Thursday, January 07, 2010

Former Officer Marcus Tafoya Testifies in Excessive Force Case

A former Fresno police officer accused of using excessive force testified this morning in his trial that fear prompted him to use his police baton on rowdy partygoers for a Marine returning from Iraq in March 2005.

“I’m scared to death,” Marcus Tafoya said in his criminal trial in Fresno County Superior Court.

Tafoya said partygoers were punching and kicking him, cursing him, calling him “pig,” and resisting arrest. Because the attackers came at him from all directions, Tafoya said he deployed a police baton for protection.

Tafoya testified he hit two men with his police baton several times, but the blows didn’t stop the attacks.

A baton blow to the head finally caused one man to quit his attack, Tafoya said. The other attacker gave up after being struck in the leg with the baton, he said.

For the first time, Tafoya, 39, is publicly revealing his account of what happened at the disturbance that led to his firing from the Fresno Police Department. He also criticized some officers who stood around and did nothing while he needed help.

Tafoya faces eight felony counts of using excessive force and one count of burglary involving four incidents. He has pleaded not guilty.

His testimony will resume after the lunch break.

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