Panel: Racial 'stomping' video part of a recurring pattern
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BURLINGTON, Wash. - A police beating caught on tape has fueled outrage just as a panel gathered Saturday at a town hall meeting to collect evidence on racial profiling.
The video, captured April 17 by a freelance videographer and released Friday, shows a Seattle police officer using a racial slur and profanity after kicking a Hispanic man on the ground.
At Saturday's town hall discussion on racial profiling, other victims of police abuse reacted to the tape.
They said it is unusual only because it is a rare case of an officer getting caught in the act.
The video shows Detective Shandy Cobane, a member of the gang unit, on the scene as Seattle police detained three people - including one Hispanic man - in their hunt for possible armed robbery suspects.
A man can be seen lying face down without handcuffs and not under arrest.
On the video, you can hear an officer telling the man: "You got me? I'm going to beat the (expletive) Mexican piss out of you homey. You feel me?"
Seconds later, the man moves his hand, appearing to wipe his eye. The officer kicks him in the head as he wipes his boot on his hand. A female officer stomps on his leg.
Police realize they detained the wrong man, lift him up, and let him go. The video does not show a medic arriving on scene, even though the man has cuts on his face, and appears to have trouble walking.
At Saturday's town hall meeting, the video only added to what victims say is a recurring pattern.
"I'm ashamed of that type of situation and to see that in the land of freedom, this is still happening," says Juan Mendoza, one of several expert witnesses who testified about instances of racial profiling.
King County Judge Steven Gonzalez also was on Saturday's panel, listening to testimony. He saw the beating tape and talked about the victim's injuries.
"Anyone watching it would have a reaction to what's seen there, and the language is clearly offensive," he said.
The officer at the center of the controversy has made an emotional apology.
"I chose words as part of my conversations with that young man that were offensive and unprofessional," Cobane said Friday after the tape was released.
Police thought the man detained was an armed robbery suspect. They let him go when they realized their mistake - but many say the damage is already done.
"It has a very detrimental effect on the confidence the community has in law enforcement," said Judge Gonzalez.
"There's a lot of abuse of authority, and we need to defend our rights," added Mendoza.
Meanwhile, Detective Cobane is on administrative reassignment and under investigation.
What he did on tape is already having a major impact on the selection process as Seattle narrows down its police chief candidates to three finalists. Those names will be announced Tuesday.
The video, captured April 17 by a freelance videographer and released Friday, shows a Seattle police officer using a racial slur and profanity after kicking a Hispanic man on the ground.
At Saturday's town hall discussion on racial profiling, other victims of police abuse reacted to the tape.
They said it is unusual only because it is a rare case of an officer getting caught in the act.
The video shows Detective Shandy Cobane, a member of the gang unit, on the scene as Seattle police detained three people - including one Hispanic man - in their hunt for possible armed robbery suspects.
A man can be seen lying face down without handcuffs and not under arrest.
On the video, you can hear an officer telling the man: "You got me? I'm going to beat the (expletive) Mexican piss out of you homey. You feel me?"
Seconds later, the man moves his hand, appearing to wipe his eye. The officer kicks him in the head as he wipes his boot on his hand. A female officer stomps on his leg.
Police realize they detained the wrong man, lift him up, and let him go. The video does not show a medic arriving on scene, even though the man has cuts on his face, and appears to have trouble walking.
At Saturday's town hall meeting, the video only added to what victims say is a recurring pattern.
"I'm ashamed of that type of situation and to see that in the land of freedom, this is still happening," says Juan Mendoza, one of several expert witnesses who testified about instances of racial profiling.
King County Judge Steven Gonzalez also was on Saturday's panel, listening to testimony. He saw the beating tape and talked about the victim's injuries.
"Anyone watching it would have a reaction to what's seen there, and the language is clearly offensive," he said.
The officer at the center of the controversy has made an emotional apology.
"I chose words as part of my conversations with that young man that were offensive and unprofessional," Cobane said Friday after the tape was released.
Police thought the man detained was an armed robbery suspect. They let him go when they realized their mistake - but many say the damage is already done.
"It has a very detrimental effect on the confidence the community has in law enforcement," said Judge Gonzalez.
"There's a lot of abuse of authority, and we need to defend our rights," added Mendoza.
Meanwhile, Detective Cobane is on administrative reassignment and under investigation.
What he did on tape is already having a major impact on the selection process as Seattle narrows down its police chief candidates to three finalists. Those names will be announced Tuesday.
