Overland Park protester charged with battery of officer after spending night in jail
A Shawnee man who was arrested by Overland Park police officers during a protest Friday night is facing felony charges for battery of a law enforcement officer, according to court records.
Darrien Richmond, 26, was charged Saturday in Johnson County District Court. He was released from jail on $2,500 bond after protesters spent all night and much of the day Saturday gathered outside the courthouse waiting for his release.
Charging documents say he “knowingly or recklessly” caused “bodily harm” to an Overland Park police officer. Overland Park spokesman Sean Reilly said Saturday morning that Richmond attacked an officer, causing scrapes and bruises to his hands.
Richmond declined to comment as he was leaving the jail Saturday afternoon. An attorney is not yet listed for him on the county court’s website.
Other protesters, including Richmond’s wife, Marisa Richmond, deny the claim that Richmond attacked an officer, saying he was simply running to help his wife as she was being arrested.
The Richmonds were two of the four people arrested following a peaceful protest in Overland Park Friday night.
Marisa Richmond and the other two arrested demonstrators were released Friday night after they were charged in municipal court for obstruction of traffic, Reilly said.
“We advised them to get back on the sidewalk and some individuals decided they didn’t want to do that,” Reilly said. “The ordinance states that they must use the sidewalk when a sidewalk is available.”
Friday night protest
The protest started at Johnson County Community College Friday night. Protesters marched along College Boulevard and Quivira before turning into a residential neighborhood.
After turning onto the street, a couple exited their home and yelled at protesters. Shortly after, officers wearing face shields and accompanied by an arrest wagon arrived in the neighborhood and surrounded the protesters.
Reilly said about 20 officers were sent to the scene wearing gear for personal protection. They were sent out after observing video on Facebook of the confrontation with the community member.
Marisa Richmond said her husband was grabbed by officers as the couple began walking back to the sidewalk after helping a family get their children into a car.
In fear, Marisa Richmond said, she hung on to her husband.
“I was afraid they were going to hurt him,” she said.
Officers eventually pulled her off of him and began arresting her. She said she called to her husband, Darrien Richmond, and he came toward her to reassure her when officers arrested him.
Facebook live video shows Darrien Richmond running toward Marisa Richmond before officers grab him and wrestle him to the ground.
Before the charges were filed, Marisa Richmond said she believes the accusations against her husband are unwarranted and “trumped up.”
“They’re trying to paint out my husband to be an angry black man and he’s not,” she said.
Protesters gathered overnight and into the morning outside the jail to support Darrien Richmond as they waited for him to be released.
Stacy Shaw, an attorney and activist who was also arrested Saturday, said that around 11 a.m. the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office declared an unlawful assembly and threatened to arrest demonstrators.
Protesters remained at the jail and no arrests were made, Shaw said.
Darrien Richmond is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 25.
This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 2:48 PM.
