McKinney Councilman Arrested For Refusing To Sign Traffic Citation Will Not Resign
McKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - The McKinney city councilman arrested after refusing to sign a traffic citation says he will not resign.
In a Facebook Live Thursday night, La'Shadion Shemwell again claimed his arrest was racially motivated.
He cited other times he believes he was racial profiled by police, including a time he says police told he would never be elected to public office.
Shemwell's attorney released a one-page letter after 10:00 p.m. Thursday.
McKinney police say he was arrested for refusing to sign his speeding ticket; simple as that.
"You have to sign this or I'm taking you to jail today, OK," says a McKinney police officer in a May 8 video.
"Taking me to jail for what," Shemwell can be heard asking in the video.
Shemwell was pulled over for allegedly speeding. He says he was profiled and pulled over because of his skin color. He says he's a known activist and only the second African-American to serve on McKinney's City Council.
"I was pulled over; I was frustrated( I felt that I was being targeted, that my rights were being violated because I know for sure that I was not speeding," said Shemwell.
"You better get Chief Conley on the phone right now," Shenwell tells the officer in the video. "Let him know what you're in, you're in really big trouble my friend."
He's also seen refusing to sign the ticket, which isn't an admission to a crime, just a promise to appear in court.
"For some reason or another, you think that I mention the chief and that somehow that was wrong," Shemwell said Thursday night. "My mentioning of the chief is because that is the protocol when dealing for McKinney police officers when dealing with the elected officials."
Shemwell says he's received death threats and been called the "n-word" since his arrest. He says he will serve our the rest of his term.
The mayor and city council hasn't commented on the arrest.