It’s been more than a year since Toronto Raptors president of basketball concerts Masai Ujiri’s NBA Finals celebration was stopped by an exchange with a police officer at Oracle Arena.
Officer Alan Strickland filed a lawsuit in February, claiming that Ujiri attacked him in the moments following the victory of the championship-clinching Toronto. Also as a result of the incident, Strickland suffered injuries to his “body, health, strength, activity and person, all of which have caused and continue to cause Plaintiff mental, emotional, psychological, physical, and excruciating pain and suffering. “
Once again, body music was released by Ujiri’s legal team showing the officer that the Raptors officer shook twice before revenge, Ujiri submitted a countersuit.
Masai Ujiri’s legal team has released body camera footage of his encounter with a security guard at Oracle Arena after the Raptors won the NBA Championship. pic.twitter.com/56XWMpZy0P
– Diamond Leung (@ diamond83) August 19, 2020
“Only after being unfairly told to return ‘the f — up’ and move twice, did Mr Ujiri show any reaction and give a shove back to Mr Strickland’s chest,” the suit said, according to ESPN. “Mr Ujiri’s defensive response was a reasonable and equitable response to Mr Strickland’s use of unnecessary and excessive force.”
The Alameda County Sheriff originally requested that Ujiri be charged with battery by a peace officer, although the Alameda District Attorney refused to press prosecutors after an investigation and meeting with Ujiri’s legal team.
Ujiri’s countersuit claims that Strickland falsely portrayed the executive as “the initial aggressor and an inherently violent individual”, calling the officer’s recollection of the incident a ‘complete fabrication’.
