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How much should you charge for a photograph?D.C. Metro Police Creating Stories To Justify Body Slamming Disabled Man
It’s been nearly a week since a Youtube video exposed two Metro Transit Police officers picking up a man from a wheelchair and slamming him facedown on the ground for allegedly drinking alcohol outside a Washington D.C. Metro station.
But the police brass still says they see nothing wrong with this behavior, allowing the police to continue their duties.
In fact, they are claiming that that 55-year-old Dwight Harris fell out of his wheelchair on his own, suffering only minor injuries, even though the video shows him lying in a pool of blood and a follow-up news video shows he received a black eye and several stitches.
Here is the police account of what took place last Saturday, according to a press release obtained by Cop Block.
On Thursday, May 19, the Metro Transit Police on routine patrol at the U St. Metrorail station observed a patron in a wheelchair drinking an alcoholic beverage. The officers asked the patron to leave the area and he refused. The officers then attempted to issue the patron a citation and when the patron refused to comply with the issuance of a citation he was told that he would be placed under arrest. The patron resisted arrest which resulted in him falling out of his wheelchair. The patron was arrested for assault on a police officer and drinking in public. The patron was transported to a local hospital with a minor injury. Metro Transit Police are following up on this report.
The video does not show where Harris assaulted the officers, but, of course, police will argue that it took place before the video started rolling. And it doesn’t show where he resisted arrest either.
However, considering the man is unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, it is unlikely that he did either.
We all know that in many cases where cops accuse a citizen of assault, it’s merely a case of contempt of cop, which is not illegal.
Police say they were trying to issue him a citation for drinking alcohol in public and it went downhill from there.
One witness said police were ordering him to stand, which Harris is unable to do, which led to them body slamming him.
It is not clear who shot the video, but at least one other man was arrested for questioning the aggressive behavior of police, according to WUSA9.com
"His whole face is just leaking, it's everywhere...And then I look again. He's got handcuffs on. I'm like, 'What are y'all doing? What's going on?'" says witness Lawrence Miller.
When Miller tried to help the wheelchair-bound man, he says Metro Transit Police threatened and ultimately arrested him.
DC Councilman Jim Graham saw the video and demanded an investigation. Police say they will look into it and reveal their findings within ten days.
Comments
Wonder what kind of sweet sweet ride Mr. Dwight Harris will be getting next. Too bad the cash to fund his new purchase won't be coming directly out of DC Metro Transit's budget instead of our pockets.
They ordered him to stand up. I understand how people with IQ's over 100 are banned from the force, but how could they be THAT stupid. Do they think a wheel chair is a fashion accessory?
Well, camera is considered as handgun then wheel chair is battle field humvee.
Hey, our Vice President Joe Biden asked a guy in a wheelchair to stand up more than once. They must have been following his lead.
There are several homeless people in my area that use a wheelchair even though they are perfectly able to walk. Don't automatically assume this guy can't use his legs. Since I deal with the same people on a regular basis perhaps these officers recognized him and knew he could walk.
If you play attention to the start of the video, when the officers start trying to handcuff him the buys left arm goes out and strikes the officer in the face. At that point you are dealing with a resisting subject and him being taken to the ground is totally acceptable.
Looks good to me. So the guy got a cut on his face. Guess he shouldnt't have resisted arrest.
As per usual our resident troll could not be further from the truth.
Disabled means disabled. Not paralyzed from the eyelids down.
And of course then there is this:
2 Metro Transit Police Officers Placed on Administrative Leave After Arrest of Disabled Man
Assault charge dropped against Dwight Harris
Updated: Tuesday, 24 May 2011, 9:10 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 24 May 2011, 8:23 PM EDT
WASHINGTON - A Metro spokesman has confirmed to FOX 5 the two Metro Transit Police officers that arrested a wheelchair-bound man, which was captured on cell phone video and posted on YouTube, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.
The spokesman also confirmed that the two officers involved in the incident have been relieved of their police powers and will continue to work in administrative roles for Metro Transit Police.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/traffic/metro_news/2-metro-transit-police-off...
But by all means continue Sir JohnnyTroll. We could all use a laugh.
Did you miss the part about the outcome of the investigation being pending? Seems like you are getting ahead of yourself.
Also, did you take another look at the video and actually pay attention when the guy struck the officer?
Did you miss the part about how all the charges against the disabled victim have been dropped?
Of course you did J Troll. But we all know reality plays no part in your fake cop world. By the way, how are those "Police Rights" you mentioned coming along?
I hope the guy gets those ghost flames on his new ride. That would be cool.
Prosecutors drop and plea down charges all the time if the case is high profile. It doesn't change the fact that the video shows him striking the officer in the face. You still haven't mentioned if you noticed that part.
Cops assault and illegally arrest innocent victims all the time. When they get caught the charges are dropped. They then settle out of court for damages. You still haven't mentioned if you noticed that part.
Your refusal to answer the question makes it clear you saw it and just can't admit it. Typical.
