Opinion ID: 610843
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Joe Morgan's Testimony

Text: 4 On March 15, 1988, Joe Morgan was at LAX waiting for a flight to Phoenix. He passed the time in the gate area, chatting with people who recognized him. At some point during his layover, he decided to make a phone call. Leaving his bags at the waiting area, he headed to some phone banks about forty feet away. According to Morgan, while he was dialing, Agent Searle grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. Morgan asked Searle what he wanted. Searle insisted that Morgan was traveling with another person. Morgan responded that he was traveling alone, and asked again what the problem was. According to Morgan, Searle responded with words to the effect of I'm doing a drug investigation and you're a part of it. Morgan again said he was alone; Searle insisted that Morgan was with this guy and told him you are coming with me. Morgan replied, Why am I coming with you? I didn't do anything. I am making a phone call. Searle did not tell Morgan that he was free to go. 5 Searle asked Morgan for identification. Morgan replied that it was in his luggage approximately forty feet away. Morgan took a step toward his luggage, and Searle grabbed his upper torso and told him, I will put you on the ground if you don't come with me. Morgan testified that after this exchange, a bystander came up and said to the effect, that's Joe Morgan, the baseball player, and I can identify him. Searle responded with hostility, flashing his identification and warning the bystander to back off. 6 Morgan testified that at that moment he began to get frightened: Well, at that point ... I became very nervous. Before that, you know, I was standing up kind of saying, 'Hey, I don't want to go with you. Let me get my I.D.' or whatever, but he was very hostile.... I felt like it didn't matter if I did have my I.D.... He was going to do something to me.... I said to him, 'Okay. Where do you want me to go?'  According to Morgan, Searle responded by pointing over Morgan's shoulder. As Morgan turned toward that direction, Searle grabbed him around the neck from behind, forced Morgan to the floor, and handcuffed him. 7 While Morgan was on the ground, Agent Woessner came up with another man, Tony Floyd. As Woessner approached, Searle asked him, You saw him swing at me, didn't you? According to Morgan, one of the officers asked Floyd if Morgan was the guy that was with you? and Floyd answered no. 8 Searle pulled Morgan to his feet, and led him down the concourse, past the waiting area where Morgan had just been signing autographs. As they passed Morgan's luggage, Morgan again asked to be allowed to get his identification. Searle placed his hand over Morgan's mouth and nose and led him into a small room marked nursery. Morgan testified that he had difficulty breathing and felt totally out of control. Inside the nursery room, Floyd repeated that Morgan was not the person he was with. Morgan testified that Searle threatened to report to the press that he was a part of a narcotics investigation, and offered to release Morgan if Morgan would promise to forget what had happened. Morgan responded, You do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do. After a few moments of further exchange, Searle removed the handcuffs and allowed Morgan to leave. 9 According to Morgan, at no time during this course of events did he make any aggressive or hostile physical gestures toward either Searle or Woessner. He testified that at no time did he resist, use profanity, or scream.