Agency: Police Used Excessive Force Against Vikings Player

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Another Viking facing legal trouble says the Minneapolis Police Department violated his rights.

Officers said they used a Taser on Tom Johnson outside a Minneapolis nightclub early Sunday morning because he refused to leave.

But the defensive tackle's agent said that's not the whole story.

Johnson claims this all started because security asked him to leave for wearing boots in the restaurant. Even though he said he had been wearing them earlier that night and was never told to leave.

He said when he asked questions, two Minneapolis officers got involved and pepper sprayed him.

And he said his cell phone captured what happened next.

According to a timeline of events released by Johnson's agent, after being pepper sprayed he took a picture of the officer with his cell phone and asked for his name.

Johnson then sat outside the restaurant and waited for a car service to pick him up.

About five minutes later, the officer walked outside and Johnson began recording him with his cell phone.

The officer can be heard asking for Johnson's ID, to which Johnson replies, "I haven't done anything wrong."

Johnson said the video stopped because the officer knocked his cell phone to the ground and broke the screen.

As he reached to pick it up, he said the officer Tasered him several times between his shoulder blades.

When asked about the confrontation on Tuesday the 290-pound lineman deferred to his attorney, but did have something to say about the officers involved.

"They should be held accountable when things go wrong," Johnson said.

Minneapolis Police would not comment.

Federation, said "They are outstanding police officers and we stand by their report," John Delmonico, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation, said.

Delmonico went on to say that he believes Johnson should not have acted the way he did.

Johnson has been cited for disorderly conduct and trespassing.

Johnson's agent told us that he was not under the influence of alcohol.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 17.