Several Birmingham Police Officers Caught on Tape Beating Black Man who had Surrendered
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From [HERE] and [HERE] Birmingham attorney, Charles Salvagio, has obtained surveillance video of an arrest which shows his client, Travarious Daniel, being hit and kicked by police officers as he was prone on the ground with his arms out.
Several Birmingham Police officers pile on a suspect, and beat him. Prior to the beating Daniel is standing with arms outstretched as he had apparently surrendered to police. Although over twenty blows are counted on the tape, the Alabama police report described the attack by police as "minimal force."
It was on march 20th on the 16 hundred block of 1st Ave North directly across from Birmingham Police Headquarters where 29-year old Travarious Daniel was arrested. Salvagio says, “My client wanted it to be shown to the public, because he didn't want anyone else to be treated like this.”
“We counted 5 officers and we quit counting the blows after 20, I'm going to let you be the judge. A guy comes out he has his hands up appears to me all you have to do put his hands behind his back and put him in the car, but I'll let the tape speak for itself,” says Salvagio.
According to the police report: undercover officers with the burglary unit say they saw Travarious Daniel illegally remove property from a vehicle. You can see Daniel step out of the car with his hands in the air, and it appears he is submitting to the officers orders. After the beating he is eventually arrested for unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle and receiving stolen property.
Internal Affairs and ABI Investigators are now involved with this case. The department's project ICE is also going after charges against Daniel for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mayor William Bell spoke with CBS 42 on the phone about the video.
“We going to give all parties involved due process and we want to tell the public is treated fairly by our men and women in the police uniform,” Bell says.
The arresting officer is out of service until the investigation is complete. The assisting arresting officer is already out of service for a medical condition. Salvagio says Daniel is recovering from his injuries which he did not describe in detail. Salvagio says the next step is dealing with the criminal case and seeing if there are any more legal matters
