Philly Cops Fired After Videotaped Beating

Police Department Says 4 Officers Will Be Fired, 4 Others Disciplined For Roles In Incident

(AP)  Four officers will be fired and four others disciplined for their roles in the beating of three shooting suspects, an encounter that was caught on videotape.

The police department made the disciplinary decisions after reviewing frames from enhanced tape of a video shot by a television news helicopter on May 5, Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Monday.

A total of 19 officers - 18 city police and one transit officer - were involved in the apprehension of the three suspects.

Two of the officers are relatively new to the force and can be terminated immediately, Ramsey said. Two others are being suspended without pay for 30 days with intent to dismiss.

Three other officers are being suspended and one sergeant is being demoted.

The video, shot by WTXF-TV, shows the suspects being pulled from their car on the side of the road and groups of officers kicking, punching and beating the men.

Police said they had been pursuing the car in connection with a triple shooting. The three men - Brian Hall, 23, Pete Hopkins, 19, and Dwayne Dyches, 24, all of Philadelphia - have been charged with attempted murder and related counts stemming from the shooting. Their attorneys have said they had nothing to do with it.

One of Dyches' attorneys said he suffered a welt on his head the size of a baseball and that one of his legs was seriously injured.

The beating occurred at the same time police were conducting an intense manhunt for a suspect in the slaying of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, but Ramsey said Monday that there was indication that any of the officers thought the suspect was among the three men in the car.

[ici2i]

A few good men now looking for a job. If not Blackwater, might I suggest guards for the illegal prison @ Guantanamo Bay - Gitmo - which would closely fit their job experience, qualifications, skills and lack of human decency or comapssion. Cheney''s probably got one of his cronies on the phone with them now.

[jboxton]

3 murderers get pulled out of a car and get beaten. Where exactly IS the problem here?

[gopack443]

Some cops must hate video cameras

[gopack443]

The suspects are going to be the richest cons in the prison.
That''s one reason the cops are fired and not given a medal as some have suggested.
We also expect our police to be better than the criminals.

[dinkydog1]

They should have given them medals and promotions.
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Posted by guyfrompa45 at 03:34 PM : May 19, 2008

.....................

If it''s proven the suspects were inocent will you still think that?

[dinkydog1]

dinkydog1 _ yep because I''''m sure they did something that that havent been caught for yet. You ever been to philly? You should go... You''''ll change your mind in a second.
Posted by guyfrompa45 at 03:47 PM : May 19, 2008

Yes, I have been to Philly even stayed there for a while. Not knowing the suspects you are sure they did something to deserve a beating at sometime or another? I guess by that resoning everyone could use a beating.

[ann3332]

It still doesnt give the Police the right to do what they done. I believe they did thee right thing to fire them

[navyjimfl]

this is just plain wrong......those guys were resisting arrest......the cops had probable cause that they were just involved in a shooting......the philly mayor and chief of police are protecting their behinds at the expense of the front line cops

[dinkydog1]

dinkydog1 - I''''m gonna give you some good info... You want to saty out of jail or not get a beaten... DON"T BREAK THE LAW. Posted by guyfrompa45

.............

Give the advice to these cops, they are the only ones that anyone is certain to have broken the law.

[glock4me]

I would guess that this would hurt police recruitment in Philadelphia (a.k.a. "Kill-adelphia") where good cops are needed. My guess is that, in the long run, this will be a victory of sorts for criminals.

The thugs in D.C. better get busy or Philly will overtake them.

[soshljustic]

The sad part is, this type of behavior both in citizenry and in policing is bound to worsen with the social inequities and the push for escapist routes for the poor via justifications through theft and other criminal acts which will mire in the innocent while trapping the police in protective measures which are bureacratic and dont reflect the streets. One look across our borders to South Africa and the drug cartel wars against the police of Mexico reinforce the point that these social issues require the need for all law abiding citizens of all races to take a stand against criminal activities and hate regardless whether "justified" in the name of social inequity, because this behavior drags all humanity down the sewer, both innocent, guilty and those charged with ferreting out truths.

[p01062006]

First and foremost, no one deserves that type of beating. Maybe...Maybe if they were trying to hurt the officer forcefully. This is not the case in this situation it is so obvious. How many officers against these three men? All of these officers deserve to be terminated and punished. Punishing them by a few days off is not a punishment.


I don''t even believe these officers were following policies and procedures. The smart way should of been to arrest them on suspicion and take them down for questioning.

What were they thinking?

[hypnotoad72]

The suspects will have their day in court, and it was proven the cops did go overboard.

