Eryk McDaniel showed up on a sidewalk outside of Turner Field the evening of June 4 to play his trombone — and spent the night in jail.
“Security came and asked me to move,” McDaniel said. “I told them what I was doing was lawful.”
McDaniel, 20, had done research to ensure that he wasn’t breaking any laws by playing on that particular sidewalk. He said he called his attorney about the matter after being approached by officers “a few weeks ago” and found that musicians can legally play in the streets of Atlanta.
But they can’t ask for money.
APD was unable to share the arrest report at press time, but said that “McDaniel was advised several times that he could not solicit money near Turner Field” before he was arrested on a monetary solicitation charge.
McDaniel said he would never directly ask anyone watching him for money.
“People do give me tips,” he said. “But if I’m playing, I’m not stopping to say, ‘Hey, can I get a dollar?’ It’s not even needed.”
But the arresting officers told McDaniel that having his case out was a gesture intended to ask for money.
McDaniel was in jail from June 4 at 9 p.m. until June 5 at 4 a.m., when he bailed himself out.
The musician from Cincinnati has played all over the country without a previous incident. He came to Atlanta to play his trombone and “just see the city,” and said he’s “disappointed” in his experience. But McDaniel said he doesn’t hold anything against the city. He even plans on playing around here again after his court case ends.
“There wouldn’t be any hard feelings,” he said. “I wouldn’t hold it against any officer for doing their job or even the city of Atlanta. I will definitely continue at the same spot, same time, at the Braves game.”
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