Arkansas representative arrested in Little Rock

This screenshot from the Pulaski County jail website shows John Walker's booking mug and the misdemeanor charge filed against him.
This screenshot from the Pulaski County jail website shows John Walker's booking mug and the misdemeanor charge filed against him.

Arkansas Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, was arrested Monday morning after ignoring commands for him to stop filming a traffic stop, according to Little Rock police.

Walker, 79, initially recorded the arrest of Cedric Bell, 27, of Little Rock, who was stopped shortly before 11 a.m. at 9th and Commerce streets for not having a license plate on his 2001 Pontiac Bonneville, authorities said in a report released later in the day.

"I'm just making sure they don't kill you," Walker at one point said while filming the arrests, according to the report.

Bell, who admitted to not having a driver's license, was taken into custody after authorities learned of active warrants in North Little Rock and Little Rock, the report states.

A responding officer noted that when authorities tried to talk to Walker, "he kept talking over us in an antagonistic and provocative manner." Walker was allowed to continue filming at that point.

Authorities said Walker and attorney Omavi Kushukuru, 29, of Little Rock later approached the traffic stop while an officer arrested Gary Gregory, 24, of Little Rock, a passenger in Bell's vehicle who also had an active warrant in Little Rock.

Kushukuru and Walker ignored commands "several times" from police for them to leave the area, according to the report.

The report states Kushukuru was arrested before Walker, who at one point told an officer, "Arrest me." Walker was then taken into custody.

At the jail, an officer said Walker could be heard saying to a jailer: "I only want to file a complaint agains the white officers."

Walker was booked at 12:30 p.m. into the Pulaski County jail on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing governmental operations and released later in the afternoon on $1,000 bail, records show.

In 2015, Arkansas legislators passed a law introduced by state Rep. Richard Womack, R-Arkadelphia, and backed by Walker that is intended to protect a resident's right to film or photograph events in public places.

Check back for updates and read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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