Not all cops are vicious, and I cannot be callous toward their mindset as well - even if it was unprofessional. But will agree that once a man is down, he needn''t be kicked any further. He''s subdued.

Don''t break the law and all this would have been avoided in the first place too.

[love4all2]

I remember when Rodney King got the *** kicked out of him. This stupid town went nuts. That is why they are not trying to even justify the beating and firing everyone. they do not want to get caught up in another racial civil riot. Even if some of the cops were black it is easier to fire them then to say "hey we got some bad boys here that got roughed up and going to jail" end of story. It always comes down to one thing and one thing only race. I personally dont care if you are black white or friggin pink with purple polka dots. if you go around shooting people you are either gonna get the *** kicked out of you or killed. kids now days are stupid. they cant think for themselves and end up following some loser and paying the price for it.

[hunterdon6]

I guess the court system is only good for criminals and not for law agencies. Maybe the thugs deserved it or maybe not. Its up to the court system to decide. Those 3 guys must of been idiots not to obey the police officers in the first place. If they did what they were told to do, nobody would of got hurt. The police offers did what was needed to subdo the felons.

[jboxton]

That video gave me a warm and happy feeling deep in my heart. Good for those cops!

[bigtaco10]

ICI2I, what is wrong with you left wing idiots. Is your brain so withered that you can''''t talk about anything without blaming Cheney or Bush.
-------------------------
It''s still their fault! No one else to blame...nothing to see, here!

[love4all2]

also the guys in the car gave them a reason to yank them out and beat them. probably did not obey commands

[credibility2]

It''s never right for law enforcement to over-react. However, when criminals flee, are suspects to a crime just having been committed and who refuse to honor, respect and heed officers warnings and for doing their job, one can see why something like this occurs and the fact that this came on the heels of an officer being murdered just added fuel to the fire. I feel more sorry for the police officers than I do for these criminal thugs. The police were the ones victimized in this situation.

[bobnjersey]

[I''''m gonna give you some good info... You want to saty out of jail or not get a beaten... DON"T BREAK THE LAW.]
[Posted by guyfrompa45 at 04:01 PM : May 19, 2008]

the juris prudence in this country is innocent until proven guilty ... although it''s getting harder and harder to tell that each day. these ''suspects'' have not been found guilty ... and it''s not within the rights of the officers to make that determination.

[bobnjersey]

[3 murderers get pulled out of a car and get beaten. Where exactly IS the problem here? ]
[Posted by jboxton at 03:22 PM : May 19, 2008]

so you can tell they''re murderers from 30 seconds of a news helicopter camera?

then why did they even bother to go near the car ... they could have stood at a distance and done a sean bell on them ... unload all their available rounds into the car ... like bonnie and clyde.

[cactuscat2]

Good for the cops. They should not be fired. The television helicopter should mind their own *** business and stop trying to capture things on tape, which they only give their side of the story. Those cops had to chase those punk suspects that would not pull over.. by the way the suspects were involved in a shooting. I would have beat them up to....no matter what color, creed or national origin. They do not need a lawyer, they need to learn to make a living by not pulling guns out on folks. Helloooooooooo.

[soshljustic]

Since fact finding must still occur, were the youths involved in the shooting just previous to the pull-over? If so, that explains the high intensity and anxiety of the responding officers to a vehicle of armed and murderous youths, however, if not armed and murderous there exists no explanation for the high anxiety and intesity of the pull-over. The firing is simple social appeasement to reduce social tension but does not resolve many other questions which remain, and after those questions are answered, what of the appropraite litigation? Either Jail and charge the youths or jail and charge the officers with assault/assault with weapon(baton) as would occur in john Q public without a uniform on. The law is clear in that it is designed to protect citizens from an angry and over-anxiously armed government funded and supported militia. Citizens have the right to be free of such a tsarist militia regardless of personal fear and angst. Instead being that May is Mental Health awareness month and philly cops may be stressed or suffering latent PTSD which would precipitate such behavior, have the philly department get some neuro-psych testing and bench the cops at risk. This simple proactive measure may assist all police forces, since a psych eval is usually required for hire, ongoing evals make sense for this high stress job/career.

[it_oldtimer]

It looks to me like the police officers involved in this public outrage were very clearly the only "criminal thugs" caught on that video.

This actually happens all the time, all over this country; it''s just too seldom documented on videotape this way, that''s all. Thankfully, that''s changing very rapidly now that almost everybody carries a little video camera built-in to their cell phones.

I have no pity whatsoever for police thugs like those caught on the video. I hope they all face professional delicensure and both civil and criminal prosecution to the full extent of the law for their totally inexcusable behavior.

