FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In the early morning hours of Nov. 6, former Razorback football players Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown were arrested by Fayetteville police near Dickson Street.
According to the Fayetteville Police Department's (FPD) timeline of events, officers were patrolling the area of 336 N. West Ave. on foot while trying to get people out of the street after bars and businesses had closed.
FPD says one of the first people they told to get out of the road was 19-year-old Anthony Brown. At first, they claim Brown agreed and got out of the street but then went back, intentionally standing in the roadway a second time.
Police claim an officer grabbed Brown’s sleeve and walked with him to the sideway. That’s when police say Brown turned and pushed a Fayetteville Police Officer. They claim Brown was then taken to the ground and put into custody.
During the arrest of Brown, police say 20-year-old Myles Slusher was allegedly grabbing an officer, trying to pull him away from arresting Brown.
According to police, multiple officers were able to separate Slusher from the altercation and put him into handcuffs.
Police claim they asked Slusher multiple times for his name and he refused to give him any information. As the transport unit arrived on the scene, police say Slusher eventually gave him his name and date of birth.
Brown and Slusher were booked in the Washington County Detention Center.
Adam Rose is representing Slusher and says the arrest was an "overreaction" to the situation at hand.
"I don't think this wasn't a case where an arrest really should have been made. If the officers really felt strongly about I think a citation was more appropriate," Rose said. "I think that it was quite an overreaction. And I think if you watch the video... I think it was quite a large reaction from the officers."
"There's a lot of people and if you watch the body cameras, a lot of people are around and they just so happened to get upset with Mr. Brown and Mr. Slusher over not following instruction as to where he's stepping," Rose said.
Rose says he is only representing Slusher and his upcoming court date has been waived. He also said they are in talks with the prosecuting attorney to get this "taken care of" quickly.
"He's a bright young guy, smart guy. He's a good kid. And I don't foresee this really affecting him too much in the future," Rose said. "I spoke with his parents and his mother specifically. And they feel very passionately that they want the truth to get out there that their son's not a bad guy, that this was not a horrific incident."
Rose believes there is a misconception about the severity of Slusher's behavior, especially after watching the bodycam video.
"And the severity of it is he inquired as the officer why his friend was being arrested, he did touch the officer on the shoulder, didn't assault the officer, he's not charged with assaulting an officer, not with battery of an officer, nothing like that," Rose said. "And so I just want the public to know that he respected the officers. He was just simply asking why his friend was being arrested, and frankly, I believe that he should have been given that information."
Both Slusher and Brown were suspended from playing football for one week. That has since been lifted.
Slusher's attorney, Adam Rose, says the case has come to a conclusion on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Slusher received a small fine. Statement from Rose below.
"Justice was done and this incident will soon get off Mr. Slusher's record and he will be able to move forward with his life and continue to be the successful young man he is. Thank you to the Fayetteville Police Dept. and the Washington Co. Prosecutors office for doing the right thing in this case," Rose said.
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