Missouri Governor Rebuffs Air Force Officer Arrested In Police 'Kettle'

Air Force Lt. Alex Nelson was arrested last month amid protests in downtown St. Louis. He and his wife were out for a walk near their apartment when police surrounded them along with more than a hundred protesters and performed a mass arrest: a tactic known as "kettling." After reading Gov. Eric Greiten's memoir from his time as a Navy SEAL, Nelson decided he wanted to discuss police brutality with the governor personally, one military man to another. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports his efforts, so far, have been rebuffed:

The violence Nelson saw and experienced firsthand administered by the fists and boots of police officers is something he “never could have imagined could happen in America. I believe in our Constitution. I believe in our rights. They were violently taken away from us.”

That’s what Nelson wants to talk to Greitens about. After reading the book, he emailed the governor’s spokesman, Parker Briden, seeking an audience with his fellow military officer. When he didn’t hear back, he called the governor’s office in Jefferson City. He emailed Briden again. He even tweeted at the governor. Still, nothing.

Nelson says he was kicked, sprayed with chemical irritants, and mocked by police despite complying with their orders. After such an ordeal, it's understandable he would like a word with the governor.

Read more from the Post-Dispatch.

Photo by Jeff Roberson/Associated Press