No Justice: Johnnie Jermaine Rush A Victim Of Police Brutality Over Jaywalking Video At Link

[Sugar Cookie]

The FBI have joined a police brutality probe after police bodycam footage showed a white cop beating an unarmed black man accused of jaywalking.

Officer Chris Hickman resigned and may face criminal charges after he was seen tasering and punching Johnnie Jermaine Rush, 33, in the head repeatedly, in the video.

Now federal agents have joined the Asheville city police brutality probe, suggesting a federal civil rights investigation could follow.

The incident occurred on August 24 when Rush, who is black, was walking home from a 13-hour shift at CrackerBarrel in Asheville, North Carolina.

He had just cut through the parking lot of a business that was closed for the day when he was stopped by Verino Ruggiero, then an officer in training, and officer Hickman, for jaywalking.

Police body cam footage, obtained and published by the Citizen Times this week, shows Ruggiero telling Rush, who'd just visited a local store, that he'd already warned him about jaywalking.

'All I'm trying to do is go home, man. I'm tired. I just got off work,' Rush explained.

Ruggiero told him: 'I've got two options: I can either arrest you or write you a ticket.'

'It doesn't matter to me, man,' Rush replied.

'Do what you have got to do, besides keep harassing me.'

Rush then curses, to which Hickman responds by ordering him to put his hands behind his back.

The 33-year-old then tried to run.

Video shows the officers take off in pursuit and Hickman yelled after him: 'You know what's funny is you're going to get f**ked up hardcore'.

Rush appears to slow down and stops to confront the officers, who pushed him to the ground.

What followed was a brutal beating, as Hickman was seen repeatedly punching Rush in the head, while yelling at him to put his hands behind his back.

Rush was then tasered twice as he's held on the ground and is choked as he breathlessly tells the cops, 'I can't breathe'.

All this over you getting a ticket,' Hickman, who is white, could be heard telling Rush. 'Now it's serious, bro.'

He then goes on to taunt Rush, who remained prone on the ground, surrounded by cops.

His comment can't be heard, but Hickman responds: 'Oh it's a 'Please' now is it?' Hickman says.

'After all that? It was a ticket! And you wanted to act like this? What's wrong with you? What the f**k is wrong with you?'

While putting Rush in the back of the police car, Hickman is heard complaining that he 'got blood all over me from his face.'

He boasted to an emergency responder called to the scene that he had 'beat the s**t out of his head, I'm not going to lie about that.'

Continue at Link

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-shows-officer-beating-accused-jaywalker.html

 

[Craygor]

I just saw the video, that shit is just embarrassing. It's fucking 4 in the morning, no traffic, he's not intoxicated, let the fucker go home. Contrary to popular belief, police aren't required to enforce every law all the fucking time, just maintain the damn peace.

 

[Sejanus]

Dirty cop should be in prison.

Someone just hit the po-po beating lotto.
Body cams rock!

 

[Ripley]

You know this officer was a little shit WAY before joining the force. I hope Rush gets a fat juicy settlement.

 

[lithiumgirl]

Officer Chris Hickman resigned and may face criminal charges

What a power tripping asshole.

 

[Stormcloud]

Officer Chris Hickman resigned and may face criminal charges after he was seen tasering and punching Johnnie Jermaine Rush, 33, in the head repeatedly, in the video.

For fucking jaywalking? There was no traffic for him to BLOCK at that time in the morning and Jaywalking isn't exactly murder 1. It was nothing but a racist on a power trip given a badge and highly dubious authority.

Lets hope it's a damn sight more than merely 'may' face criminal charges.

 

[Keepalowprofile]

. The 33-year-old then tried to run.

Thank God they didn't shoot him.

 

[62julietandvoid]

This is the second time this week I've come across a news story with the cop using the term bro. I wonder if it was a thing before the famous, don't taze me bro lol

 

[roadsidehorror]

It's always been a thing.."Bro" from a cop is passive aggressive bullshit. Anytime you make them chase you? You get your ass beat! Still, they should have asked him where he was coming from, observe the fact that he is not intoxicated and let him go. Instead they all escalated the situation...The victim included.

 

[Prettypink513]

He beat the fuck out of that man for jaywalking. Now homie bout to jaywalk all the way to the bank. Nice going officer overreaction

 

[myra manes]

Dirty cop should be in prison.

Someone just hit the po-po beating lotto.
Body cams rock!

Yep, toss him right into general population too ..

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Charges against a former Asheville police officer charged with assaulting a Black pedestrian accused of jaywalking have been dismissed.

District Attorney Todd Williams confirmed Tuesday that the charges against Chris Hickman were dropped due to his compliance with a 2019 plea agreement and a Restorative Justice program.

Hickman pleaded guilty to communicating threats, assault inflicting serious injury and felony assault by strangulation for the 2017 incident that left pedestrian Johnnie Rush beaten.

"He has a new career, and he's moving on with his life," Amburgey said of Hickman.

Charges dismissed against former Asheville officer in pedestrian assault case

Charges against a former Asheville police officer charged with assaulting a Black pedestrian accused of jaywalking have been dismissed. Caption: WLOS. District Attorney Todd Williams confirmed Tuesday that the charges against Chris Hickman were dropped due to his compliance with a 2019...

wlos.com

In an August 2018 civil settlement over the incident, the City of Asheville agreed to pay Johnnie Rush a total of $650,000.

Charges dismissed against former Asheville officer in pedestrian assault case

Charges against a former Asheville police officer charged with assaulting a Black pedestrian accused of jaywalking have been dismissed. Caption: WLOS. District Attorney Todd Williams confirmed Tuesday that the charges against Chris Hickman were dropped due to his compliance with a 2019...

wlos.com