Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are facing scrutiny and criticism after police officers beat a man in an elevator and then charged him with assaulting them. What is most disturbing is that internal affairs investigated Joshua Daniel Ortiz’s, 22, claims and completely cleared the officers — yet never appeared to have reviewed the surveillance tape (below) that clearly contradicts by the officers. The department, however, will not discipline the officers for a clearly bogus criminal charge and either intentionally misleading or false reports.
Broward prosecutors have dropped the case against Ortiz (who suffered a broken nose), but the question is what will happen to Officers Derek Lade, Stefan Silver and Steve Smith.
Department Spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa, insists “It was not a beating. The video clearly shows that [Ortiz] made a movement toward the officer.”
The incident occurred at 4:10am in a bank lobby when Ortiz, his girlfriend and friends got into an elevator, heading to a parking garage. His friends got into a fight. When police were called, the officers said Ortiz attacked them. Lade wrote that Ortiz yelled at them from the elevator and “walked right up to me hitting his nose to my nose.” He also said that “As I approached Ortiz to take him into custody, Ortiz spun around to face me and assumed a fighting stance (both left and right hand clenched into fists and body bladed).”
The video below shows an unprovoked attack. Ortiz does seem to get in the face of an officer but it is ridiculous to suggest that this was assault. It certainly did not justify the pummeling from the officer. It was the officers who appear to have escalated the scene. It do not blame the officer shoving Ortiz back, but there is no assault here and the report does not comport with the report filed by the officers.
The police, however, are clearly not planning to take any action against officers who wrote out a charge that they were assaulted by Ortiz. That sends a clear message to all of the officers that they will not be held accountable for exaggerating or manufacturing claims.
Recently, New York police have been found to have lied in a series of cases due to videotapes, here. This includes an officer who charged a man after beating him outside of an elevator, here. In New York, however, they charged the officers.
For the video, click here and here and here.
For the full story, click here.
I’m usually the typical “cop-hater” but after watching the video and reading about what happened, this loud-mouthed punk kid deserved what he got.
The cops come to the lobby to check up on a reported fight. This dumb kid starts yelling crap at the cops so that he can look like a real toughguy in front of his friends. When the cops approach the elevator Mr. Toughguy decides he wants to keep talking crap and challenge the cops to a fight. When the cop approaches Mr. Toughguy, he decides to get in the officer’s face like he wants to fight (As can be clearly seen in the video). The punk gets an butt whooping he won’t ever forget. Good for the cops.
cops in many states do this to black and spanish poeple this is a very racism beating,let’s put it this way,show the videotape to the world and let us vote who is wrong from 1 to 10 i give it a 15 that the police officers of fort lauderdale,florida are the bad guys has any one check this three clowns records,if they done this before if this has happen to you let the truth set you free.speak now don’t be afraid.
Some lawyer in Broward County is already preparing a statutory notice of intent to sue to send to the Fort Lauderdale PD. In due course suit will be filed, discovery conducted and lots of money paid out by the taxpayers. The responsible officers will be disciplined and the case will be settled in the “public interest” without an admission of any wrongdoing by the police. Until it is finalized, expect police department spokesmen to be in perpetual spin mode.
Typical Police procedure…..To the idiot who made the Sharpton remark…you are right Black people will raise a stink because we are tired of taking these azz whippins by white cops…..Let me be clear there are lots of good cops out there but like in any other arena there are azzholes. My advice to people out there, dont do crimes and you dont have to worry about cops. For everyday folks just do whats asked and if you have issue take it up in court. Bottom line America cops will beat your azz if you resist……..how many beating do you have to watch. If the cops says shut up and move on do it, may save you a youtube butt whippin…….LOL
Cops are caught testilying more than you know. And not.
Except maybe, uh, Mayberry.
This could have happened in any city.
Florida is very like Texas with mostly nicer weather. Yhat is why it’s Fark.com’s only separate category of bizarre news that is reserved for a State alone. As a lifelong New Yorker who has come here to live it sometimes feels like the “Wild West.”
bert:
“If this had been a balck man there would be charges of racism and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be holding press conferences and would srtage marches on police headquarters.
Who is going to defend this man?”
**************
We call them lawyers — and they predate Jackson and Sharpton.
Buddha,
When I read this posting, I knew it had to be either in Texas or Florida and sure enough, Florida is doing its best to outdo The Lone Star state. These policemen should be looking for work in a different profession, after they get out of jail. But, as we said earlier, this is Florida so I am guessing a commendation is in the cards for these two.
If this had been a balck man there would be charges of racism and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be holding press conferences and would srtage marches on police headquarters.
Who is going to defend this man?
Florida.
The Texas of the East Coast.
Enjoy having the ACLU on your ass, Broward County.