Bear in mind this is coming from a UM alum, who had to work late nights, and never had the time or money to party like most students. I lived down there in the mid-90's and PG cops are shady, dangerous, travel in packs, and are usually in the hunt for trouble. Esp when it comes to
students. I know the PG police have they're reasons for the tactics they employ, and I wouldn't want to have their jobs. But they do go way overboard. I even have friends who are AA county, State Troopers, and FPS cops and they'll warn you to steer clear of those guys.

It looks like the beating occurred on Knox Road, right near where I used to live for a year when I attended U-Md.

I remember one night a cop threatened to beat a group of people (me included) because someone shouted "pig!"

I wonder if the guy who got beat said something similar.

It's important not to rush to judgement of the police because the video doesn't tell the whole story all of the time. Why did the camera man pick out that person to film? What did the guy do just prior to the camera man picking up his camera, that made him want to want to film? What was he running away from? What verbal commands were given to the guy by the police, that he did not comply with? The audio isn't clear.

Let this case go to court and let the jury hear the testimony and let them decide.

jjTop,

What you are saying may sound reasonable, but when you take all the facts into account it isn't.

First: What non-violent act could the student have committed that required him to be leveled and then beaten without any warning?

He clearly did not have a weapon and made no contact with the police or the horse yet three cops bum rush him into the wall and proceed to beat him as he does not resist. Even if he called the police and the police officer's mother/child/wife the worst insult imaginable, that is not grounds for the savage abuse three DIFFERENT police offices gave him. Heck, even if he threatened them with violence, the proper response is to try to arrest him using a comensurate amount of force and make note of that in their arrest report.

So I ask you again, what could have possibly have been said?

Second: If there was a good reason to lay down the beating, why was it not in the arrest report? The police report stated the student cuased minor injuries to the horse and officer and the that the student suffered minor injuries from the horse kicking him. that's right, the police blamed the horse for the injuries. The video tape shows without a doubt that the injuries suffered were at the hands of the bipedal members of the police force. If the police were somehow justified in their actions why did they lie about it on the police report.

If the police were acting within the limits of the law, why did they lie and cover up their actions and the actions of their fellow officers?

Raise all the superfluous questions you want, but they are irrelevant in the face of clear video evidence showing gross police abuse and a paper trail showing the willful fabiraction of official police incident reports. These cannot and should not be excused in our society.

jj Top, are you out of your mind? I dont care what the guy said, the police claim he hit them and the horse, did you see any of that in the video? Also even if he was unresponsive to a sommand, did he deserve a beating that rendered him unconscious? Those cops should go to jail for what they did to that kid. Period.

just another Mike, these are not superfluous questions, they are questions to be answered in the search for the truth. Isn't the truth what we want? I'm just saying that we should let a jury decide because they will get to hear every side. Thats how the judicial system works in this country. There is always three sides to every story...this guys...that guys...and the truth which is usually somewhere in the middle.

Even when we watch the NFL we get instant replay for questionable calls and several different camera angles which can overturn a bad call by the referee.

Not to beat an old horse but even the Rodney King video that was shown on tv at the time was never shown in its entirety. You just saw what the media wanted you to see because it would sell papers. The jury in the initial trial of those officers found them not guilty....then the rioting began and in the fear of the country imploding the Feds got involved and made sure that they were charged and convicted of something. What did that original jury see and hear, in addition to what we the viewing public saw, that led to a not guilty verdict for those officers???

And DD...I did not see they horse being struck however, on approx. the 55 second mark in the above video you will see that the student does reach out and strike the officer's helmet.

Let a jury decide because they will be privy to all the facts.

To Whom It May Concern,
Before I may add my comments, jj Top, you have gone over the top with your Critical Thinking. That beating was off the Chart. If more people would come forward and tell lots of things they see on tape, the police dept. would do better. When we think we can get away with murder, we try. Was the young man Black? Of course. This has got to stop! I hope more than one of these clowns get fired and chased out of town. You do not treat your citizen that way. I wish I was in CP, right now. It is time to take it to the streets and protest. How many ways can you spell ugly? I'm a fifty-eight (58)year old woman, and I'm sick of seen these monsters get away with stuff like this. I don't care what that young man called that cop, he was feeling himself, having fun, and stepped out of line. He was Un-harmed, not even a small stick in his hands, and he was attacked by several fools. What ever happened to Charm School? I'm studying "American National Government, and if I remember the first Amendment, "FREE SPEECH" is covered by law.
Enough!!!!!!!!!.......

