Michigan State Police and Whirlpool face discrimination lawsuits from same man
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- A former Berrien County man is suing the Michigan State Police claiming he was pulled over and arrested for essentially "driving while black and gay."
Dakarai Larriet, who now lives in Alabama, filed a $10 million-dollar federal lawsuit in October. In the suit, he alleges troopers stopped him in Benton Harbor last spring without probable cause.
Larriett was arrested and held overnight, but his blood tests came back clean, and all charges were dropped according to his attorney.
ABC57 has links to the raw Michigan State Police body cam video of the arrest so viewers can see for themselves how the incident unfolded and come to their own conclusion:
- Trooper George Kanyuh Body Camera footage
- Trooper George Kanyuh & Trooper Matthew Okaiye Dash Cam
- Trooper Matthew Okaiye Body Cam
Statement from Michigan State Police:
“The Michigan State Police is committed to unbiased policing and the fair treatment of all individuals. We take any allegations of misconduct with the utmost seriousness. At no time did MSP troopers attempt to plant narcotics on Mr. Larriett or in his vehicle. The term “stash” referred to the trooper’s inability to locate his supply of Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) straws, which are required for administering a PBT.
Upon learning of the allegations in Mr. Larriett’s lawsuit, we initiated an internal affairs investigation. As it pertains to the traffic stop, the investigation concluded the stop was conducted in accordance with department policy and legal standards. Sexist, racist, and homophobic remarks are not in line with the values of the Michigan State Police. The allegation about these personal social media posts is part of the internal affairs investigation. We want to assure the community that this matter will continue to be handled professionally and with the utmost integrity."
And it turns out Dakarai Larriett is also suing his former employer, Benton Harbor based Whirlpool Corp., alleging the company, and certain employees there, created a hostile work environment and discriminated against him based on his race and sexual orientation.
"Whirlpool Corp. denies these claims against it, but will not comment further due to pending litigation," the corporation said in a statement.
ABC57 will keep you updated on both lawsuits as they work their way through Federal Count.