Dramatic video has been released of two Fresno, California police officers arresting a homeless man.
And, because of that video, the Fresno police chief has now launched an internal investigation.
The man who shot the video did not want to be identified.
The videographer said "I just try to record everything that doesn't make sense. This didn't make any sense."
Monday morning just More..before 10AM, this video was recorded.
The videographer said "why are they socking him like that?"
Tuesday, the person behind the camera handed the tape over to KSEE-24 News and with that, began an internal investigation of the two Fresno police officers seen here.
The videographer said "they grabbed him and threw him to the ground and saw him being brutally beaten cause he didn't want to listen to them."
In a matter of seconds, the man, 52-year-old Glen Beaty, is hit four times in the face.
Even when Beaty appears to be partially restrained, with one hand behind his back, the officer strikes him again. The video then shows what appears to be the last blow. This time, both of beaty's hands are behind his back.
The videographer said "I don't think anyone should be beat like that. They don't beat dogs and let you get away with it."
KSEE-24 News showed police Chief Jerry Dyer the footage.
Fresno Police Department Chief Jerry Dyer said "I think the initial reaction from the people that view this video will be one of disbelief, one that in some cases may shock individuals and one that causes concern, in the level of force being used."
Dyer says what is not on the tape could be most important, the eight or so minutes before the recording began.
Chief Dyer said "The individual was stiff, there was alcohol around him. And, it was very apparent that he had been drinking, uh, excessively. And, when the officers contacted the individual, there was resistance in terms of the line of questioning and his answers to certain questions. And, at some point, an altercation occurred between the suspect and the officers. At one point, one of the officers was punched by the suspect in the arm .. the officer had his badge ripped off of his shirt."
Dyer's account is based on the police report, the report, the two officers involved wrote themselves.
The videographer, who admits to not being on scene when officers first approached Beaty, has a different take.
The videographer said "before the camera went on, I saw him.. he had already pulled his body away from the tree a little bit, trying to keep them from grabbing his arms. And, when they did get hold of his arms, they spun him around, put him on the ground and started socking him."
Even though an ambulance was called and used to take Beaty to the hospital, officers on scene did not gather any witness statements.
Chief Dyer says that will be done now.
Chief Dyer said "what is important to us now is to allow all the evidence to be brought in to this case, any witness statements.. all the actions that led up to the video being taken before an official opinion is formed."
The videographer said "I don't think anybody deserves to be beaten like that even if they are being arrested."
The police department also produced a copy of a Fresno County Sheriff's report from 2004 that showed Beaty, at the time, was involved in a violent confrontation with a sheriff's deputy responding to a disturbance call at his parents' home.
In that incident, the deputy reported that he had to subdue Beaty using a police baton and that Beaty hit him with a flashlight.
_________________
Video: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b20_1234380246
No comments:
Post a Comment