Posted by another sad citizen of the USA, the land I've grown to love. Peace.

All,
Look I am sure the SWAT team was on edge given the history of student actions during victory celebrations in College Park, but by watching the video you cannot reconcile what was written on the charging documents of Mr. McKenna. This is highly suspect of a coverup.
Let's be honest too, given the high profile actions of the PG Police Dept in the last three years:
SWAT raid of the Hyattsville mayor's home and shot the dogs for no reason. It was found to be excessive force. A criminal killed a PG Cop with his car looking to escape. While in custody in jail, he was strangled to death. Surprisingly they just can't figure out who committed this murder even though they know who was in the Jail at the time. did you know that The swat teams in PG county are used more than any other in the state. 4.5 times per day on average, which is over 1 more trip a day then the rest of the state. They are often also used for non-violent arrests.
C'mon, this sounds like a law enforcement agency out of control.

I cried watching this. What is wrong with people in uniforms that are supposed to protect. Do they join so they can be abusive to take on someone innocent for some sick childhood/adult dream of theirs. I hope and wish that they get what they deserve.How would they like for their child to be beat the way they that beat that child/man for whatever reason. The tape clearly shows that he DIDN'T fight back..REGARDLESS...no beating should have prevailed. I bet it will only be an administrative leave with pay which is simply a paid vacation. Sick, sick society and it just gets worse, cus they get away with whatever they want and nobody makes them pay....BUT GOD HAS A JUDGEMENT AND THEY WILL FAIL!!

To answer an above question, this young was white, not that it makes any difference. The beating should not have occurred, period.

My so called "over the top critical thinking" is the exact type of thinking that criminal defense lawyers use everyday to get their clients out of trouble. I guess you don't like when "critical thinking" isn't used to help your argument.

I support FREE SPEECH just as I do the rest of the U.S. Constitution and all of our rights....including the right to a FAIR TRIAL. Don't you want all of the facts?? I would like to have them before condemning someone.

The video tells the story. The victim is not in a violent stance. It is a sheer abuse of power by the very people who vow to protect us. Only animals act in that behaviour, take a look at any predator animal video and you will see similar thing. The perpetrator has demonic animalistic tendencies and should not get away with this shocking conduct. Enough is enough. Authorities, please do your job properly and set this travesty right. The victim is lucky he is not dead. He deserves every benefit coming his way! Throw the perpetrator in the slammer!
Pray to God!

jjTop, just shut-up..you are annoying and an idiot...the kind of idiot that does not realize his argument sucks..move on buddy

Fair trial top??? The potential jurors will be asked if they would have any problem believing a "police officer." And if they have looked at the website fija.org. If they know their rights as jurors they will not be allowed on the jury. The judge likely has a bailiff that is a member of the PD. The judge is protected by the PD, will he/she aggravate his protectors?? Hell no!

If you can get a fair trial and win, then ask for all the money that the county is insured for plus the money budgeted for the next year for the PD. If you break them financially, and put them out of business or threaten to, then you might have a chance at stopping them.

I personally would like to see the slimeball cops put in old fashioned stocks behind a chain link fence that would keep people just far enough away to allow spittle to hit them.

This kind of thing goes on all over the country. I don't think that it can be stopped by using the present system to punish the perpetrators when they are members of the ruling establishment. We are seeing the result of more than 100 years of state worship. Our taxes pay their salaries and buy their equipment. Lets starve them of funds!

Regardless of what the student who was beaten may or may not have said, the officer who filed a blatantly false police report sworn to be true, needs to be criminally prosecuted to the fullest extent permissible for willfully committing perjury. Thank the Lord there is videotape evidence, or this entire incident would just be one more case of abuse ignored by the PG county police, who have DECADES of similar police brutality incidents to answer for. It's time the entire PG country police force is re-organized from the ground up.