July 21st 2023.
A police officer in Warren, Michigan is facing federal civil rights charges after a video surfaced of him punching a 19-year-old suspect. The incident occurred on June 13th, when Jaquan Smith was arrested on a warrant for multiple felonies. The police station’s video feed shows Officer Matthew Rodriguez punching Smith and throwing him to the ground. Multiple officers witnessed the attack and reported it to station managers.
According to court documents, FBI Agent Brent Nida said Smith was not in an aggressive stance when he was punched. His hands were by his side with his thumbs tucked into his pants. In response to the attack, the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan charged Rodriguez with violating a prisoner’s civil rights, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison. US Attorney Dawn N. Ison released a statement, saying, “The allegations in the complaint demonstrate a shocking abuse of authority by this officer which cannot be ignored, or go unpunished.”
At a June 20th press conference, Police Commissioner William Dwyer shared his thoughts after the video was shown to the public. “This is not what we do. This is not who we are.”
The potential for police to use excessive force is a major factor in the push to eliminate interactions with police. Data indicates that Black Americans are more likely to be victims of police brutality and misconduct. This was tragically highlighted in the case of a 10-year-old Black girl who was handcuffed by police officers, even though she was crying and saying, “I’m scared Mommy.” This is a clear violation of civil rights.
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