US Bank CEO Apologizes After 5 INVESTIGATIONS ‘Banking While Black’ Report

Joe Morrow’s control was real, but police body camera video shows the director only called to verify this fact after Morrow was handcuffed.

“I am deeply sorry for where we have failed,” US bank chief executive Andy Cecere wrote in a letter on Friday. “What Mr. Morrow went through is not the experience that a customer should have.”

The apology came days after 5 INVESTIGATIONS reported video from the police body’s camera which outraged racial justice advocates, civil rights lawyers and other people of color across the country who have shared similar experiences.

BREAKAGE: @usbank The CEO apologizes for the incident with a black client accused of fraud and handcuffed while trying to cash his paycheck. Full recovery from the previous declaration to @KSTP that there was “nothing to indicate” race was a factor. Watch Body Camera Video: https://t.co/GWv0DJjvfR pic.twitter.com/2Jg1sJcM0n

– Eric Rasmussen (@Eric_Rasmussen) December 10, 2021

The US bank struck a confidential deal with Morrow last month according to its lawyers, just weeks after 5 INVESTIGATES started asking questions about the incident.

A spokesperson for the company released two previous statements saying the U.S. bank disputed the description of the incident and added that the bank’s own internal investigation found there was “nothing to indicate” that Morrow’s race had played a role in how he was treated.

This initial response frustrated Nekima Levy Armstrong with the Racial Justice Network, a local civil rights organization.

“I think their response is appalling. We all have eyes. We’ve all seen the same video, ”said Levy Armstrong. “They can’t just post on their website that they value diversity, inclusion and equity, and then when they have the opportunity to live those values, they turn to the other. It’s not acceptable.

Less than 24 hours after his group asked for more accountability, the US bank released Cecere’s letter to the community, saying the company is “revisiting and expanding” employee training.

A spokesperson confirmed that the branch manager who called the police on Joe Morrow is still employed by US Bank and is “reviewing the situation.”