FBI to investigate police in traffic stop beating!
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - August 18, 2009 - The story of 42-year-old Darryl Jenkins, a Minneapolis man who was pulled over on a cold February night for speeding and ended up in the hospital with seven stitches, is now the focus of an FBI investigation.
Their investigation will likely focus on dash cam video of the incident, which Jenkins’ lawyers have made public.
On February 19 of this year, Jenkins was pulled over by a police officer allegedly for driving 15 mph above the speed limit. Jenkins denied he was speeding, and when he tried to step out of his car to ask the officer to talk to his supervisor, a physical fight ensued.
Police reinforcements arrived, and six officers took to beating and tasering Jenkins until he ended up in the hospital for treatment before being transferred to jail, where he spent four days.
Minneapolis police charged Jenkins with felony assault and - after he refused to provide a urine sample - refusing to submit to a chemical test.
On March 30, the county attorney dropped the assault charge “in the interest of justice,” the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
Last month, a county judge threw out the charge of refusing to submit to a chemical test as well. “It’s unclear what role, if any, the video played in the dismissal,” the Star-Tribune writes.
On Monday, Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan reviewed the dash cam video and asked the FBI to investigate the possibility of police brutality in the incident, the Twin Cities Fox affiliate reports.
In a statement, Dolan said that he believed the primary responding officer’s actions were appropriate under the circumstances, but he was concerned about the actions of the other officers who arrived to back up the arresting officer.
“Some of the actions of responding officers, specifically the kicking of the suspect, give me concern; because of this, I am asking for an outside review by the FBI. Additionally, the incident has been referred to my Internal Affairs and Training Units for a review of our arrest procedures in dealing with suspects resisting arrest,” Fox quotes Dolan as saying.
Their investigation will likely focus on dash cam video of the incident, which Jenkins’ lawyers have made public.
On February 19 of this year, Jenkins was pulled over by a police officer allegedly for driving 15 mph above the speed limit. Jenkins denied he was speeding, and when he tried to step out of his car to ask the officer to talk to his supervisor, a physical fight ensued.
Police reinforcements arrived, and six officers took to beating and tasering Jenkins until he ended up in the hospital for treatment before being transferred to jail, where he spent four days.
Minneapolis police charged Jenkins with felony assault and - after he refused to provide a urine sample - refusing to submit to a chemical test.
On March 30, the county attorney dropped the assault charge “in the interest of justice,” the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
Last month, a county judge threw out the charge of refusing to submit to a chemical test as well. “It’s unclear what role, if any, the video played in the dismissal,” the Star-Tribune writes.
On Monday, Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan reviewed the dash cam video and asked the FBI to investigate the possibility of police brutality in the incident, the Twin Cities Fox affiliate reports.
In a statement, Dolan said that he believed the primary responding officer’s actions were appropriate under the circumstances, but he was concerned about the actions of the other officers who arrived to back up the arresting officer.
“Some of the actions of responding officers, specifically the kicking of the suspect, give me concern; because of this, I am asking for an outside review by the FBI. Additionally, the incident has been referred to my Internal Affairs and Training Units for a review of our arrest procedures in dealing with suspects resisting arrest,” Fox quotes Dolan as saying.
