Bodycam video of an arrest in Phoenix raises questions
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video in the article may be disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - New body cam video released by the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) is raising questions about an arrest in August where a deaf man, who also has cerebral palsy, was beaten and tased four times by police officers.
His attorney is now pushing for the case to be dropped.
Video released by Tyron McAlpin's attorney showing the moments Phoenix police officers stop him.
The reports detail how officers went to Mcalpin because they were called to a Circle K about a fight a white man had started and wouldn't leave the store.
"They didn't actually talk to the Circle K employees. They didn't conduct any investigation other than talking to that man, and he then pointed to an African American who'd been in the store earlier and claimed to have been assaulted by him," said Jesse Showalter, one of McAlpin's attorneys.
Officers go to McAlpin in a Dollar Tree parking lot. That's when the video starts.
"The first thing I see when the officer gets out of his car is the officer reaching his hands out to grab Tyron. That right there is an escalation," Showalter spoke.
Showalter believes the force the two officers used here was unnecessary.
"Then, what you see is Tyron simply trying to avoid being struck repeatedly by the officer who repeatedly swings punches at his face," Showalter explained.
When McAlpin is on the ground, officers tase him four times before getting him handcuffed and his girlfriend comes up to explain that McAlpin is deaf and has cerebal palsy. That wasn't documented in reports by the officers involved.
"He's an American citizen who's facing felony charges that could result in the loss of his civil rights. And based on this video, that's just unconscionable," Showalter expressed.
Earlier this month, a Maricopa County judge determined there was probable cause for McAlpin to face the three felony charges for assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.
In a statement, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she'll be reviewing the case herself, saying she respects her attorneys and those who've raised concerns adding, "I may reach a different conclusion or I may not, but I believe this case merits additional scrutiny."
Phoenix Police say the incident is under investigation and was assigned to be looked into by the Professional Standards Bureau at the end of August.
In another statement, the Police Officer's Union says in part, "We stand behind our officers and would caution the community on making judgments about the incident until all evidence is reviewed rather than a snippet of body cam footage."
Still, Showalter finds the incident is an example of what the Department of Justice found in their investigation into the Phoenix Police Department.
"With the City of Phoenix claiming that it wants to handle its own problems without DOJ oversight, we'd really like to see if that's what they intend to do, or if they're just going to do more of the same. If they're just going to try to sweep this under the rug, and, you know, avoid any accountability," said Showalter.
