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One Arkansas Cop on Leave, Two Others Suspended After Video Capturing Beating Goes Viral
Arkansas State Police have launched an investigation into police officers were seen on video beating a man during an arrest.
One of the officers repeatedly punches the man in the head and bashes his head against the pavement. State police said the man had been accused of making threats in a shop earlier on Sunday morning.
All three officers have been removed from active duty on paid leave pending an investigation into their conduct.
Police said that when officers confronted the suspect, 27-year-old Randall Worcester, he pushed a deputy to the ground and punched the back of his head, leading to the arrest seen in the video.
In the video recorded from a car nearby, someone yells at officers to stop hitting the man in the head. Two of the officers appear to look up and say something back to the person who yelled. The officers’ comments could not be heard clearly on the video.
“The fight was escalating with those officers, and you hear that woman on that video yelling and whoever that is, I think she could have saved his life,” said Carrie Jernigan, an attorney representing Worcester.
Mr Worcester, who was taken to hospital, faces terroristic threatening, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and assault charges, police said.
AP News:
"Worcester was released Monday on $15,000 bond. When asked how he was feeling, he said “all right.” An attorney who escorted him from jail declined to comment on his behalf. Worcester was pushing a bicycle as he left the jail."
Worcester’s father declined to comment when contacted Monday by The Associated Press. He referred a reporter to a law firm representing the family. That firm said it was still trying to gather information and did not immediately have a comment on the video.