BPD probes arrest video
DA, police agree to assign prosecutor to case
By O’Ryan Johnson | Thursday, October 28, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage
INVESTIGATION: Boston police have vowed to probe the arrest of a 16-year-old suspect at Roxbury Community College last week that was captured on video and placed on YouTube. The teen had run away from a youth facility.
Photo by Youtube
Boston police brass are vowing a full investigation into a YouTube video that shows a police officer punching a 16-year-old suspect in the back of the legs and apparently kneeing him as officers struggle to cuff him.
Boston police Commissioner Edward Davis said the department’s internal affairs department is planning to view that video, speak with witnesses and get surveillance video from Roxbury Community College where the arrest occurred Friday.
TODAY’S UPDATE: The Suffolk District Attorney’s office and city police agreed this afternoon to assign a prosecutor to review the arrest.
“Its important for everyone involved that there be independent eyes reviewing what occurred here,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said. “I spoke with (Boston Police) Commissioner (Edward) Davis, who has already initiated what he promises will be a complete and thorough internal investigation.”
Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said yesterday no one has filed a complaint regarding the force used in the arrest. She said the department had already initiated an investigation into the incident after three officers were hospitalized Friday for injuries sustained cuffing the suspect.
The video begins as police have the suspect, who was wanted on warrants and for running away from a youth facility, on the ground. There is a struggle to cuff him, and the video appears to show a plainclothes officer raising his hand and repeatedly striking the suspect in the back of the leg. He then repositions himself and drives a knee into the suspect, appearing to strike him in the hip or upper thigh. The suspect then appears to kick a police officer off of him.
It is unclear who produced the video or whether it was edited.
In the police report, officers acknowledge the use of punches and the knee strike and state the suspect was brought to the ground after freeing himself from one officer and using a pair of handcuffs as a weapon against police.
“Suspect … yelled repeatedly, “YA’LL GOTTA TAKE ME IN BLOOD (expletive)”!” the report states. “Officers struck suspect multiple times with closed fists and used knee strikes as trained in the police academy in an attempt to control and bring suspect under control.”
Davis said officers are allowed to use appropriate force to make an arrest. He said the officers involved in the arrest continue to work as the department investigates.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1292056
