Man sues Georgia police for excessive use of force after wrongfully arresting him
Police body camera video shows officer slam Black man to the ground
Video released on June 22 showed the incident: an officer approaches the man, Antonio Smith, from behind and uses a “physical control technique to place the subject on the ground so handcuffs could be applied”, according to a statement from Valdosta Police Department. Shortly after officers learn Smith is not the subject they are looking for.
VALDOSTA, Ga. - Police in Valdosta, Georgia, have been sued for $700,000 by a 46-year-old Black man after an incident in February during which the man says police used excessive force against him after mistaking him for a suspect.
Video released on June 22 showed the incident: an officer approaches the man, Antonio Smith, from behind and uses a “physical control technique to place the subject on the ground so handcuffs could be applied”, according to a statement from Valdosta Police Department.
In the video, an officer approaches the man, Antonio Smith, from behind and uses a “physical control technique to place the subject on the ground so handcuffs could be applied”, according to a statement from Valdosta Police Department.
According to the police statement, the officer “believed this individual was the subject of the 911 call and was the individual with felony warrants based on his observations of the subject’s interaction with the second officer.” He told the man to “put your hands behind your back” before carrying out the move.
Freeze frame from Valdosta Police Officer body camera video.
Freeze frame from Valdosta Police Officer body camera video.
Local news reports said the lawsuit described the move as “unnecessary and illegal.”
The man can be seen on the floor saying “you broke my wrist.”
Later in the footage, the officers can be heard discussing the incident and acknowledging the confusion, with one saying “there’s two different people.” The police statement confirmed the man “was not the subject with the felony warrants.”