Chief Dodd: video confirms officer 'excessive' in inmate beating, forced firings
Chief Dodd: video confirms officer 'excessive' in inmate beating, forced firings
CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) -- Approximately six minutes into federal inmate Adam Tatum's encounter with Chattanooga Police June 14, security cameras recorded an exchange that epitomizes both, Tatum's argument that the force officers used was excessive, and two former officers' claims that he was resistant and uncooperative.
"Get your hands behind your back," Officer Sean Emmer told Tatum.
"Please don't do me like that," Tatum responded.
Thursday, Police Chief Bobby Dodd told reporters that his viewing of surveillance video from the Residential Reentry Center that the Salvation Army operates for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), coupled with audio from Emmer's own link to the recording system in his cruiser, reaffirms his decision to fire Emmer and Officer Adam Cooley for using excessive force.
"I could count 48 strikes (from Emmer's baton), after Tatum came back into camera range following an attempt to flee the officers," Chief Dodd says. "To me, that's excessive."
"Our complaint puts that at about 200," Tatum's attorney, Robin Flores says. "200 individual blows."
http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/21430913/dodd-video-confirms-officer-excessive-in-inmate-beating-forced-firing
A grand jury has declined to indict Emmer or Cooley.
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