Actress Taraji P. Henson apologized Friday for accusing police of racially profiling her son during a traffic stop in Southern California last year after newly released dash cam footage of the incident proved the claims were false.
The Glendale Police Department released the footage Friday after Ms. Henson, of “Empire” fame, made the comments about the alleged racial profiling in an Uptown Magazine interview published last month, CNN reported Saturday.
Ms. Henson claimed her son, 20-year-old Marcell Johnson, was profiled by police in Glendale and at the University of Southern California where police stopped him for “having his hands in his pockets,” CNN reported. Ms. Henson planned to move her son to Howard University in Washington to finish his schooling.
“I’m not paying $50k so I can’t sleep at night wondering is this the night my son is getting racially profiled on campus,” she told Uptown Magazine.
Police investigated the traffic stop after Ms. Henson made the comments to the magazine.
Mr. Johnson was pulled over by police in October for failing to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk. He then admitted he had marijuana, an infraction and Ritalin without a prescription, a felony, according to Glendale Police Chief Robert Castro.
Mr. Johnson then allowed police to search his vehicle where officers found pot, honey oil (a concentrated form of marijuana), a marijuana grinder and a knife, Mr. Castro said, CNN reported. Mr. Johnson was sober while driving and was only cited for possession of marijuana.
“Misinformation that was reported in the story in Uptown Magazine with Taraji P. Henson impairs and weakens the relationships between law enforcement and communities,” Mr. Castro said, CNN reported.
In a post on Instagram, Ms. Henson apologized for her previous comments.
“A mother’s job is not easy and neither is a police officer’s. Sometimes as humans we overreact without gathering all of the facts. As a mother in this case I overreacted and for that I apologize. Thank you to that officer for being kind to my son,” she wrote.
The Glendale Police Department said Friday it appreciated Henson’s apology and is sharing it with its officers, CNN reported.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.