August 28, 2005

Tape shows Nation of Islam minister argued with officers

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES- A Nation of Islam leader suspected of assaulting a police officer disobeyed orders during a vigil for a shooting victim, according to a transcript of the incident.

When an officer asked Minister Tony Muhammad to "back up," during Thursday's vigil, Minister Tony Muhammad twice said "make me."

A spokesman for the Nation of Islam - a political and religious civil rights organization for African-Americans - had no comment on the transcript.

The Los Angeles Police Department released the recording and transcript Saturday amid accusations that police beat up Muhammad, the Nation of Islam's western regional director. The audio recording that picked up the words had been a conversation between an officer and a police dispatcher.

Muhammad appeared at a news conference a day after the vigil with the left side of his face badly swollen.

Police officials said it was Muhammad who was "very belligerent and uncooperative." He was arrested on suspicion of committing battery against a police officer and later released on $20,000 (euro16,250) bail.

Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and police officials have promised an investigation into the incident.

The vigil Thursday night was for Nahun Beaird, 21, who had been fatally shot. Some area residents didn't believe paramedics did enough to try to save him and had accused them of covering his body with a sheet while the victim appeared to still be alive. Fire officials said Beaird was dead when paramedics covered him, and doctors at California Hospital Medical Center said Beaird had died at the scene.