Security video footage of country star Chris Young's arrest raises questions
Chris Young's altercation with authorities is shown in surveillance footage captured at Nashville's Dawg House Saloon.
Surveillance footage of an altercation between Chris Young and a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer could "undermine" the agent's recollection of events, according to a legal expert.
Young, 38, was arrested Monday evening and charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. By Wednesday, the country music star's legal team had called for the charges to be dropped after surveillance footage surfaced from the bar that apparently contradicts the authorities' version of events. The TABC officer accused Young of striking him on the shoulder.
"The fact that the officer seemingly said … in his affidavit that he was struck like ... that's not what appears to have happened," Devin McRae, partner at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP, explained to Fox News Digital. "So, that could undermine the entirety of his affidavit, not just about that detail, but everything else around it."
The video is the "best evidence" of what actually happened Monday night, McRae added.
Chris Young's legal team released footage of an altercation between the country music star and a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent. (Getty Images/Bill Ramsey)
"It's essentially your best evidence of what occurred, rather than somebody trying to testify to what occurred based on their recollection," McRae said. "So, the jury gets to see what actually occurred.
"The videos, if authenticated and admitted into evidence, can be very powerful to a jury as it gives the jury a basis to make their own determination of the credibility of the recollection of the witnesses and participants," Bryan M. Sullivan, a partner at the same firm, told Fox News Digital. "Generally, and it’s human nature, people tell their version of events that make them appear in the best possible light."
McRae did point out chopped surveillance footage could pose some "problems."
"There could be some problems with completeness because we don't know what happened before or after," he explained. "The surveillance only just shows that part of it."
Chris Young was arrested Monday and charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. (Courtesy: Alcoholic Beverage Commission)
The TABC agent claimed Young "struck" him in the shoulder, which led to him pushing the singer, according to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
The officer stated he pushed Young, who was not known to him at the time, to "create distance," and other bar patrons became involved. The video allegedly only shows Young reaching out to stop the officer from passing, according to the footage.
WATCH: SECURITY FOOTAGE OF COUNTRY STAR CHRIS YOUNG'S ARREST RAISES QUESTIONS
The TABC affidavit claimed Young had to be physically detained with handcuffs while his associates continued to make the situation "hostile." "Mr. Young's eyes were blood shot and watery as well as having blurred speech," an officer wrote.
The altercation between Young and the agent began at the Tin Roof bar in Nashville around 8:30 p.m., the affidavit says. Young's ID was checked by agents completing a compliance check at the bar, and the singer followed the group to Dawg House Saloon afterward, where the assault of the officer allegedly took place.
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The "Famous Friends" singer's lawyer demanded the charges be dropped in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
"What happened to my client Chris Young at a bar in Nashville on Monday night was wrong, and he never should have been arrested and charged in the first place," lawyer Bill Ramsey said. "In light of the video evidence, Tennessee ABC needs to drop the charges and apologize for the physical, emotional and professional harm done toward my client."
WATCH: COUNTRY STAR CHRIS YOUNG'S LAWYER DEMANDS CHARGES BE DROPPED AFTER NEW VIDEO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT ARREST
When asked for comment on the situation, a spokesperson for the TABC told Fox News Digital, "This matter is pending in Davidson County General Sessions Court, and we are unable to comment further at this time."
Videos and surveillance footage allow people and authorities to be "held accountable" in a court of law, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital.
"Witnesses can lie, even law enforcement witnesses," he said. "But video doesn’t lie. Video surveillance and cellphone cameras have changed the game. Years ago, cases like Rodney King were an anomaly. Now, police officers are being held accountable when they misstate facts and evidence."
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Duncan Levin, a former defense attorney for Harvey Weinstein, echoed Rahmani's comments.
"There is no doubt that, in cases like Chris Young's, surveillance footage plays a crucial role in how a case is resolved," Levin said.
"This footage certainly raises legitimate questions about the accuracy of the arrest affidavit, and both sides should want the truth to come out," he added. "In general, the impact of surveillance and cellphone videos on criminal trials has become increasingly significant. There is no more unbiased witnesses than a recording, shedding light on what actually happened.
Chris Young won the "Nashville Star" singing competition in 2006. (Getty Images)
"Cameras are everywhere now, and a much more common part of many criminal trials. Surveillance footage can provide crucial evidence, capturing details that might be overlooked or misrepresented in written reports. It has the ability to corroborate or contradict eyewitness testimonies, making it a valuable tool in the pursuit of justice."
Young gained fame after winning the singing competition "Nashville Star" in 2006. He signed with RCA Records Nashville and released his debut album that same year.
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The country music star's first single, "Drinkin' Me Lonely," first peaked at 45 on the Billboard Hot Country chart before later reaching the No. 1 spot.
Young has released eight studio albums. He released his most recent album, "Famous Friends," in 2021 and will release his latest album, "Young Love & Saturday Nights," March 22.
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