Gwinnett Co., GA Cop Caught on Video Kicking Handcuffed Motorist in the Head

[SeanTX]

"Fired" because of the viral video -- but no assault and battery charges.

The officer will now just have to decide between going to a new department or getting his job back (with full back pay of course) -- can't keep a bad cop down!

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwin...head/512174994

Gwinnett officer fired after kicking man in head during traffic stop, police say

Updated: Apr 13, 2017 - 1:26 PM

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County police officer has been fired after video showed him kicking a handcuffed man during a traffic stop.

Police said the officer was responding as a backup officer to assist a supervisor with a traffic stop at the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway at Lawrenceville Suwanee Road Wednesday.

We're talking exclusively with the witness who shot the video for Channel 2 Action News starting at 4 p.m.

Police said Demetrius Hollins had a broken tail light and resisted arrest.

In a video taken by a witness, Hollins can be heard yelling after an officer used a Taser on him and he is pulled out of the car.

Then, a second officer arrives on scene, and while Hollins is still on the ground and in handcuffs, it appears the officer kicks Hollins in the face.

In his mugshot, Hollins has blood on his face.

He was arrested and taken to the Gwinnett County Jail, where he remained as of Thursday afternoon.

Police said an ambulance arrived on the scene and treated him.

snip

[CaptUSA]

What the hell?! It's getting to where a guy can't even take out his frustrations anymore...

[SeanTX]

Looks like another busy body has come forward with video and another cop needs firing -- the first cop punches the guy in the face while his hands are up :

https://www.facebook.com/GAFollowers...8117130249448/

That's two cops on ONE call doing this sort of thing -- just imagine how often this happens when nobody else is there to catch it on video ...

[RJB]

This was on a crowded street in broad daylight. Imagine what they do in dark secluded places.

[SeanTX]

Now two .gov thugs off the streets (at least for a while). This one was a 20-year veteran (so much for the older ones being "better").

http://www.11alive.com/news/second-v...stop/431127066

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA - A second Gwinnett County Police officer has been fired after another video of a controversial traffic stop emerged on Thursday.

In the 10-second-long, new video, a police officer, identified as Sgt. Michael Bongiovanni, can be seen pulling the driver of a red car out of his vehicle. The driver stands with his hands upraised.

Bongiovanni appears to be holding a weapon while facing the driver. The officer then rares back and punches and pummels the driver, whose hands remain upraised.

Police said Thursday night that Bongiovanni had been terminated.

[Schifference]

The video does not tell the whole story. You cannot make judgement from that short clip. Besides that guy once a late payment and hit the receiver of a payphone against the phone when it didn't give him back his money for a non connected phone call. Even if that guy hadn't done anything wrong it was just a matter of time before he did. The world is a safer place now. Golly gee I don't understand why people don't just comply with authority.

[Cleaner44]

Now two .gov thugs off the streets (at least for a while). This one was a 20-year veteran (so much for the older ones being "better").

http://www.11alive.com/news/second-v...stop/431127066

The good news is that the department is actually taking corrective action instead of covering for the criminal cops. I know there are always going to be bad cops, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect the departments to get rid of them and demand that the remaining officers be professional.

[Anti Federalist]

Police said Demetrius Hollins had a broken tail light

Bull$#@!...they ran scans on his tag.

They do this $#@! all the time, which they are not supposed to do, then use the "busted tail light" excuse to make the stop.

Ask yourself, especially now with many new cars switching to LEDs, how often you see "busted tail lights"?

[SeanTX]

The good news is that the department is actually taking corrective action instead of covering for the criminal cops. I know there are always going to be bad cops, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect the departments to get rid of them and demand that the remaining officers be professional.

The sad thing is departments can't even get rid of cops like this -- after being fired they can go to some state arbitrator and the department will be forced to take them back. It wouldn't surprise me if at least one of these cops gets his job back.

[phill4paul]

Bomb disposal. If the cops had acted humanely the good citizens head might have exploded.

[jmdrake]

Bull$#@!...they ran scans on his tag.

They do this $#@! all the time, which they are not supposed to do, then use the "busted tail light" excuse to make the stop.

Ask yourself, especially now with many new cars switching to LEDs, how often you see "busted tail lights"?

True story. I was in court waiting for my client's case to come up. There was a probable cause hearing in front of me. The reason for the stop was a "busted tail light." The family had hired a private investigator who went to where the car was impounded and determined that taillight was working. The judge, not the prosecutor, the judge argued that "But can't a taillight work intermittently?" Guess who the wicked witch sided with?

[phill4paul]

True story. I was in court waiting for my client's case to come up. There was a probable cause hearing in front of me. The reason for the stop was a "busted tail light." The family had hired a private investigator who went to where the car was impounded and determined that taillight was working. The judge, not the prosecutor, the judge argued that "But can't a taillight work intermittently?" Guess who the wicked witch sided with?

"But can the officer prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, that it was working intermittently at the time of the stop."

[jmdrake]

"But can the officer prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, that it was working intermittently at the time of the stop."

You believe in innocent until proven guilty? Bwwaaaaahhhaaaaa!

[phill4paul]

You believe in innocent until proven guilty? Bwwaaaaahhhaaaaa!

I know, right? I'm just an idiot that way. Lol.

[Anti Federalist]

True story. I was in court waiting for my client's case to come up. There was a probable cause hearing in front of me. The reason for the stop was a "busted tail light." The family had hired a private investigator who went to where the car was impounded and determined that taillight was working. The judge, not the prosecutor, the judge argued that "But can't a taillight work intermittently?" Guess who the wicked witch sided with?

There will be no justice in theire system.

[Suzanimal]

Courts throw out all cases involving fired Gwinnett County officers

....

