by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
ESPN baseball writer Howard Bryant's arrest has now taken a very interesting turn. Buz Eisenberg, the attorney for Bryant, claims that race was a factor in his arrest.
''Mr. Bryant was the victim of excessive force,'' Eisenberg said, according to Recorder.com. ''Police responded to the scene and rather than do an investigation they made an arrest of a black man with a white wife."
Bryant, who is 42-years old, was charged with domestic assault and battery, as well as battery on a police officer. Five witnesses claim that they saw the writer choke his wife and force her into a car. He was freed on $5,000 bail on the same day.
Since the arrest, some things have changed. Bryant's wife, Veronique Bryant, is now claiming that Mr. Bryant never assaulted her. Thus far, ESPN has declined to comment.