Apparently only we citizens have the power (or the will) to bring about the necessary changes to police behavior, by capturing and publicizing any and all of these incidents on-camera.

[love4all2]

while some of the comments on here are down right stupid. some people make some sense. We have laws that we live by daily and these guys were just involved in a shooting. I think the cops over reacted and used excessive force. however if the guys in the car did not obey commands i can see why they would have yanked them out but beating them thats another story. I can also clearly see why they fired the officers because they dont want a riot on their hands. A riot it not fun. mandatory curfew is not fun. watching a town be so divided and having good long standing business burned and looted. this is why they fired the cops. LA was a horrible place to live after Rodney King. That idiot did not obey one command because he was on a crack high. He was beat to the ground. This town was crazy. anyone living in LA county was on a madatory curfew and business were being burned and looted it was awful so i can understand why PA is doing what it is doing.

[redlipsahead]

Guess What. Obey the Laws and you won''t have problems with the Philadelphia Police.

[vitajay85]

Some of you wouldn''t be talking this way about these guys deserving a beating from the cops IF they were white! Get real! I''m not making an excuse for any wrongdoing of criminals, but this was NOT right! There were MORE cops than criminals on this scene. I know the upset because of the cop being murdered, but this was outrageous and a sign of no control on the part of the cops.

[jumkey]

Guess What. Obey the Laws and you won''''t have problems with the Philadelphia Police.

Posted by redlipsahead

You''re right. I hope those now ex-cops and every other cop who feels they can break the law with impunity will take your advice.

[it_oldtimer]

I just have to shake my head in wonder at the pro-police comments posted here.

Those of you supporting these cops actions would be singing an entirely different tune if YOU had been the ones being beaten on that video -- and the sad fact is that it COULD happen to anybody, for any reason, at any time. Cops go after the wrong person, or anybody that just happens to match the general description of who they''re out to beat, all the time.

If you don''t think it could happen to you, even though you have done nothing at all wrong, then you really are naive.

To the cops reading this: just remember - you can NEVER know for sure who''s watching you and videotaping you, and everything you do! Act accordingly...

[bobnjersey]

[... were the youths involved in the shooting just previous to the pull-over? If so, that explains the high intensity and anxiety of the responding officers to a vehicle of armed and murderous youths]
[Posted by soshljustic at 05:02 PM : May 19, 2008]

nobody has all the info from the content of these stories and the video ... but ... would a police officer approach a car full of suspects that they believed had firearms?

if you look at the video ... they go right up and open the doors ... pull the guys out ... and start kicking them.

[jumkey]

"but this was outrageous and a sign of no control on the part of the cops."

Posted by vitajay85

What? Cops should be subject to the same laws and rules that we''re held to? Are you suggesting that the rules should apply to EVERYONE equally, even police officers?

What country do you live in?

The law shouldn''t apply if you are rich or white or a police officer or any authority figure. And it especially shouldn''t apply if there is no videotape of a crime being committed.

[bobnjersey]

[... They are simple murdering thugs! Why does anyone care how they were treated?]
[Posted by mortal3 at 05:25 PM : May 19, 2008]

watch the video again ... cops going right up to the doors of the car and removing the ''murdering thugs'' that were just shooting out the window?

i don''t think so!

[soshljustic]

Unfortunately, it is never a matter of just needing to obey laws then a person wont have problems with the police. Blatently untrue, because police are people too. Power and control issues abound in society and often reside behind badges, uniforms, offices, and print options. The issue is far more complex than simply obeying the law. If only it were so black and white, things would be far easier.

[soshljustic]

Hi bobnjersey! Not unless they thought they dumped the weapons first or somewhere along the path before the car stopped. Yes your right it does not give the officers the right to wail away on the boys, and being a similar victim of police brutality I know firsthand the look in the eye of a couple of officers in process. So Zimbardo its frightening. You cannot reason with this human in that state of mind on their turf. It is purly power and control and part of the human condition which is inherent in the human animal!

[veteran72]

Very very unlikely. First of all, I would never shoot or harm anyone. Second of all, if I did become the victim of mistaken identity by a cop, I would pull over and cooperate completely.
These a''''holes were murdering scum. I don''''t blame those cops at all.


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Posted by mortal3 at 05:29 PM : May 19, 2008
+ report abuse

Can I borrow your Crystal ball for a while???
I need Wed''s Powerball numbers, then you can go back to seeing who''s guilty and innocent.....LOL....

