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Although the name Orlando Bowen may not be on everyone’s lips in the Greater Toronto Area, this Brampton resident was once a linebacker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His football career has since ended due to a concussion, a concussion he suffered after he says he was beaten police outside of a Mississauga night club. The football player had been standing near his car when two men approached him looking for drugs. When he said he didn’t have any, one of the men took him by the arm. Though the football player was able to escape and ran down the street, he stopped when one of the men threatened to shoot.
It was also at that time that Bowen realized that the two men were plainclothes police officers. He said they beat him to the ground and planted cocaine on him. Shortly thereafter, he was brought to the jail and charged with cocaine possession and assaulting a police officer. Fortunately for him, his charges were dropped after one of the officers was charged with drug trafficking and drug possession.
This linebacker has shown considerably more forgiveness and patience than others in his situation might have. He was, after all, severely beaten and given the concussion that ended his career. Moreover, he was charged with a serious crime that could have damaged more than just his professional life. Bowen has, however, decided to write a letter forgiving the two officers.
For some people charged with cocaine possession in the GTA, it may be much harder to get the charges dropped. Bowen was lucky that one of his arresting officers was sloppy enough to get caught.
Source: Hamilton Spectator, “Former Hamilton Tiger-Cat linebacker who was beaten by cops pens letter of forgiveness,” Laura Kane, March 30, 2014
