SPD officer in kicking video involved in prior incident
SEATTLE -- It appears the veteran Seattle police officer who was recently captured on camera kicking a suspect has been trouble before for his use of force.
Seattle police say they have only one James Lee on the force. And in 2005, an officer named James Lee filed a report with his superiors, admitting to having struck a suspected drug dealer twice in the groin.
But when the trial rolled around, "Officer Lee testified that he did not use force in contacting the defendant. When asked if he had kicked or hit the defendant, Officer Lee replied, 'No,'" court documents said.
The next day, Lee called the prosecutor and admitted he did punch the man twice. And as a result, the conviction against the suspected drug dealer was then tossed out.
Lee was recently placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation into the kicking incident. The kicked teen's uncle is furious>.
"I always respected the police. But seeing stuff like this -- you can't respect no police doing stuff like this," said the man, who wished to be identified only as Charles.
But others defend these kicks as an appropriate use of force.
Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Guild, said Lee was shouting for the teen to get on the ground. O'Neill added kicking is a takedown tactic officers are taught.
While the 17-year-old has a violent criminal history, his uncle says footage shows the teen trying to surrender.
"If they're going to arrest you, they should put the cuffs on you and that's it," he said. "They shouldn't be beating up on you, or kicking you in the face."
Seattle police say they have only one James Lee on the force. And in 2005, an officer named James Lee filed a report with his superiors, admitting to having struck a suspected drug dealer twice in the groin.
But when the trial rolled around, "Officer Lee testified that he did not use force in contacting the defendant. When asked if he had kicked or hit the defendant, Officer Lee replied, 'No,'" court documents said.
The next day, Lee called the prosecutor and admitted he did punch the man twice. And as a result, the conviction against the suspected drug dealer was then tossed out.
Lee was recently placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation into the kicking incident. The kicked teen's uncle is furious>.
"I always respected the police. But seeing stuff like this -- you can't respect no police doing stuff like this," said the man, who wished to be identified only as Charles.
But others defend these kicks as an appropriate use of force.
Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Guild, said Lee was shouting for the teen to get on the ground. O'Neill added kicking is a takedown tactic officers are taught.
While the 17-year-old has a violent criminal history, his uncle says footage shows the teen trying to surrender.
"If they're going to arrest you, they should put the cuffs on you and that's it," he said. "They shouldn't be beating up on you, or kicking you in the face."
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