Body cam footage shows former Major League Baseball player Johnny Damon claiming he was targeted by police in February for DUI suspicion as a result of his support of former President Donald Trump.
The footage, released Tuesday, shows Damon and his wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, pointing to their ‘Blue Lives Matter’ slogan on their license plate, while Damon says, ‘Guys, we’re all for police. ‘
Damon has been a long-time supporter of Trump and, he says, performed with him at a rally in Orlando before Election Day in 2016. The Washington PostDamon, an Orlando resident, was arrested in Windermere, Florida, in the early hours of February 19.
At one point during the stop, Damon says, “I know people are trying to target me because I’m a Trump supporter.”
An officer replies, “I don’t think that has anything to do with it,” to which Damon replies, “Yes, it does.”
Damon’s blood alcohol content was reportedly .30, nearly four times the legal limit of .08. Damon agreed to a field sobriety test, but stumbled while walking and was unable to follow a red light with his eyes while keeping his head still.
Damon was charged with opposing an officer without violence and for driving under the influence of alcohol and having a stop sign. Mangan-Damon was also arrested and charged with battery on an officer and forcibly opposed.
Damon played in MLB for seven different teams for 18 years. As a two-time All-Star, he won two World Series championships – with the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009. He last played in a game in 2012 and finished his career with 2,769 hits.