LAPD detains Daniele Watts: New audio released in incident

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- New audio recordings have come to light in an incident involving the LAPD and "Django Unchained" actress Daniele Watts.

According to Watts, she was kissing her boyfriend in the front seat of her parked car Thursday when she was detained by the LAPD. Watts and her boyfriend say they are talking to the ACLU and the NAACP to weigh their options and decide if they will take any legal action against the LAPD.

The department says it is investigating, but by all accounts, the officers did nothing wrong.

It happened along the 11900 block of Ventura Boulevard. Watts was handcuffed.

"A squad car pulls up from behind me and yells at me to put my hands against the wall," she said. "In that moment I was really afraid so I put my hands up and I said, 'I haven't done anything wrong.'"

In an audio tape obtained by TMZ.com, Watts can be heard refusing to identify herself to the responding officer.

"I have every right to be here," she told the officer.

"And I have every right to ask for your ID," the officer responded.

"And I have every right to say no, and if you'd like to demand it, then you can take me down to the court office and I can make a scene about it," Watts said. "And you know what? I have a publicist, and I work as an actress at a studio, OK?"

"I'm mildly interested you have a publicist, but I am going to get your ID," the officer said.

LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said the officers were investigating complaints from a 911 caller, who said there were people engaging in "sexual acts" in a car outside the caller's building.

"The courts have opined that an officer does have the right to identify you when they have reasonable cause to detain you," said Neiman.

As such, Neiman says police can detain you while they investigate an alleged crime. Neiman says officers also have the right to ask for your identification.

"You need to provide the officer with some form of information where they could identify that this is the person that I'm talking to," Neiman said.

Watts, who is best known for her debut role in "Django Unchained," also claimed the incident was racially charged, because she is black and her boyfriend is white. In the recordings, the officer appears to dispute that assertion.

"Do you know how many times the cops have been called, just for being black?" Watts said. "Just because I'm black and he's white? I'm just being really honest, sir."

"Who brought up a race card? Why?" the officer said.

"I'm bringing it up because I have every right to be here," Watts said.

Watts' boyfriend eventually provided the officer with an ID and Watts was released. Police said they found no evidence of a crime.