The University of New Mexico football player who was arrested at San Francisco International Airport for wearing saggy pants has been released on bail, local media reported on Friday.
Deshon Marman, 20, of San Francisco, allegedly resisted his arrest when police officers tried to handcuff him after he had been booted off Wednesday morning’s US Airways Flight 488. He was removed from the Albuquerque, New Mexico-bound flight because he refused to pull up his saggy pants in order to cover up his underwear.
Police Sargent Michael Rodriguez told the San Francisco Examiner that, after refusing to pull up his pants before boarding, he went on to pull them all the way down after taking his seat.
The aircraft’s captain put Marman under citizen’s arrest for trespassing after he refused to exit the plane as he had been ordered by the captain. When police escorted him off the plane, one officer reportedly cut his hand and sprained his knee when Marman resisted arrest.
Marman was released from the San Mateo County jail after paying an $11,000 bail, although the county’s District Attorney’s Office has not yet filed formal charges. Prosecutors have until July 16 to decide whether or not to file charges of a felony count of battery of a police officer and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and trespassing.
Andrew Christie, a spokesman for US Airways, acknowledged to the San Francisco Examiner that the airline does not have a specific dress code, but underlined that they ask customers to “dress in an appropriate manner to ensure the safety and comfort of all of our passengers.”
Controversy has emerged since the incident. Defense attorney Joe O’Sullivan described the situation as racist, saying US Airways would “pay greatly for that fact.” Meanwhile, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California attorney Michael Risher said the airline was exposing itself to possible accusations of discriminatory practices since it does not have an established dress code.
