Jane Roh, spokesperson for the DA’s office, told the Inquirer that no charging decisions have been made, and officials are investigating all aspects of the incident.

The paper added that Mayor Cherelle Parker noted in a social media post, "A video circulating on social media that depicts a portion of the incident is very concerning to me, and I will have no further comment until the investigation has been completed."

DA investigating controversial traffic stop after Philadelphia official, husband arrested on I-76 youtu.be

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Woman charged in crash that killed two Pennsylvania state police troopers and another man previously tweeted, 'If you ask me, I'm the best drunk driver ever'



A 21-year-old woman is facing a bevy of charges after she allegedly hit and killed two police officers and another individual — driving under the influence is listed among the litany of charges.

Reports indicate that the woman, Jayana Tanae Webb, had tweeted in January, "If you ask me, I'm the best drunk driver ever."

\u201cIf you ask me, I\u2019m the best drunk driver ever\u201d Tweet by Jayana Tanae Webb ,21, charged with DUI killings of two @PAStatePolice and Allentown man just 9 weeks before. @FOX29phillypic.twitter.com/yZoY2MJqMS
— Steve Keeley (@Steve Keeley) 1647990615

The incident occurred on March 21 — according to a press release, people dialed 911 to report an individual walking on I-95. Troopers Martin F. Mack III and Branden T. Sisca were seeking to secure that individual, Reyes Rivera Oliveras, 28, in their vehicle when the deadly incident took place.

“The deaths of Troopers Mack and Sisca, along with Mr. Oliveras, a civilian they were attempting to help to safety on I-95, are tragedies," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement. "My office will now seek to ensure this defendant is held accountable for her alleged actions that resulted in this senseless loss of life."

The district attorney's office detailed the lengthy list of charges Webb is facing, including, "3 counts of Murder in the 3rd Degree (F1), 3 counts of Involuntary Manslaughter (M1), 2 counts of Manslaughter of a Law Enforcement Officer 2nd Degree (F2), 3 counts of Reckless Endangerment of Another Person (M2), 3 counts of Homicide by Vehicle while DUI (F2), 3 counts of Homicide by Vehicle (F3), DUI (M), Driving at Safe Speed (S), Careless Driving (S), and Reckless Driving (S)."

The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association described the deceased law enforcement officers as "heroes" in a statement.

"Trooper Martin Mack and Branden Sisca died serving the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," the statement said. "They are heroes, who will forever be honored by all those who recite the Pennsylvania State Police Call of Honor and serve as a Pennsylvania State Trooper. Our hearts, love and prayers go out to their loved ones. The PSTA will be there for them during this difficult time. We also want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the pedestrian who was killed in this tragedy."

Authorities say woman fatally poisoned her adopted handicapped 11-year-old son



The Pennsylvania State Police arrested a 62-year-old woman, after she reportedly fatally poisoned her adopted son in September, and charged her with criminal homicide, the Meadeville Tribune reports.

What are the details?

Mary Eileen Diehl called 911 on the morning of Sept. 6, alleging that her handicapped, adopted son was dead in his bed.

First responders rushed to the scene to find the boy, 11-year-old Najir William Diehl, unresponsive and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Authorities initially believed that Najir, who was chronically ill and unable to walk on his own, died of natural causes — but toxicology reports proved the theory wrong, according to local reports.

After several months of investigations into the child's death, Paula DiGiacomo, first assistant district attorney for Crawford County, said that authorities believed they uncovered evidence that Diehl intentionally poisoned the child over a period of less than 24 hours.

"State police have been working hard on the case and as a result of their further investigation ... they then had probable cause to believe she (Diehl) should be charged with first-degree homicide — intentionally killing," DiGiacomo said.

A copy of the criminal complaint stated that toxicology tests showed that Diehl "on or about September 5, 2021, with malice, premeditation, and the specific intent to kill, did have the care dependent victim ingest poison for the purposes of causing his death."

A motive for the alleged killing has not been made publicly known at the time of this reporting, and DiGiacomo declined to comment when pressed for an answer, according to Law & Crime. She did, however, reveal that a second child — a female — in Diehl's care was removed from the home following the arrest.

The specific substance that Diehl reportedly used to poison Najir remains unnamed at the time of this reporting.

Diehl is currently being held without bond at the Crawford County Correctional Facility in Saegertown, Pennsylvania, and is scheduled to appear before a judge on Nov. 23.

Pennsylvania law states that a first-degree murder conviction carries a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.