Wayne Prosecutor Asks State Police to Review Violent Arrest Caught on Video

Allegations of unnecessary force have surfaced after a video of an arrest by members of a multi-jurisdictional task force was widely circulated. (Screenshot: Facebook video)

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Michigan State Police will investigate a violent arrest caught on cell phone video this week that shows officers kicking, beating and admonishing a carjacking suspect for calling on Jesus.

After the video, origianally posted on Facebook, was widely circulated, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy’s office contacted the MSP and asked for an investigation, agency spokesman Lt. Michael Shaw confirmed to the Detroit Free Press.

The video was shot by Emma Craig from her front door on Plainview. Her son, 26-year-old Ron Craig, told The Detroit News the issue isn’t that the suspect is African-American.

“It’s not a race issue, it’s a humanitarian issue,” he said.

Grosse Pointe Park Police Chief David Hiller said the officers – who are part of ACTION, a multi-jurisdictional task force that includes Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Highland Park and Harper Woods – acted “properly” to detain a “serious felon.”

Police have not identified the suspect, but the Free Press said the Michigan Department of Corrections identified him as Andrew Jackson Jr., 51, who absconded from parole in April 2014.

Jackson has a decades-long criminal history that includes a 2004 conviction on Oakland County charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to rob while armed and fleeing police. He’s currently accused of armed robbery in the carjacking of a Detroit mother of two.

In a news release from Hiller, police alleged he pointed a gun at the woman and her children, ordered them out of the vehicle and threatened to shoot them if they didn’t do as he demanded. He allegedly took the woman’s purse, keys and car.

Related:

• Watch: Video Shows Police Kicking, Punching Cuffed Suspect

Police located the vehicle as it was about to enter a driveway in area of McNichols and Evergreen in Detroit. The man driving the vehicle fled when officers tried to arrest him, and they eventually tackled him to detain him, according to the release.

The officers deployed a Taser, but that didn’t faze the suspect, who continued to reach for the area of his waistband and refused to show his hands, according to the release, which also stated:

“He curled up in a ball and his right hand again went under his clothing. Fearing for their safety and those in the immediate area, an officer delivered a kick to the thigh area of the subject thus allowing the other officers the ability to arrest the subject. Located in his waist band was a loaded semi-automatic handgun.

“The officers in this case arrested an extremely dangerous wanted felon who was armed with a handgun. They were required to utilize various techniques to affect the arrest. Due to the totality of the circumstances we believe the actions of the officers in affecting the arrest (were) proper.”

The suspect reportedly told police that he stole the vehicle so he could get money to buy drugs.

In the dustup following circulation of the video, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said no officers from his department were involved in the arrest. Detroit police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woody told the Free Press the officers involved in the incident were from Grosse Pointe Park and Highland Park.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality said it will conduct its own investigation and has asked U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade, U.S. Reps. John Conyers and Brenda Lawrence, and other public officials to intervene, The Detroit News reports.

“These kinds of task forces should be investigated to consider suspension of federal funds until civil and human rights issues in these matters are resolved,” Director Ron Scott said in a statement.

The group staged a rally at the headquarters of the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety Wednesday and called for the suspension of and criminal and civil charges against officers involved in the arrest.

“It is our contention that the officers’ actions, once the suspect was handcuffed, were not justified,” Scott said.

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