The Free Thought Project – by Matt Agorist
Tuscaloosa, AL — On Wednesday, the Tuscaloosa police department released body cam footage of a violent arrest that made national headlines last week.
Multiple videos of the same violent arrest of three University of Alabama students quickly went viral when it happened, but it took until this week for the Tuscaloosa cops to release their body cam footage.
Conveniently enough, the department edited out everything that showed them violate the rights of the students and the violent arrests.
As the original video starts out, an officer is seen attempting to yank a student from his apartment. However, this is where the police video ends.
Luckily for those involved, the cell phone footage catches everything after backup arrives and the scene turns into uncontrolled violence.
In an interview with AL.com, a female witness described a chaotic scene as three people were taken into custody: ‘They had a girl and two boys on the ground. They were all screaming, and everyone was videoing it.’
The police version of the video picks back up after the students are in handcuffs and they are no longer acting like savage thugs.
Tuscaloosa police confirmed that Matthew Gimlin Macia, 22, of Johns Creek, Ga. was arrested on charges of obstructing governmental operations and resisting arrest; Brandon James Williford, 21, of Tennessee was arrested on charges of obstructing governmental operations, harassment and resisting arrest. Caroline Elizabeth Giddis, 22, of Tennessee was arrested on charges of obstructing governmental operations and harassment.
UA students involved in video: 22 YO Matthew G Macia, 21 YO Brandon J Williford, 22 YO Caroline E Giddis @wvua23 pic.twitter.com/bvwtE9W1TD
— Danny Salter (@DHSalter) November 9, 2015
Ironically, the department issued a statement claiming that releasing this video was done so – to improve department transparency!
“In the city’s continued commitment to transparency and accountability in this investigation we are releasing the officer’s body camera video footage,” Lt. Teena Richardson said in a press release issued Tuesday.
The three Tuscaloosa police officers who were put on paid leave are James Kent, Phillip Champion and Gregory Pimm. They were the first officer to arrive on the scene, the officer who used the Taser on a student, and the officer who used the nightstick.
At a press conference, Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson said he immediately ordered an investigation. “Needless to say, once I started watching it, I was deeply disturbed by what I saw,” the chief said.
“This investigation does not move at the speed of the Internet,” he said. “With a little bit of patience, we’re going to get there. We’re going to do everything we can to rebuild the public trust.”
“Do not be afraid of calling the Tuscaloosa Police Department,” he said. “Do we always get it right? No, but there’s no need to fear us or fear our officers.” — Unless you’re the kids in the video below…and anyone else who gets in the way of these public servants.
Below are the two videos of the incident. The first one is the body cam footage released on Wednesday. At 3:57 into the video it goes black, at precisely the same time the scene turns violent. When the video picks back up, the cops are done beating the teens, and they begin their subsequent character assassinations.
The video below shows multiple angles of what police felt was not necessary to show to the public in their supposed act of “transparency.”
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cops-release-body-cam-video-transparent-edited-violence/#KcZoOFerQqUifI2q.99
To be transparent to the public, body cams should be live and available on the internet so anyone can watch, listen, and record what the enforcers are doing from the time they go on duty to the time they go off duty. It would be interesting to watch and listen to my nephew who is policy enforcement on the west coast.