[bobnjersey]

[It doesn''''t matter whether they were black or white or whatever! They are simple murdering thugs! Why does anyone care how they were treated?]
[Posted by mortal3 at 05:25 PM : May 19, 2008]

you sound like one of the characters from the old westerns who immediately jump to conclusions and assume someone is guilty ... ready to string them up on the tree w/ your trusty rope. this character is usually played by the guy w/ no teeth and can''t read.

is there actually a murder victim? does it tie to the weapon? was the weapon in the possession of the suspects? were there any witnesses to the crime?

they''re just suspects until you can answer all those questions. thank god for those who don''t think like you.

[beehive21-2009]

Your watching the down fall of the United States,when punks are given the benefit of the law.The only mistake the police made is not shooting the punks.The citizens will take care of it.

[soshljustic]

"Your watching the down fall of the United States,when punks are given the benefit of the law.The only mistake the police made is not shooting the punks.The citizens will take care of it." Ha Ha!! I believe your advocating for the downfall of the constitution with this comment. Hilarious and while not a slam to the treat, totally cracker jack.


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[sistatee-2009]

No doubt, the three shooting thugs got their stimulus checks today.

[love4all2]

people...you need to keep in mind that there was a murder of an officer a few days before. I have a few cops as clients and I have asked many times why does this always seem to happen. they are on overload. they want to capture the scum that killed their partner.

another question if everyone on here is so high and mighty what would you do in a situation like this when your emotions are running high? these people are brave enough to stand up and try to protect the law abiding citizens and then they gets some crazy kids who were involved in a shooting and trying to control the situation and it got out of hand.

[CBSTV]

Right ... If a person evades the government or is wanted on suspicion of a crime, it is permissible to beat them -- just like we do to those "enemy combatants."

[soshljustic]

"If I see red lights behind me, I pull over and keep my hands on the wheel. I have never been pulled from my car and beaten by the cops."
All in good time Tramplers.I was arrested for having a seizure in public and making a accomodation to get out of seizure inducing lighting. Seizures have been known to occur to those using and abusing alcohol and drugs. I was roughed up by police. I have epilepsy and had epilepsy surgery in 2002 and still seizure after epilepsy surgery, but not 35-50 times a day like I was pre-surgery. Police, as humans, interpret reasons behind peoples actions in illegal light, always as is their training. They did not see me, they saw something else. This can occur to you, dont kid yourself. Beauty and crime is in the eye.

[stn_sage]

It sounds to me like there were enough police present that they should have been able to make a lawful arrest without excessive use of force!

The Philadelphia Police Department and the City of Philadelphia are acting responsibly in taking action against these police officers for their misconduct!

Rarely, do officials even make the attempt to ''do what''s right'', instead attempting to cover-it-up or suppress it. The pertinent officials should be praised for the handling of this case!

[ponco seno]

"Philly Cops Fired After Videotaped Beating"


This is Bull$***, the scum needed the beating.

[ponco seno]

Right ... If a person evades the government or is wanted on suspicion of a crime, it is permissible to beat them -- just like we do to those "enemy combatants."


Posted by studio41 at 06:29 PM : May 19, 2008




They were beating on scum not on grandma waking her grandkids.

[hwy1702]

you need to keep in mind that there was a murder of an officer a few days before. they are on overload. they want to capture the scum that killed their partner.
these people are brave%u2026%u2026and trying to control the situation and it got out of hand.
Posted by love4all2

If the ******* police cannot control their overload then take a job at McDonalds. Really brave 19 cops against 3 civilians. You%u2019re an idiot love4all2

[soshljustic]

"The Philadelphia Police Department and the City of Philadelphia are acting responsibly in taking action against these police officers for their misconduct!"
I agree, and further applaud Shirley Creighton in her short interview as supportive of the police commissioner office to investigate further and take appropriate action rather than jump the gun. No need for trigger happy solutions to solve the impulsive actions shown so far. Doing so will only polarize, and blow things ridiculously out of the already current horrendous porportions. Too much haste will leave a trail of additional human waste(we''ve witnessed already) if punishment is meted out prior to the needed fact-finding investigation.

[Syndicate]

No Charges? ***?

[soshljustic]

"The Philadelphia Police Department and the City of Philadelphia are acting responsibly in taking action against these police officers for their misconduct!"
I agree, and further applaud Shirley Creighton in her short interview as supportive of the police commissioner''s office to investigate further and take appropriate action rather than jump the gun. No need for trigger happy solutions to solve the impulsive actions shown so far. Doing so will only polarize, and blow things ridiculously out of the already current horrendous porportions. Too much haste will leave a trail of additional human waste(we''ve witnessed already) if punishment is meted out prior to the needed fact-finding investigation.

[Syndicate]

I think cops that break the law should be treated like the criminals they are.