Santa Ana police punching arrest caught on video, use-of-force probe launched
Santa Ana officers are under investigation after video shows them repeatedly punching 28-year-old Florentino Lopez during an October arrest. His attorney calls the force excessive and unjustified.
Santa Ana officers face inquiry after arrest video shows repeated punches
A use-of-force investigation is under way in Santa Ana, California, after video footage emerged showing police officers pulling a man to the ground and punching him multiple times during an arrest on 1 October, abc7.com reports.
The footage, recorded by a family member and later shared on social media, shows 28-year-old Florentino Lopez being grabbed by his shirt, thrown to the ground, and struck repeatedly by two officers. "Hey, hey, don't be punching him! Everything is being recorded! Why are you still punching him?" a witness is heard shouting during the encounter.
John Kremer, the attorney representing Lopez, described the officers' actions as entirely unwarranted. "The conduct engaged in by the officers was unwarranted, unjustified, and unnecessary and unreasonable," Kremer said.
According to Kremer, Lopez and a relative were smoking marijuana on their front lawn when a patrol vehicle passed. The officers stopped and motioned for Lopez to come to them in the street, which he did. "They recognised my client. They stopped, and they motioned for him to come to them on the street, which he did. He complied," Kremer said.
Kremer acknowledged that Lopez is on felony probation and therefore subject to search and seizure, but said no physical resistance preceded the force. "Words are spoken back and forth between the two officers and my client, but there was no physical violence or any kind of resisting them. And all of a sudden, without warning, the officer grabbed my client by his shirt and threw him down, much like an MMA fighter would, and then proceeded to ground and pound him while he was on the ground. And so did the second officer," Kremer said.
Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez confirmed he had reviewed the footage and opened a formal review. "We take every use of force seriously. Our Department is conducting a thorough review of the incident, including body-worn camera footage, reports, and the circumstances surrounding the arrest," Rodriguez said in a statement.
Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua said she would keep a close watch on the proceedings. "There are officers who are professional, and we cannot judge all officers by one's actions, but I will continue to monitor this investigation," Amezcua said.
Lopez faces felony and misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer, as well as charges of being a pedestrian in the roadway and smoking marijuana on the grounds of a school or daycare. He was held in custody from 1 October; a court set his bail at $20,000 the following Monday.
Kremer said the charges should be dropped entirely. "To charge him with charges that didn't even happen, it's ridiculous," he said.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)