Just days after video emerged of New York Police Department officers killing Eric Garner, a 43-year-old father of six, with an apparent chokehold, another video has emerged of officers using the illegal restraining practice on another New York man.
The video, taken days before Garner’s arrest by minister and activist Kelmy Rodriquez, shows 22-year-old Ronald Johns being punched, kneed and choked for allegedly sneaking through the emergency exit at a subway station. Internal affairs is reportedly investigating the incident after the two officers claimed they were injured in the arrest.
Police say he “flailed his arms and twisted his body to prevent Officer [Colin] McGuire from putting handcuffs on him,” according to a criminal complaint cited by DNAInfo. Police say Johns also refused to show identification.
The officers are currently on medical leave.
Another clip of the arrest shows Johns being cuffed on the ground. There is blood on the subway concrete and his face is glistening — he was also apparently pepper sprayed for resisting arrest. Bystanders plead with the police to stop punching the young man. You can watch the disturbing video above.
The 22-year-old was later charged with turnstyle jumping, resisting arrest, and trespassing. He was released without bail and is scheduled to face the charges in court in September.
Rodriquez posted the video on Facebook in hopes of looking for witnesses at the subway station during Johns’ arrest.
“I am looking for witnesses to this incident which occurred this past Monday, July 14, 2014 at approximately 3:00 p.m. This took place at the 116 Street and Lexington Avenue train station. Please inbox me….”
On Tuesday, Police Commissioner William Bratton vowed to retrain all 35,000 NYPD officers in restraining practices. If you recall, chokeholds have been banned since 1993 under NYPD rules, but from 2009 through 2013 there were 1,022 complaints about their use brought before the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
SOURCE: Huffington Post, DNA Info | VIDEO SOURCE: YouTube
