Christopher LeDay: Man Who Shared Alton Sterling Shooting Video Not Allowed To Return To Work
The man who posted the viral video of Alton Sterling’s death is now fighting for his job. Apparently, his recent arrest in connection with the video has created a number of problems, and he’s not allowed to return to work.
According to the Root, law enforcement officers arrived at Christopher LeDay’s job at Dobbins Air Force Base. It was also revealed that officers initially claimed there was a warrant for assault, but they later claimed the arrest was the result of unresolved traffic tickets. LeDay was reportedly held in Dekalb County jail
“He never had a warrant for an assault,” lawyer Tiffany Simmons told WSB-TV. “My client has never had any criminal history. They never showed a warrant for an assault to my client, in fact my client was held in DeKalb County Jail for at least 26 hours and they never produced a warrant.”
LeDay admitted that there were traffic tickets, but his supervisor was well aware of the tickets when he began working at the base six weeks ago. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, a spokesperson to the Dunwoody Police Department claims the arrest stemmed from old warrants where LeDay “failed to appear on several traffic charges.”
The penalties were cited when the military base conducted the security clearance process. Although LeDay got the job and was allowed to report to work, the same tickets are reportedly considered a problem, and the arrest could cost him his job. However, his attorney argues that he should not be held accountable for the actions of the officers, and there should not be repercussions for being a good Samaritan.
“He should not be penalized or possibly retaliated against, he should not be embarrassed at his place of employment for doing what is right,” Simmons said. “He’s been punished for doing the right thing. He’s been punished for being a good Samaritan by showing this video and showing America that we have to look in the mirror and we have to change some things.”
The controversy surrounding Christopher LeDay’s arrest follows a string of reports about the shooting of Alton Sterling. Just hours after LeDay shared the footage on social media, the video had gone viral, sparking a media firestorm.
Christopher LeDay, The Man Who Made The Alton Sterling Video Go Viral Wants His Job Back! – https://t.co/lNuBoVDw6i #IFWT
— Funk Flex !!!!! (@funkflex) July 24, 2016
The shooting has led to nationwide protests organized by Black Lives Matter, local leaders, and citizens fighting for justice against excessive policing and brutality. Although LeDay was not the person who filmed the video, he explained how he received it and why he chose to share it. For those who don’t know, LeDay had approximately 13,000 followers on social media prior to the release of the video and he felt the video should be shared to highlight.
“I knew I had the platform to share it, to make it go viral and I even requested when I originally posted it that everybody should share this to show some of the heinous crimes that have been committed by law enforcement against black men,” said LeDay.
At this point, it is unclear whether LeDay will be allowed to return to work. The alleged harassment he’s faced is not the first of its kind. In the past, there have been others who have faced the same type of scrutiny for filming and sharing an officer-involved shooting, which raises more speculation about the nature of LeDay’s arrest.
The investigation into Alton Sterling’s death will be ongoing, but the media refrained from reporting numerous updates about the case due to the horrific shooting of three Baton Rouge police officers last Sunday. It appears LeDay’s work-related issues will also be ongoing until further notice. A GoFundMe account has been created for Christopher LeDay amid the latest controversy.
[Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images]