Johnny Law says, "If you play attention to the start of the video, when the officers start trying to handcuff him the buys left arm goes out and strikes the officer in the face. At that point you are dealing with a resisting subject and him being taken to the ground is totally acceptable."
I'd agree with you if the guy was actually striking the officer. If you pay attention to the video the guys arm flies out because the officer grabbed it and yanked on it causing it to potentially strike the officer in the face. However from what we can see from what was reported they officers didn't claim the guy struck them.
So if you cause the person to strike you that is resisting arrest? I think not. But of course the officer is going to say what you said because that is how they have been trained to Test-a-lie.
Duane,
It's possible that is what happened. It is also possible he swung at the officer once the officer grabbed him. He was drunk and uncooperative to begin with. Which scenario is the most likely?
Of course we probably have different opinions on that one as well.
JL,
Either is possible.
But if you watch this video closely you'll see that the officer has his hands on the guy first. The officer moves in one fluid motion as does his partner. They are committed to taking this guy to the ground before they touch him. It's not like they are doing plan A, get struck then move to plan B.
Heck when my relative got arrested for resisting arrest and assault on police officer the officers did about the same thing. Decided they were going to throw him on the ground because he was resisting. They had him pushed in a corner and his arms wouldn't bend the way they wanted them to, so that was resisting. His foot hit he one officer as they threw him to the ground, that was assault on a police officer. Of course they jumped on him a bit after they had him cuffed just to show him who was boss.
The charges were dropped because it wasn't resisting and it wasn't assault. If they had let him move out of the corner he would have put his hands behind his back.
But he he also didn't do what he was accused of in the first place. On that charge the judge laughed at the officer and his ex-wife on the record.
I'm afraid the guy wasn't crippled and was able to stand (from watching the video), wasn't in a wheelchair (just a Hoveround), was likely drunk and belligerent. For those reasons, I will wait to get more info. The police report though was disingenuous stating he fell from his wheelchair. There has to be a better way to handle these situations than to pick him up, trip him with your leg as you slam his face into the pavement to show him who's really in charge. Every citizen, crippled or not, need to know not to give the slightest hint of doubt as to the power and authority police are infused with. When they say "stand" you stand, "kneel" you kneel without hesitation or risk their wrath, for they are the ones writing the police report.
So .......... When they order you bend over, you must bend over ... to get S.I.D.A ...... I meant bend over to get A.I.D.S.
did they charge him with attempting to flee?
I love the line from the lady at the AADP, "Where is the training for these officers."
As if it requires training to have the common decency not to hogpile a disabled, wheelchair-bound person.
Then again maybe this is not as crazy as it sounds, most police actually DO need training in the area of common decency.
You kinda lost me here. Wouldn't a black eye and a couple stitches be a classic example of "minor injuries"?
Rob,
To the homeless man, that is just a minor injury, but if any of the big fat and ugly so called police gets a black eye and several stitches, that will be major injury. Whoever causes that to any of the big fat ugly so called police will be sentenced to hell.
Yeah, they'd be charged with assault. That's not really my point, though. "Minor injuries" is an accurate description.
After receiving the press release I had to call the person back to ask about where it says "he fell from the wheelchair" Is this really the statement you want me to publish? Did you even take the time to view the video before you wrote this?
Why is everyone saying he fell, when you can clearly see the hip toss from the cop on the left. Yes, he shouldn't have been drinking. If I was a cop, I would have just took the bottle from him, maybe shook a finger in his face, and found some real crime to combat.
A man in a Rascal scooter, drinking beer, is a nuisance not a threat.
And Johnny "Cops Can Do NO Wrong" Law wonders why the public can't stand cops and consider them the lowest form of existence on earth.
Rail Car Fan
he knows why. it just lets him cry about what a victim he and his fellow trough mates are. boo hoo nobdy understands we are heros cause we went to work today. we are all out of step but the always misunderstood heros in blue. i was in Nam with a guy who ended up with a siver star and two bronze who didnt think he was as wonderful as JL thinks of himself.
What were they blurring out in the video?
It's good the report and press release came out before the video emerged. Now it is blatantly obvious that the officers lied in their report. You don't handle an unarmed disabled person like that. Even if there was an assault on a LEO before the video, the proper thing would have been to pin him down and cuff him in his chair. Surely, two officers are capable of subduing a disabled person without dragging someone out of their chair, slamming them onto the concrete, and body slamming them. Disgusting. Cue JL's justification...
The main headline stated..
"D.C. Metro Police Creating Stories To Justify Body Slamming Disabled Man"
Come on..!! You know that can't be true, right..!!..? After all, we all know Cops would NEVER lie or make up false facts to justify or cover up what really happened. After all..
"Cops Can Do NO Wrong!!" (rolling eyes in head as a emoticon)
Rail Car Fan
Not related to this incident, but here's another example of misconduct by cops caught on video.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/05/27/i-team-police-video-shows-possible-...
No punishment, of course. And the Police Chief's response is comedy gold.
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