Seattle teen claims police brutality, offers video proof

August 18, 2010 @ 1:55 pm (Updated: 1:53 pm - 3/28/11 )

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By TIM HAECK
KIRO RADIO

Update: Seattle Police Department releases statement on claims of brutality in video


Video courtesy King 5
Another amateur videotape has surfaced showing Seattle police officers in a violent confrontation on the street.

The video was recorded in July 2009. Seventeen year old Joey Wilson was stopped by an officer for jaywalking in his Queen Anne neighborhood.

"This jaywalking incident turned into a beating," says Wilson's attorney, Alisa Brodkowitz.

Brodkotwitz says police told the boy that there was a warrant for his arrest, which he denied. An officer let the teenager make a phone call and the father of a neighbor friend showed up at the scene.

Brodkowitz says the neighbor tried to convince the officer to give the boy a jaywalking ticket and let him go.

"When it became clear that the police officer had something else in mind, the neighbor told the police officer 'I'm gonna get my video camera,' and went inside and got his video camera and began taping," said Brodkowitz.

Meantime, other officers arrived as backup. Brodkowitz says Wilson suffered a broken nose and a concussion.

A lawsuit against the city of Seattle and the police department claims excessive force and violations of the teenager's civil rights, among other things.

In a statement, police say the "male suspect was uncooperative" and refused to identify himself or move out of the roadway.

Attorney Brodkowitz says Wilson is mentally disabled and didn't have a driver's license or other form of identification.

Police say the boy resisted arrest and that the officers involved have been cleared of wrongdoing. The police statement goes on to add "it is unfortunate that a contact involving a relatively minor offense escalated and subsequently required police use of force to bring a resistive suspect under control."

Last June, a different video was broadcast showing a Seattle police officer punching a teenage girl who appears to interfere with the officer, who had stopped a woman for jaywalking on Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

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Comments (67)


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  • dcnilsen wrote...
    as horrible as it was...
    August 18, 2010 2:19 pm
    the officers don't know that he is mentally disabled. All they know is they have someone fighting back and they have to deal with that. I hope they don't win a single penny past their medical bills.
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  • wonderfullone wrote...
    Pathetic lawsuit
    August 18, 2010 2:22 pm
    Resisting the police, whether refusing to provide information, or resisting arrest is what led to this individuals injuries.

    I'm sick of these idiots who say 'they didn't do anything wrong' refusing to accept that they did nothing right.

    While jaywalking isn't a serious offense, I expect it to be enforced. While the police have to deal with idiots like this on a daily basis, how are they to know that someone is indeed mentally challenged, especially when they have no ID, don't communicate their challenges at all.

    This is a tremendous misuse of the courts. This society cannot be held liable for the lawful actions of law enforcement that lead to injury. Period.

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  • AJ McCarrell wrote...
    Anyone even surprised by this anymore?
    August 18, 2010 2:31 pm
    I'd love to see the WHOLE video. If he did in fact fight, then he's at fault. If it's another case of cop showing off to his buddies, hopefully they'll go to prison. You can't just assume the cops are in the right anymore. Cops lie and they lie often! Here's proof:

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37191818/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?GT1=43001

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  • AJ McCarrell wrote...
    Wonderfullone
    August 18, 2010 3:13 pm
    Why stop at beatings for jaywalking? Why not just give all offenders, regardless of how minor the offense is, the electric chair on the spot? Yeah, that'll show 'em! Why not just do away with this whole court thing and repeal the 4th amendment? Why not just imbue cops with the powers of judge jury and executioner and remove ALL accountability? Sure sounds like a solution to you!
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  • NoElephants wrote...
    Oh yeah and wonderfulone
    August 18, 2010 3:14 pm
    You expect the jaywalking law to be enforced? You are such a tool.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • oden wrote...
    Taser
    August 18, 2010 3:15 pm
    Why didn't they taser this guy, isn't that what its for? Did the need to beat him in the head?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whistle Berries wrote...
    BULLIES
    August 18, 2010 3:37 pm
    Hmmm... After viewing this tape a couple of times I have some advice for the SPD. Fire the bullies - they do not have the temperament to be working in law enforcement; AND, settle the lawsuit. If you let this go to a judge or jury trial, the payout could end up being much more than the settlement.
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  • dcnilsen wrote...
    Are you all blind?!
    August 18, 2010 3:41 pm
    You can clearly see at times in this video where the kid is fighting back...plus there is no beginning to show how it started. I highly doubt that the Police walked up and said, "Hey! Jaywalker! I'm gonna beat your a&&!" Chances are the kid egged them on and refused to cooperate and the police did what they were trained to do...subdue people who do not listen to them.
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  • SeattleNative wrote...
    If the kid resisted...
    August 18, 2010 3:42 pm
    ...then the police are expected within their rightful duty to use non-lethal means to gain control.

    The jaywalker appears to be uncooperative. I see nothing on this video that suggests the police did anything wrong.

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  • AJ McCarrell wrote...
    SeattleNative
    August 18, 2010 3:46 pm
    It depends.... Did the kid charge at them and did they resort to violence first? Under Washington Law, if a law enforcement officer does not have probable cause to arrest you or detain you, you have the right to fight the officer or even kill the officer if you believe your life is in danger. We don't know what happened at the beginning of the video yet. We don't know enough to know if the kid did anything wrong either.
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