On Friday, Gwinnett County Solicitor-General Rosanna Szabo said cases in which the officers were the principal officers or a necessary witness were thrown out. That included 63 cases in Gwinnett County Recorder's Court and another 26 in Gwinnett County State Court.

The Solicitor's Office prosecutes misdemeanor cases and traffic offenses in Gwinnett County.

"When police officers betray the public’s trust and confidence, justice demands that all those cases that depend on their credibility be dismissed without delay," Szabo said in a news release.

Among the charges dropped include cases against Demetrius Hollins, the man punched and kicked on video.

Hollins had been charged with marijuana possession, obstruction and several offenses in connection with Wednesday's stop. In an incident last year, in which Bongiovanni was also an arresting officer, Hollins was charged with obstructing law enforcement, marijuana possession and a drug count.

A criminal investigation is underway into the actions of both fired officers. Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said the investigation is moving quickly.

"I would say that probably next week sometime we're going to meet with the police department and make some decisions," Porter said.

Possible charges against the two officers includes battery, assault under the color of law and violation of oath.

http://www.11alive.com/news/courts-t...cers/431342698

[SeanTX]

Looks like at least one will be getting his job back (all they have to do is demand it back, it seems).

Though both have now been charged with battery and violating their oath of office -- so he'll have to wait for the inevitable not guilty/hung jury before he gets back to protectin' and servin' ...

http://www.myajc.com/news/local/gwin...jWEFi22poLthN/

Gwinnett cop fired for punching motorist wants job back

By Christian Boone
...

Posted: 8:25 p.m. Friday, April 21, 2017

A Gwinnett County police officer fired after video appeared to show him punching a man during a traffic stop will file a formal appeal to get his job back, his attorney told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“He maintains he was following proper policy,” said lawyer Mike Puglise, who represents former Gwinnett Police Sgt. Michael Bongiovanni, fired after 19 years on the force after video surfaced last week of his physical encounter with Demetrius Hollins.

Two officers are fired after video shows them attacking a suspect during a traffic stop.

Hollins, 21, was pulled over on April 12 for not having a license plate and changing lanes multiple times without signaling, according to an incident report. Hollins refused to stop until his car eventually stalled out, the report states.

Puglise said what looked like a punch from Hollins was actually an elbow strike, “an FBI-taught defensive tactic.”


snip

As for the April 12th incident, the suspect was handcuffed and on the ground when Master Officer Robert McDonald kicked him in the head. Both encounters were captured on video and went viral, leading Gwinnett Police Chief Butch Ayers to fire the officers almost immediately.

“They became political pawns,” Puglise said.

Bongiovanni has 15 days to file a formal appeal with the five-member Gwinnett County Merit Board. It’s unclear whether McDonald will do the same — though, according to Ayers, McDonald had taken responsibility for his actions and was sorry that they occurred.

Bongiovanni offered no apologies, according to Ayers.

snip

Puglise said he is confident Bongiovanni’s appeal will be successful, adding he has received numerous calls of support from colleagues in law enforcement.

[Anti Federalist]

In an incident last year, in which Bongiovanni was also an arresting officer, Hollins was charged with obstructing law enforcement, marijuana possession and a drug count.

Oh ho, so the cop knew this guy and had a history with him.

And the cop figured he'd get a little punching bag time in...

[Anti Federalist]

Puglise said what looked like a punch from Hollins was actually an elbow strike, “an FBI-taught defensive tactic.”

Yeah, that's what it was...a defensive "elbow strike".

Because he feared for his life: a skinny unarmed black kid, with his hands up, with a gun stuck in his face and weighing half of the cop.

[SeanTX]

Yeah, that's what it was...a defensive "elbow strike".

Because he feared for his life: a skinny unarmed black kid, with his hands up, with a gun stuck in his face and weighing half of the cop.

Makes you wonder how many "fallen officers" might have actually only been the 'victim' of someone defending himself from what should be an unlawful attack. Not everyone will follow the script and just roll over and take it.

Also makes you wonder how common this must be (two cops doing it on the same call, in full public view). If it hadn't been for busy-bodies with cameras posting the videos online, nothing would have come of it, just business as usual.

[Anti Federalist]

Makes you wonder how many "fallen officers" might have actually only been the 'victim' of someone defending himself from what should be an unlawful attack. Not everyone will follow the script and just roll over and take it.

Plenty, I'm sure.

Also makes you wonder how common this must be (two cops doing it on the same call, in full public view). If it hadn't been for busy-bodies with cameras posting the videos online, nothing would have come of it, just business as usual.

Also plenty, I'm sure.

[Suzanimal]

Georgia officers charged; police say video showed assault

ATLANTA | Police on Wednesday filed charges against two fired Georgia police officers who authorities say were captured on video kicking and hitting a man during a traffic stop.

Michael Bongiovanni, 42, and Robert McDonald, 25, were fired April 13, a day after police said video showed Bongiovanni hitting Demetrius Hollins as he stood with his hands up and McDonald stomping on Hollins’ head as he lay on the ground handcuffed.

Each man faces a felony charge of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor battery charge.

Mike Puglise, a lawyer for Bongiovanni, said his client maintains his innocence and is disappointed by the charges.

“He’s in a fight for his life and he plans to vigorously defend himself,” Puglise said. He has previously said Bongiovanni was following procedure and using an elbow strike, a defensive tactic taught by the FBI.

Puglise said last week that Bongiovanni has asked the police human resources department to reinstate him.

A working phone number for McDonald could not be found, and it was not clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the charges.

The police department worked closely with the district attorney’s office during the criminal investigation, and Chief Butch Ayers said the department and its employees “will continue to serve the citizens while maintaining our core values and highest level of professionalism.”

...

http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2...showed-assault