Idaho police officer suspended for mocking LeBron James signs book deal

A police officer in Idaho has a new book deal after being suspended for mocking NBA star LeBron James in a TikTok video.

Bellevue Marshal’s Office deputy Nate Silvester signed a book deal and returned to work this week after he received backlash for mocking James after the Los Angeles Laker posted a tweet that said, “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY” in regards to the officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant in Ohio, KTVB7 reported Wednesday.

After James deleted the tweet, Silvester posted a TikTok pretending to be on a phone call with him while one imaginary Black person stabs another.

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“So you don’t care if a Black person kills another Black person, but you do care if a white cop kills a Black person, even if he’s doing it to save the life of another Black person?” Silvester asked. “I mean it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but then again you are really good at basketball, so I guess I’ll take your word for it.”

The controversy began last month when a white officer in Columbus fatally shot Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl, while she was attacking another Black girl with a knife. The incident occurred the same day a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of the murder of George Floyd last year.

Silvester’s video got put him on administrative leave, with his department saying in a statement that his comments “do NOT represent the Bellevue Marshal’s Office.”

In a TikTok video posted Thursday, Silvester said he has signed a deal for a book that will be called “Never Off Duty,” set for release in September.

A GoFundMe in Silvester’s name was started after his suspension and has now raised more than $500,000. He told local outlets he will donate part of the money to First Responders Children’s Foundation.

“I feel as though we have a responsibility to speak out against things like that. Somebody has to be the voice for law enforcement, we don’t necessarily have a voice,” Silvester said. 

“That officer in Columbus, Ohio, he was forced to make a terrible choice, he did his duty that day, he did the right thing and he should have been commended and not crucified by people like LeBron James,” he added.