Shocking footage has revealed the moment two San Jose police officers beat, tase and pepper spray a mentally ill homeless man and encourage others in his camp to watch.
Officers Steven Aponte and Alex Cristancho had been corralling a group of homeless people for ‘trespassing’ near the Guadalupe River on September 16, 2019.
A group of four people can be seen in the bodycam footage with bikes standing near a makeshift shelter flung together with tarp and found objects.
Large water jugs can be seen laid beside the camp along with a myriad of personal belongings scattered among the ramshackle dwelling.
‘Hey everybody you’re not free to go, you’re all detained,’ Aponte says to the group.
‘What’s the emergency,’ one person, who has not been identified, questions before Aponte says, ‘no emergency its called trespassing and illegal encampments.’
Shocking surveillance footage has revealed the moment two San Jose police officers beat, tase and pepper spray a mentally ill homeless man and encourage others in his camp to watch
Officers Steven Aponte and Alex Cristancho had been corralling a group of homeless people for ‘trespassing’ near the Guadalupe River on September 16, 2019
The footage was included in a Sunday report by the San Jose Mercury-News about police’s use of force against those with a mental health crisis. It’s unclear if the officers involved in the incident remain part of the force.
After the interaction, another homeless man, Arthur Lee Turner, walks towards the officers asking, ‘do you know who God is?’
‘Hey back up, back up dude,’ says Cristancho as Turner slowly walks towards the officers with a peculiar gait.
‘Hey watch this guys, this guy’s about to get batoned,’ Aponte threatens as Turner continues to walk slowly toward the pair.
‘Dude get down, get down,’ Cristancho can then be heard saying before radioing backup adding, ‘we have an uncooperative subject’ referring to Turner.
Although Turner does not appear to threaten the pair Turner is first hit with a ‘stick.’
‘Do you know who you’re messing with? Hit me with that stick again,’ he says continuing to pace telling the officers, ‘I am God. You will respect my authority.’
Turner, who appears to have a mental impairment presented in the delusion that he is God, continues to pace towards the police as Cristancho can be heard off camera pleading with him to get on the ground.
After the interaction another homeless man, Arthur Lee Turner, walks towards the officers asking, ‘do you know who God is?’ before an officer requests others in the camp to watch as they beat and tase him
Although Turner does not appear to threaten the pair Turner is first hit with a ‘stick’
Turner is then tased for a second time as the cops yell, ‘get on your back, get on the floor or I’ll hit you again… get on the ground or I’ll hit you again’
‘Do not hit me I am God,’ Turner repeats appearing to believe the fantasy to be true, ‘you’re f*****g with God man, you’re f*****g with God’
‘Dude get on the ground,’ he says, before Turner is tased and repeatedly hit with batons.
‘Don’t hit my children, don’t hit my children man, do not hit my children,’ Turner yelps as he writhes with pain on the ground before standing up again.
Turner is then tased for a second time as the cops yell, ‘get on your back, get on the floor or I’ll hit you again… get on the ground or I’ll hit you again.’
‘Do not hit me I am God,’ Turner repeats appearing to believe the fantasy to be true, ‘you’re f*****g with God man, you’re f*****g with God.’
Both police officers continue to use force, ignoring the signs of mental impairment and instead insisting Turner get on the ground.
‘I have tried to respect you guys. You know this we’ve had contact ,’ Turner said before adding, ‘what are you doing this for?’
Both police officers continue to use force, ignoring the signs of mental impairment and instead insisting Turner get on the ground
Eventually the cops are able to subdue Turner before handcuffing him
‘What are you trying to prove sir, what are you trying to prove?’ Turner pleads before turning to a friend at the encampment and yelling ‘You’re an actor, you’re an actor that’s why I can’t hurt you.’
‘They’re actors guys! They’re not even f******g cops.’
Despite being tased, beaten and threatened, Turner continues to stand up pleading with the officers why they can’t see.
Eventually the cops are able to subdue Turner before handcuffing him and taking him into custody.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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