Video of violent arrest of deaf black man with cerebral palsy sparks outrage

Phoenix, Arizona – Police body camera video showing the Aug. 19 arrest by Phoenix police of Tyron McAlpin, a black man who is deaf and has cerebral palsy, is sparking outrage among civil rights and disability activists.

The video shows that immediately upon parking, Officer Benjamin Harris jumped out of his vehicle and began punching McAlpin as Officer Kyle Sue ran. McAlpin was punched at least 10 times and was also shocked repeatedly. Sue can be heard on the video claiming that McAlpin bit him, and in the police report of the incident, Harris claims that McAlpin attacked him.

McAlpin now faces three felony charges for allegedly assaulting officers and resisting arrest.

McAlpin’s civil attorney, Jesse Showalter, said the video of his client’s arrest is “really unfair.”

“Tyron is just trying to avoid being hurt by an aggressive, out-of-control police officer,” Showalter said. “He cannot hear any of the commands he receives and the attack never stops and the officers never do anything to calm the situation.”

Police were called to a nearby convenience store for a complaint about a white man who was loitering. This man claimed that he was attacked and that his cell phone was stolen. When police arrived, they fingered McAlpin as the culprit, but McAlpin does not face charges related to that man’s allegations.

Showalter told McAlpin, “did nothing wrong, so all the force they used was excessive, unnecessary and unreasonable.”

Andre Miller, vice president of the Arizona State Conference (NAACP), condemned McAlpin’s arrest, saying in a statement, “This brutal attack was due to the false allegations of a white citizen, reminiscent of many falsehoods like Emmit Till, who cost the lives of black citizens of America were not suspected of a real crime, he had done nothing wrong and also had communication problems. His attack happened seconds after the police vehicle was parked. .”

McAlpin spent 24 days in jail before posting bail. He pleaded not guilty. The police officers only discovered that he was deaf after his arrest and, until Tuesday, they are still on the job.

The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing said in a statement that it was “disheartened by this incident. We provide POST training for officers to communicate with deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind Arizonans, but these modules are not currently being used . Cultural and linguistic knowledge and awareness are vital to everyone’s safety.”

The Phoenix Police Department declined an interview request from CBS News but said in a statement that it is investigating the officers’ actions.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, the county’s top prosecutor, also promised to review the case.

“Because of the attention given to this case, I will personally review the entire file as well as the entirety of the video. I may or may not come to a different conclusion, but I believe this case deserves additional scrutiny,” Mitchell said. in a statement.

Phoenix Councilman Kevin Robinson said Tuesday in a statement, “While I cannot comment on the specific details of the incident at this time, I look forward to a thorough investigation that will be conducted in a timely manner.”

The incident occurred just two months after a Justice Department’s damning report found Phoenix police engaged in a pattern of discrimination and excessive force. The Department of Justice is aware of McAlpin’s arrest.

ACLU Arizona Policy Director Darrell Hill said the video showed “another devastating example of the Phoenix Police Department’s racial bias and excessive use of force against people who do not pose a threat to them, including those with disabilities.” .

“Extreme and disproportionate reactions like this are well documented in the Department of Justice investigation and report. Clearly, the report’s findings are not being taken seriously, critical changes are not being implemented by police or city leaders, and federal oversight is badly needed.”

Showalter noted that everything seen in the video “postdates the DOJ report. This goes against everything the city of Phoenix claims to be doing.”

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