Anti Federalist
06-17-2009, 11:43 AM
Passaic Cop Caught on Video Beating Man Denies Wrongdoing
http://www.1010wins.com/Passaic-Cop-in-Videotaped-Beating-Denies-Wrongdoin/4571359
PASSAIC, N.J. (AP) -- A northern New Jersey police officer suspended after being caught on a videotape beating an unarmed man said Wednesday he did nothing wrong.
``I did what was proper,'' Passaic Officer Joseph Rios III said at a news conference at the office of his attorney, Anthony Iacullo. ``I did what I was trained to do under the circumstances that existed at that time. I stand by my actions.''
Steve Sandberg reports
In the video, parts of which have been shown on television and on the Internet, Rios is seen throwing 49-year-old Ronnie Holloway against the hood of his police car and then to the ground, and appears to punch him and hit him with his baton. Holloway appears to be offering little resistance.
According to Iacullo, the video doesn't show what happened earlier. He declined to be specific other than to say that Holloway's words, actions and demeanor justified Rios' actions. The video, taken from a nearby surveillance camera, has no sound.
``There are things that exist before the encounter that is shown on the video that went into Officer Rios' decision to take the action that he did,'' Iacullo said. ``Segments of the video that have been shown are not the total and complete picture of what transpired on that particular day.''
There was no telephone listing for Holloway in Passaic. Holloway's mother, Betty Holloway, told The Record of Bergen County that her son suffers from schizophrenia and was taking a walk at the time of the incident and didn't provoke Rios.
Mayor Alex Blanco suspended Rios and fellow officer Erica Rivera Monday, three days after the video from the May 29 incident came to light. Rivera was suspended without pay, allegedly for filing a false report about the incident.
Rios was initially suspended with pay, but that was changed to a suspension without pay after Blanco heard from about 200 city residents who came to a regularly scheduled city council meeting Tuesday night.
``The vast majority of our police department are good, hardworking officers,'' Blanco said Wednesday. ``Given the circumstances, the actions taken to suspend both officers were appropriate and warranted. ``
The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the incident and did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.
http://www.1010wins.com/Passaic-Cop-in-Videotaped-Beating-Denies-Wrongdoin/4571359
PASSAIC, N.J. (AP) -- A northern New Jersey police officer suspended after being caught on a videotape beating an unarmed man said Wednesday he did nothing wrong.
``I did what was proper,'' Passaic Officer Joseph Rios III said at a news conference at the office of his attorney, Anthony Iacullo. ``I did what I was trained to do under the circumstances that existed at that time. I stand by my actions.''
Steve Sandberg reports
In the video, parts of which have been shown on television and on the Internet, Rios is seen throwing 49-year-old Ronnie Holloway against the hood of his police car and then to the ground, and appears to punch him and hit him with his baton. Holloway appears to be offering little resistance.
According to Iacullo, the video doesn't show what happened earlier. He declined to be specific other than to say that Holloway's words, actions and demeanor justified Rios' actions. The video, taken from a nearby surveillance camera, has no sound.
``There are things that exist before the encounter that is shown on the video that went into Officer Rios' decision to take the action that he did,'' Iacullo said. ``Segments of the video that have been shown are not the total and complete picture of what transpired on that particular day.''
There was no telephone listing for Holloway in Passaic. Holloway's mother, Betty Holloway, told The Record of Bergen County that her son suffers from schizophrenia and was taking a walk at the time of the incident and didn't provoke Rios.
Mayor Alex Blanco suspended Rios and fellow officer Erica Rivera Monday, three days after the video from the May 29 incident came to light. Rivera was suspended without pay, allegedly for filing a false report about the incident.
Rios was initially suspended with pay, but that was changed to a suspension without pay after Blanco heard from about 200 city residents who came to a regularly scheduled city council meeting Tuesday night.
``The vast majority of our police department are good, hardworking officers,'' Blanco said Wednesday. ``Given the circumstances, the actions taken to suspend both officers were appropriate and warranted. ``
The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the incident and did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.