COLUMBIA | Former Missouri basketball All-American Willie Smith is accusing Columbia police of using excessive force after his arrest outside a local restaurant.
Smith was arrested March 9 after police responded to a burglar alarm at Smokin' Chicks BBQ. The eatery is next to a hair salon Smith and a co-worker clean weekly.
Smith says police did not allow him to explain why he was sitting in a car outside the businesses. Instead, he says, they handcuffed him, sprayed him with Mace and slammed his head against a police car. He was charged with resisting arrest and obstructing a government operation.
Smith has filed a formal complaint with the Police Department, which has begun an internal investigation.
The 1976 Missouri graduate is a member of the school's Hall of Fame and holds the record for the highest single-season scoring average.
| The Associated Press