Horrified Onlookers Film Undercover Cop Pummeling Drunken Teen
Jefferson Parish, La. police's account of the arrest of 17-year-old Brady Becker last Friday night has been called into question after video of an undercover detective punching the teen in the face while pinned to the ground surfaced online.
The clip, just under 40 seconds, shows detective Nicholas Breaux punching Becker in the face four times as he lies on the ground of a shopping mall parking garage. Breaux screams at witnesses to "back the fuck up" when they attempt to stop the officer from hitting Becker.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Becker was apparently drunk at the time, and later told police he had downed half a bottle of Crown that night.
The teen's lawyer, David Belfield, told the New Orleans Advocate that Breaux failed to identify himself as a police officer until "after he had beaten the crap out of Brady."
An initial police report from the night of the arrest obtained by the Advocate:
A full incident report on Becker's arrest had not been finalized Wednesday. But an abbreviated account, a report known as an "arrest register," said Becker had been among a "large group of individuals" that plainclothes detectives encountered in the mall's parking garage. Becker began screaming "f—- the cops" even before the detectives identified themselves as law enforcement officers, the report said.
Becker pushed Breaux, the report said, "at which time Det. Breaux escorted (Becker) to the ground into a prone position for handcuffing." The report said Becker "refused orders to stop and was striking Det. Breaux."
Sheriff's Office protocol warns that "unnecessary force will not be tolerated" and says deputies "may only use enough force to overcome the amount of resistance or aggression met."
Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, told the Advocate that shortly after the video cuts off, the teens and the cops entered into a brawl, but apparently dispersed before any more arrests could be made.
Neither Breaux or the other detective will be the subject of an internal investigation because the agency, Fortunato said, does not "suspect any wrongdoing."
Becker was charged by police with possession of alcohol by a minor, resisting an officer, battery of a police officer, and inciting a riot.
[H/T Raw Story // Image via Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office]