Bodycam video of an arrest in Phoenix raises questions

EDITOR’S NOTE: The video in the article may be disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA/KECY) – New bodycam video released by the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) raises questions about an August arrest involving a deaf man who also has cerebral palsy was beaten and insulted four times.

His lawyer is now pushing for the proceedings to be stopped.

Video released by Tyron McAlpin’s attorney showing the moments Phoenix police officers stop him.

The reports detail how officers went to Mcalpin because they were called to a Circle K about a fight that a white man had started and would not leave the store.

“They haven’t really spoken to the Circle K employees. They did no investigation other than speaking to this man, and he then pointed out an African-American man who had been in the store earlier and claimed he had attacked him,” said Jesse Showalter, one of McAlpin’s attorneys .

Officers go to McAlpin in a Dollar Tree parking lot. Then the video begins.

“The first thing I see when the officer gets out of his car is him putting his hands out to grab Tyron. There’s an escalation right there,” Showalter said.

Showalter believes the force the two officers used here was unnecessary.

“What you see then is that Tyron is simply trying to avoid being hit repeatedly by the officer who keeps punching him in the face,” Showalter explained.

As McAlpin lay on the ground, officers harassed him four times before handcuffing him. His girlfriend comes to him and explains that McAlpin is deaf and has cerebral palsy. This was not documented in the reports of the officers involved.

“He is an American citizen and is being charged with a crime that could result in the loss of his civil rights. And when you look at this video, it’s just unconscionable,” Showalter said.

Earlier this month, a Maricopa County judge concluded that McAlpin had probable cause to face three counts of assault and resisting arrest.

In a statement, District Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she would review the case herself. She said she respects her lawyers and those who have raised concerns, adding: “I may or may not come to a different conclusion, but I believe this case warrants additional scrutiny.”

According to Phoenix police, the incident is under investigation and will be investigated by the Professional Standards Bureau in late August.

In another statement, the Police Officer’s Union said, in part: “We stand behind our officers and would like to warn the community to make judgments about the incident until all evidence is examined, not just a snippet of bodycam footage.”

Still, Showalter believes the incident is an example of what the Justice Department found in its investigation of the Phoenix Police Department.

“As the city of Phoenix claims it wants to solve its own problems without Justice Department oversight, we would really like to see if that is what it plans to do, or if it will simply do more of the same. If so, “We’re just going to try to sweep this under the rug and avoid any responsibility,” Showalter said.