Ethics

More Police Abuse and Lies

By Ed Brayton

Here's a familiar story. Police officers beat down a man, then claim that he assaulted them. Internal investigation clears the officers of any wrongdoing and the victim is charged with felony assault of a police officer. Videotape shows the cops lied through their teeth:

After a beat down in an elevator, Joshua Daniel Ortiz ended up with his nose broken and facing a charge of battering a Fort Lauderdale police officer.

The 22-year-old Sunrise man was surprised and delighted to learn Wednesday that Broward prosecutors were dropping the case against him after reviewing an elevator surveillance video showing three officers aggressively rush and beat Ortiz to the ground.

Once the Dec. 5 video surfaced, it altered the course of the case. It contradicted police reports that Ortiz provoked and attacked Officers Derek Lade, Stefan Silver and Steve Smith.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on March 28, 2009 (boomark / email).