The news has been filled with stories of law enforcement overreach. People around the country, especially Black men, have been beaten, assaulted, even killed when police officers fail to show reasonable restraint.
Yet another story of police brutality has emerged this week. This time the events happened in New England.
The Free Thought Project reported that two State Police officers, one from Massachusetts and one from New Hampshire, have been arrested and charged with simple assault for using excessive force to arrest a man last May.
The situation began when 50-year-old Richard Simone was driving in the small town of Holden, Mass. Officers ran the license plate on his gray pickup, and discovered outstanding warrants for assault and battery, larceny, and failure to stop for law enforcement. They attempted to pull him over.
Simone did not comply. Instead he drove off at high speed, leading officers through the town and onto the highway. Massachusetts State Police joined the chase, and pursued Simone northward, toward New Hampshire. As he crossed into that state, New Hampshire State police also joined in the pursuit, which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour.
The pickup wove through traffic, hitting a utility pole at one point. It even lost two of its tires. Law enforcement repeatedly tried to stop him, but Simone kept going.
Finally, after an hour’s chase, Simone pulled his truck over and shut off the engine. News crews flew overhead, filming the entire scene, as Simone exited the truck with his hands up over his head. He lowered himself face down onto the pavement, his arms stretched above his head.
Simone was clearly surrendering, and was obviously no threat to anyone at this point. A crowd had gathered, including curious neighbors and children, in the Nashua, New Hampshire neighborhood. The helicopter crews were filming the arrest.
This was clearly one of those times when police were not able to show restraint.
They were apparently plenty mad that they had been racing along for an hour at high speeds. They were seemingly enraged that the guy in the truck didn’t pull over when they told him to.
According to eye witnesses, several officers rushed toward the prone man and began to beat him. Horrified observers began to film the scene, an action that has become crucial to police accountability.
The video of Nashua police beating the car chase suspect after he surrendered is fucking chilling.
— Bone Daddy (@handsome_dann) May 13, 2016
One witness said:
“He was surrendering, you know, he gave up — but I was like, ‘Oh my god, they’re really attacking him.’ It was very shocking, to say the least. Disturbing to see that and to see when someone willingly gets out of the vehicle, goes to their knees, flat out on their stomach, their hands out — very shocking.”
The videos were very quickly shared on social media, and local authorities promised to investigate.
Finally, almost two months after video of the vicious attack went viral, two of the officers have been relieved of duty and charged with assault.
While it is a very good thing that both of the officers, Joseph Flynn of Massachusetts and Andrew Monaco of New Hampshire, have been arrested and charged, the larger issue is left unanswered.
Why do the police believe that they have the right to beat the hell of citizens who piss them off?
That, to me, is the real story.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
