A dashboard camera caught a police beating of a handcuffed suspect that has now prompted one of the officers to resign. Pablo Gilberto Valenzuela, 42, was arrested on May 26 on suspicion of the robbery of a pharmacy in West Palm Beach. After he was cuffed, he was repeatedly kicked and hit in the face and body — breaking his jaw and causing extensive bruising. Kurt Graham, a rookie officer, has now resigned.
Valenzuela was arrested on suspicion of robbing a pharmacy of about 1,0000 Oxycontin pills.
Officer Louis Schwartz confronted him behind the store and Valenzuela attempted to pepper-spray him. Schwartz drew his weapon and ordered Valenzuela to the ground where he was cuffed. That is when Kurt Graham arrived and put a knee into Valenzuela’s back as he was being handcuffed. He is then shown punching and kicking Valenzuela in the face. Schwartz is also seen on the video kicking Valenzuela. A third officer, Jason Zangara, is shown lifting a handcuffed Valenzuela to his feet and, when he pulled away, Zangara is shown punching him repeatedly in the face.
Once again, had this scene not been captured on a dashboard camera, it is likely that the beating would have been disregarded as injuries related to resisting arrest.
For the video, click here.
For the full story, click here.
So does this mean I can beat up my boss, break his jaw and all I’ll have to do is resign?
Cool!
Rafflaw wrote:
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? When you are totally under control and handcuffed, the officer’s actions at that point are criminal.
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Rafflaw, once again we agree, but there is no such thing as “innocent until proven guilty” among police officers, from all that I have read. It doesn’t even matter what the offense is either, it can be for something completely non-violent. The majority of cops seemed programmed to the GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT mindset, and they aren’t too eager to see a suspect proven innocent either. Unless and until being accused of a crime happens to THEM, of course. Then they can’t yell “innocent until proven guilty” fast or loud enough.
innocent-until-proven-guilty is an interesting concept that should be extended to Bush, Cheney, et al, eh?
Absolutely. They should be charged and tried and considered innocent in the eyes of the law until they are found guilty of the crimes they’ve admitted to.
rafflaw, innocent-until-proven-guilty is an interesting concept that should be extended to Bush, Cheney, et al, eh?
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? When you are totally under control and handcuffed, the officer’s actions at that point are criminal.
This scum bag probably has already ruined 100 lives. He deserves everything the cops gave him.
There’s a neat thing in this country called “due process.” If you don’t like it and prefer we run things here they way the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis do (among many others), you’re free to lobby your representatives for a less American criminal justice system. Of course, if you’re just ignorant of the Founding Fathers’ philosophies and how they shaped our Constitution, there’s not much you can do but rage when incompetent, brutal government employees get punished for beating up people you think need beating up.
Bonus: Did you know that supporting your government when they violently ignore due process is a good sign that you’re a state-loving socialist?
This scum bag probably has already ruined 100 lives. He deserves everything the cops gave him.
Randy,
Thank you for your service to your community.
The man was lying on the ground handcuffed and an officer walked up and kicked him repeatedly. He does later pull away and gets punched, but at the beginning he is lying there not moving.
Also I find your attitude of “He had it coming” a little disturbing.If police officers beat someone, even someone who committed a crime, they should be punished. The law applies to everyone, even those who enforce it. After all, I could also be an overly aggressive cop’s next victim.
Turley was on Keith Olbermann tonight.
I think it was just me and one other guy that was watching, but I was just channel flipping.
The other guy was in a cell block and wasn’t allowed to change the channel..
Being in a law enforcement position, I can tell you from experience that when a guy pull’s away from you, even in cuff’s, he can put up a fight. Now here’s a guy jacking a store for drug’s, hmmmm, could he be an addict? If so, what could he be high on t the moment?
Also keep in mind, when are Police ever called except for a situation that has to be controlled? You pick up these pieces of garbage for 8 Hrs. a day every day and tell how much patience you have with the criminal elemant.
Here’s a tip, Officer say’s stop, you stop, running is an admision of guilt. The next victim of this loser could have been you so quit whining and cowboy up.
Percy,
I know that from the cops I’ve talked to the number one form of resisting arrest is lying on the ground face down. Like the suspect is at 16 seconds in when the officer walks up and kicks him. Of course even if he was lying down, you can’t take any lip from a man completely helpless.
I saw the video. It was obvious this scum bag was trying to get away and mouthing off to the cops.
PS: 1,000 Oxycontin pills is enough to ruin 10 families but liberals here want to give him a million bucks of taxpayer money to make him feel better about himself.