Officer accused of choking skateboarder

[Nbadan]

Officer accused of choking skateboarder
By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press Writer


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A police officer who appears to choke a skateboarder and put two others in a headlock in a video posted online has been put on administrative leave while police investigate, officials said.

Hot Springs Mayor Mike Bush said Tuesday that investigators have talked with witnesses who saw the officer, Joey Williams, stop the skateboarders on a downtown city sidewalk last Thursday. Skateboarding is banned in the area.

The video shows Williams apparently choking one of the skateboarders after forcing him to the ground, then later chasing and wrestling two others while holding them in a headlock.

"Unfortunately, the video shows it pretty good," Bush said.

:wtf

Bush said he won't be sure of the city's next step until the investigation is complete. The video, taken by Matthew Jon McCormack and another unidentified skater, was posted Monday on YouTube, a popular Internet site.

Williams can be heard threatening one person with pepper spray if he moved, and several voices are heard asking why they were being arrested. One person can be seen running from Williams, and Williams later tells them they are fleeing and acting disorderly.

Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_re_us/skateboarders_police_video)

Here are the unedited Youtube video: Video Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOKb2PQs4kc) Video Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT6z0dQ_-pg&mode=user&search=)

[Fillmoe]

gay shit like this happens all the time....... why should we give a fuck about this singled out incident?

[Nbadan]

Well, for one the kids were standing there doing nothing and waiting as their friend was cuffed at the very beginning. Then the cop runs across the street and grabs on the standing kids, of course their going to freak. Skateboarding is not a criminal violation and the officers never told them not to move or that they were under arrest until later, I didn't see any of them really trying to do anything much at all except standing around, until the cops started being crazy. My guess is that if the cops had told them about the ordinance and that they could skate on sidewalks in other parts of town, or on the street if they were using skateboards as proper transportation and following the rules of traffic, and then told them they would be fined up to $500.00 dollars if they continued, they probably would have left.

In fact, they seemed mostly ready to leave at the very beginning of the video. I'm sure you think this is proper procedure for littering to, which unlike skateboarding on sidewalks, is a misdemeanor in Hot Springs.

[Marcus Bryant]

'roid rage.

[Trainwreck2100]

They deserved it.

[THE ONE AND ONLY]

Cops, cant live with em, cant live with em.

[CharlieMac]

Did you see how those kids were dressed? You go around dressed slutty like that, and you're just begging for it.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

dude should lose his badge plain and simple. Fuck him

[NorCal510]

people who say they deserved it bullshit are retarded

that's fuckin ridiculous

[cornbread]

Damn guerros think they're Rodney King.

[Leetonidas]

See why I dislike police, blingy?

Granted, the punks should have been dealt with, but choking is a bit extreme.

[Fillmoe]

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9383/jun20gal18cw9.jpg

[Fabbs]

"Skateboarding is banned in the area."

I didn't see either one of the wimps get "choked". NBadan they pwobawy didnt know sthkating was banned and dey would have weft if they would have been asked twoo. :rolleyes

Spare us. :lol Punk borders live to irritate. Did the cop overeact? Maybe. Is there way more to be told as to what the widdle skawtors really did do to blow up the situation? Ya they've probably been asked nicely to leave 500 times prior. Got put in a mild headlock which they will try to drama queen into damages. Pussies.

[DarkReign]

Cops suck. Being a teenage punk with stupid hair and a skateboard doesnt help your cause either.

Kids got choked, cop overreacted. Big whoop. Wish I had a handheld camera when I was their age. Pussies.

[Fillmoe]

all im saying is theres bigger shit to worry about than some punks getting their ass beat by some fat lazy ass cop in nowheresville, arkansas

[Creation88]

Did you see how those kids were dressed? You go around dressed slutty like that, and you're just begging for it.

this has got to be one of the stupidest, most ignorant posts of all time.

[NorCal510]

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9383/jun20gal18cw9.jpg
what a pinche vato :lol