TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - May 21, 2011 - An Alabama police officer hospitalized an elderly man who called 911 to report an accident across the street from his house while his wife watched the entire beating from her wheelchair.
84-year-old Dorsey Henderson of Fairhope, Alabama, called 911 after investigating a car accident and discovering that the driver of the vehicle was severely intoxicated.
Henderson told the driver of the car he was under citizen’s arrest and needed to wait near his car until police arrived.
When Officer Trent Scott arrived on the scene, Henderson attempted to inform him of the driver's belligerent behavior and that the driver had been placed under citizen’s arrest. The officer allegedly told Henderson there was "no such thing as citizen's arrest in Alabama," and to "get out of the way, old man."
After Henderson tried to explain that he was only trying to help, Officer Scott placed him in an arm bar and slammed him face first into the ground, breaking his nose and eyeglasses. Henderson's wife, Doris, watched from a wheelchair at the front window of her house, telling a 911 dispatcher that the officer was "beating the hell out of my husband."
At no point did officer Scott place Henderson under arrest or charge him with any crime, but he did keep Henderson handcuffed in the back seat of his police cruiser.
Roughly ten minutes later, Scott sent away an ambulance that had arrived, telling the paramedics that the elderly man "doesn't need an ambulance."
A superior officer who later arrived on the scene ordered the ambulance to return and Henderson was taken to the hospital, where doctors said he suffered a broken nose, multiple contusions and a torn rotator cuff.
As of May 16, 2011, Scott was still employed by the Fairhope Police Department.
Please call to express your outrage at these Gestapo-like tactics here in Amerika. Let your VOICE be heard!
Fairhope Police Department
Police Chief Bill Press
251-990-0191 (direct line)