Video Shows White Saginaw Officer Grab Black Man, Slam Him to Ground and Repeatedly Punch Him While Kneeling On Him. Cop Charged w/Felony Battery. Cops Stopped Him for Walking in EMPTY Street @ Night
From [HERE] A white Michigan State Police trooper is facing criminal charges for repeatedly punching a small, Black man during an arrest, an incident that was captured on video.
Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark on the afternoon of Friday, March 3, arraigned MSP Trooper Paul E. Arrowood, 43, on single counts of common law offense or misconduct in office and assault and battery. The former is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, while the latter is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Arrowood appeared for the arraignment via Zoom, seated within a vehicle. [how convenient to know there is no real possibility of pre-trial detainment for what would be an aggravated assault charge for non-cops]
According to the MSP, Arrowood and his partner were on patrol the night of Sept. 4 when they saw 28-year-old Michael D. Wilson walking on Webber Street near Julius Street on Saginaw’s South Side. According to Arrowood’s own report, the troopers initiated contact with Wilson for not walking on the sidewalk. No other people or cars are present and the small Black man’s conduct of walking seemed to interfere with no one at the time of arrest.
The video footage shows the troopers exit their vehicle and immediately approach Wilson, whose face is blurred out of the video to make it look less racial?, with Arrowood putting his hands on Wilson’s right arm. SO, cops approached, physically stopped him from walking and immediately put their hands on him with no explanation “because authority” in free range prison
“Time out, time out, time out,” Wilson tells the troopers as they try leading him to their vehicle. “I ain’t even doing nothing. I’m not even doing nothing. Ya’ll got your cameras on? Please do.”
Arrowood slams Wilson to the ground, who ends up chest-down. Wilson yells for help and says he can’t get his hands behind his back.
“Roll the (expletive) over,” Arrowood yells as Wilson continues screaming for help.
The other trooper pulls his Taser and says he’ll stun Wilson, while Arrowood grapples with him. Arrowood then repeatedly punches Wilson, calling him a “little b****.” Wonderful compulsory service (here, means undeclinable service) from public masters who have been delegated uncontrollable power to initiate unprovoked acts of violence onto citizen-servants, whom they are empowered to rule over, “voluntarily.” How did cops acquire this magical power that no citizens could have delegated to police?
“Put your hands behind your (expletive), (expletive) back,” Arrowood says as he keeps punching and kneeing Wilson.
Several more troopers arrive on the scene. They get Wilson on his feet and place him against a patrol vehicle as they frisk him, Arrowood asking him about a gun.
“I ain’t got no gun, ain’t never had no gun,” Wilson shouts.
“He just beat my ass,” he yells to the other troopers. “You a racist ass b****. Thank you for beating my ass. I hope your camera is on. He whupped my ass for no reason.”
Troopers lodged Wilson in the Saginaw County Jail on a charge of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. Prosecutors declined to charge Wilson with a crime related to the Sept. 4 incident.
The MSP suspended Arrowood on Sept. 30. He is to remain on unpaid suspension until his criminal case is resolved.
“The actions of Tpr. Paul Arrowood fall outside of MSP policy and procedure and they constitute an unwarranted use of force,” stated Col. Joe Gasper, director of the MSP. “The members of the Michigan State Police are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, and we will tolerate no less. When we fall short of this standard, we will hold our members accountable.”
MSP added it has two more use-of-force cases pending prosecutor review, which could result in criminal charges against troopers. Those incidents are not related to the Arrowood matter, the agency said.
Grosse Pointe Farms attorney Paul Tylenda appeared at Arrowood’s arraignment and asked Judge Clark to enter a not-guilty plea. In arguing for bond, Tylenda said his client has no criminal history, resides in Flushing, and is not a flight risk.
“I don’t believe the scope of this case presents a danger to the community [as long as he is not police],” Tylenda said.
Clark set a $7,5000 personal recognizance bond for Arrowood, though he ordered Arrowood to visit the Saginaw County Jail to be booked and fingerprinted. As a condition of his bond, Arrowood is to have no contact with his alleged victim.
In October 2020, an MSP internal investigation found Arrowood violated departmental policies during a traffic stop conducted that July on a Black civilian in Buena Vista Township. The incident involved the civilian having a legally owned pistol in his truck.
The civilian did not immediately tell officers he had the gun in his vehicle. When the Arrowood and a fellow trooper saw it, they pulled their weapons and confronted the man, placing him in handcuffs. After about 20 minutes, the troopers released the motorist from the cuffs.
The civilian filed complaints with Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the MSP, alleging racial discrimination against Arrowood and the other trooper.
First Lt. Brody Boucher of the MSP’s Professional Standards wrote the investigation cleared the other trooper, but found Arrowood violated policies.
Boucher wrote he is prohibited by law from disclosing what corrective actions have been or will be taken against Arrowood due to the finding.
Arrowood is to appear for a preliminary examination at 10 a.m. on March 21.