A deputy with the Marion County Sheriff's Office punched a restrained man in the head at least 14 times Monday morning. A KGW news camera captured the deputy pummeling the man's head, all while he and three other law enforcement officers pinned the defenseless man to the ground. The MCSO arrested the man, KGW reported, for resisting arrest and interfering with police.
david rogers, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, issued the following statement in response to incident:
"Repeatedly punching someone who is apprehended to the ground by four police officers is a clear example of excessive use of force. Period.
"Rather than stopping the officer from unnecessarily bludgeoning the man, the three surrounding officers allowed the violence to continue. This kind of behavior – which is more and more frequently caught on video – degrades community trust in law enforcement. There was simply no justification for repeated blows to the head.
"When law enforcement is engaged in extreme and unwarranted violence, it is a prosecutable crime. We demand a swift, thorough and transparent investigation. The district attorney must take this matter seriously. If charges are not brought forward, there must be a sufficient and honest explanation as to why."