San Jose, Calif. (AP, Oct. 27-2009) A cellular-phone video (captured by Dimitri Masouris) that shows police officers repeatedly hitting an unarmed university student with batons and a Taser gun has prompted a criminal investigation into the officers' conduct, a San Jose police spokesman said. The video, posted by the San Jose Mercury News on its Web site late Saturday, shows one officer hitting 20-year-old Vietnamese student Phuong Ho with a metal baton more than 10 times, including once on the head. Another officer is seen using his Taser gun on the San Jose State math major.
The final baton strike in last month's incident appears to take place after handcuffs have been attached to Mr. Ho's wrists.
"It takes me back to the day I saw the Rodney King video on TV," said Roger Clark, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.
The last baton strike ought to bring a felony charge, Mr. Clark said.
Officers arrested Mr. Ho on suspicion of assaulting one of his roommates. He was not armed when police arrived, and he told the newspaper he didn't resist arrest.
The confrontation began Sept. 3-2009 when Mr. Ho's roommate, Jeremy Suftin, put soap on Mr. Ho's steak. The two scuffled, and Mr. Ho picked up a steak knife, saying that in his home country he would have killed Mr. Suftin for doing what he did. Police were called, and four officers responded.
Officer Kenneth Siegel encountered Mr. Ho in the hallway, but couldn't understand the student's accent, police reports said. Mr. Ho then ignored a police command to stand still, reports said.
When Mr. Ho tried to follow Officer Siegel into his room, Officer Steven Payne Jr. moved to handcuff Mr. Ho. Officer Payne wrote in his report that he pushed the student into a wall and then forced him to the floor when he resisted being handcuffed.
Mr. Ho, who weighs more than 200 lbs., said his glasses fell off. As he went to pick them up, the officers struck him, he said.
Another one of Mr. Ho's roommates, Dimitri Masouris, captured the events on his cell phone. An officer can be heard on the video shouting, "Turn over!" Mr. Ho can be heard moaning and crying as he's struck.
"In philosophy, they call it 'dehumanization,' " Mr. Ho told the Mercury News. "So when they think me a dangerous guy, they don't treat me like I was human. They hit me like an animal or something."
Mr. Masouris said he considered the police response excessive. He sold the video to San Jose lawyer Duyen Hoang Nguyen, who is representing Mr. Ho. The Mercury News obtained a copy of the video and showed it to Daniel Katz, San Jose's assistant police chief. The police department is taking the matter very seriously, he said.
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said the incident would be investigated by the internal affairs division of the San Jose Police Department and the results forwarded to the Santa Clara County district attorney for possible criminal prosecution.
"Both investigations must respect the constitutionally guaranteed right of due process, which belongs to all parties to an investigation," Mr. Reed said Sunday. Police experts said the grainy, shaky video is difficult to view and may not show actions by Mr. Ho that justified the officers' response. Nevertheless, several said the video raises serious concerns.
"Once he is handcuffed, then he is helpless," said Frank Jordan, a former San Francisco police chief and mayor. "If you can show that his hands are behind his back, and he is handcuffed, that is where you get brutality. That would be excessive force."
Officers Siegel and Payne didn't respond to written requests for comment sent through department officials and their union.
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Chống Tàu Cộng xâm lăng "Việt Nam Quê Hương Ngạo Nghễ" Protest Communist Chinaby Nguyen30488,152 views
sanjose is like a war between citizens and the SJPD
dublehlx 8 months ago
Now you know why ppl break the law, laws were meant to be broken, because the law is unjust!! If the police don't obey the laws why should citizens obey them?? My point is....FUCK the pigs! If a pig ever does that to you....just fuck his ass up, then ask questions later!
Huyzee121922 1 year ago
Du ma the Police! Weak ass niggas, first of all the viet guy wasn't even armed..he's NOT dangerous i know that. Why the excessive force? Why so many cops on one guy? Probably because cops are weak ass bitches who are scared of viets. The police are fake, they think because they have a badge they can do whatever the hell they want. The guy is already hand cuffed for christ sake, how dangerous can he be? Why use that kind of excessive force on him?
Huyzee121922 1 year ago
@asi3nguy Fuck you fried rice.
bdmpd 1 year ago
FCK PIGS! DON'T SUPPORT THEM!
asi3nguy 1 year ago
whats the update?
REDTEAM22003 1 year ago
Any so called "police officer" who willfully and consistently violates his/her oath of office, or sits idly by laughing as his/her fellow traitors do willfully and consistently violate said oath of office are negating their office and should be forcefully removed.
They are an organization of lying traitors who get paid way too much to set a bad example for the citizenry. Then they pretend they have a dangerous job, but it's due to years of abusing power.
nothingstopskings 1 year ago
the cops are just gonna go free. im so piss
davance4 1 year ago
Does san jose get their cops from a temp service?
Maxwedge12000 1 year ago
cảnh sat San Jose đánh đập
JustinAndrews74 1 year ago