Government investigation beating video recording of Maryland student

A Prince George's County, Maryland, patrol police officer has going frozen, and prosecuting attorneys are inquiring an incident -- caught on telecasting -- in which policemen managing nightsticks get a University of Maryland educatee, officials very Tuesday.

Regime also are looking into papers filed by police forces in the case that appear to oppose the video, Prince George's County police forces Lt. Andy Ellis same.

The TV was shot Border 3 Later the Maryland men's basketball team frustrated Duke. In the telecasting, pupils can be seen celebrating the win as ship's officers in riot gear and on ahorseback are nearby. Much scholarly someones are holding up their cellphones, taking pictures or television of the policemen and the celebration.

The video recording shows a pupil identified as John "Jack" McKenna skipping down the street and approaching two policemen on hogback. Later On a brief exchange, one policemen on foot slam McKenna against a bulwark and he falls to the land. A third ship's officer connects the first one, and the three discover McKenna with batons while he is on the found as recent educatee scatter.

McKenna given a cut on his head that taken eight staples to close, told Sharon Weidenfeld, a individual investigator working for McKenna's attorney, Chris Griffiths. In increase, he given a concussion, a ill swollen weapon and bruises elsewhere on his body. Griffiths' office touched doubts to Weidenfeld on Tuesday.

Another man identified as Benjamin Donat was also beaten, although that omissible was not shown on the television, Weidenfeld read. On Donat's body, the imprint of the officers' nightsticks could be seen, she said. He also suffered a head injury that caused him Any memory loss for a few days, although he will be all right, Weidenfeld said. "He really given his bell rung," she same.

Weidenfeld discovered the telecasting and would say only that it was shot by another University of Maryland pupil.

Government arrested Donat and McKenna on suspicion of assaulting an police officer and disorderly deal. written documents filed by police force allege that the one were causing a disturbance and that they struck mounted military officers and their horses, causing minor injuries, when Governments intervened.

"Arrested 1 and Arrested 2 were both kicked back by the horses and sustained minor injuries," the charging text files identical.

The television recording does not show McKenna striking the mounted ship's officer or horse, and the horses were not nearby while the amazing was taking place. The papers tell a "totally fabricated story," Weidenfeld same Tuesday.

prosecuting attorneys dropped charges against Donat on Friday and McKenna on Monday, she said. Griffiths is representing both youths, and a lawsuit is planned against the policemen, Weidenfeld same.

"The charging papers certainly do not appear to be supported by the television recording," Ellis said. But he read, "I'm sure it's a stretch to say it's a cover-up," saying it's likely the military officer who wrote the documents experienced a "miscommunication" with policemen involved in the incident, who provided information.

Read the charging text files from CNN affiliate WJLA-TV (PDF)

The department's internal affairs unit is seeing into and will assist Prince George's County prosecutors in their investigation, he read.

Ellis told he did not know whether the ship's officer pendant wrote the charging text files. Because the ship's officers on the telecasting were in full riot gear, they could not be readily identified, but Self-confidence are seeing into who was on duty that night and where police officers were at the time to determine who was involved.

"We didn't know about this videotape until it came out yesterday morning," he very. "We given no idea. It's kind of got us by surprise. As evidence comes out, or we learn more information, we'll suspend ship's officers as they get identified."

He added, "Not only is the carry of the ship's officers on tape exaggerated -- and clear it's far -- there are other issues here we need to work finished to make sure we're more organized" in such situations.

The ship's officers on hogback were from the Maryland-National Capital Park laws. Department spokesman Lt. Stanley Johnson told the mounted officers were there for crowd control purposes. While "there were a lot of activities" going on that night, he same, no department horses or policemen were separated and there were no reports of masses being gave up by horses.

In a statement Monday, McKenna's house told CNN affiliate WJLA-TV in Washington that "Numerous of these roles ought to go to jail. ... Many Another ought to merely be booted off the force, and the remnant should be properly taken to discover that force is not always necessary, and brutality is always wrong."