Jun 7, 2009 2:25 am US/Eastern
Community To Protest Alleged NJ Police Brutality
PASSAIC, N.J. (CBS) ―
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The black eye and a telling surveillance video seem to suggest that Ronnie Holloway was manhandled during an altercation with Passaic Police recently.
CBS
A New Jersey community plans to rally after an alleged case of police brutality was caught on tape.
The incident happened outside of a restaurant in Passaic.
With a swollen eye and bruised ribs, Ronnie Holloway said he doesn't know what led to what happened.
"I know I deserve better the way I was treated," Holloway said.
The way he was treated by Passaic police was captured on surveillance camera at a restaurant. The 49-year old is seen walking without a shirt on.
Moments later, police arrived and according to Holloway, told him to cover himself, which he appeared to be doing while still conversing with police.
Then Officer Joseph Rios III got out of the car. He's a seven-year veteran on the force and still remains on active duty.
"He grabbed me with both hands at the collar area real physically hard and just flung me up against the police vehicle," Holloway said.
Holloway was then thrown to the ground and punched several times. The officer then took out a baton, and swung several times at Holloway's ribs.
"I recall him saying, 'get down' as he swung, but he kept swinging like that," he said.
Holloway got up and was pushed against the squad car again, then swung around, followed by two more baton swings to the legs.
Holloway, who has no police record, was arrested on charges of resisting arrest and wandering with the intent to buy drugs. He filed a complaint and an Internal Affairs investigation is underway.
Holloway insisted he never resisted or said a word to Passaic police during the entire 90 second incident, but from the video it appears he was saying something.
Regardless of what may have been said, his family said it hardly justifies the brutality that followed.
"A lawsuit is likely," said his mother Betty Holloway. "He's a good person."
She said her disabled son has schizophrenia, but his illness did not play a role in his beating.
"It is a clear case of police brutality and it's got to stop. That officer needs to be removed from the police force," Holloway's attorney, Nancy Lucianna, said.
Holloway wants the officer who repeatedly hit him taken off the force. "I feel he should definitely lose his job because it's not fair to be treated that way," he said.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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