Columbus Police came to the Livingston Market convenience store after getting a tip to arrest Timothy Davis, who had many outstanding warrants for violent felonies. Davis, predictably, refused to comply when authorities sought to arrest him.
Davis refused to cooperate with cops, according to video footage taken by a spectator. Officers may be seen kicking, hitting, and hurling profanities at Davis as he continues to struggle. During the struggle, some of his hair was allegedly torn out, and his trousers and boxers had gone down to his knees. Davis is restrained after several minutes and transferred to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center for treatment of his wounds.
Officer Joseph Bogard was temporarily dismissed of duty after saying to another cop, “What did they tase him for?” Why don’t they strangle the f— out of him?” Davis soon launched a civil rights complaint against the city and the nine policemen involved, saying they used excessive force and discriminated against him because of his color. The complaint also claimed that authorities attempted to prevent spectators from recording.
After an inquiry, both the police department and the city refuted the allegations, claiming that the officers behaved in accordance with policy. Davis was also sought on other warrants for serious offences, including striking a police officer, they said. The city admitted that Officer Bogard’s statements were unacceptable, however that they were not their fault.
Rallies and rallies were organised to demand that Davis not only be transported to another medical institution for “better treatment” for his injuries, yet the cops involved be held accountable as well.
Following a protracted trial, a jury decided that the cops did not violate Davis’ civil rights and used proper force while arresting him. The court also ruled that the cops did not seek to prevent onlookers from recording and that all claims leveled against the nine officers were unfounded.
Davis was returned to his jail cell, where he will serve a 30-month term for attacking a police officer earlier. His solicitor has yet to respond to the verdict, and it is unknown if he will take further legal action.
The film is unpleasant to see since it depicts Davis’s horrible injuries and shame. Yet, as the court has determined, the police officers followed procedure and used an appropriate level of force to restrain and arrest their dangerous subject.
Although many thought Davis’ wounds and humiliation to be enough to convince the jury, his criminal past and responsiveness to police’ commands proved to be the last nail in his lawsuit’s coffin.
Davis has spent his life via violence and has therefore experienced the repercussions of his actions. It’s remarkable that a criminal may use violence to avoid punishment and earn only pity, but if an officer uses violence to apprehend that violent criminal, they are held accountable.
