The FBI said Tuesday it is investigating whether any civil rights violations occurred in the death of a black man who was repeatedly struck by police with metal batons. The FBI will report the findings from its preliminary inquiry to the Department of Justice's civil rights division, which will decide whether a full investigation is justified, said Michael Brooks, a spokesman for the FBI's Cincinnati office. He refused to give further details. The Cincinnati chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People called for a federal investigation months ago, alleging that police used excessive force Nov. 30 on Nathaniel Jones, 41, of Cincinnati. Video from restaurant surveillance cameras and a police cruiser showed that Jones knocked over one officer before others jabbed or struck him more than two dozen times with nightsticks. The 350-pound Jones stopped breathing shortly after he was handcuffed. Last week, a police watchdog agency concluded that officers used excessive force, saying they could have backed off and allowed Jones time to comply with their commands. The city manager will decide whether the officers should be disciplined. [more]
A big question in the Jones death involves a 97-second gap near the beginning of the tape. Before the gap, the police can be seen talking to Jones; afterward, he charges at them. Many black community leaders contend those missing seconds might have shown that police provoked the attack. [more]
On Monday Court TV released what they call an "unedited version" of the video. However, this tape is simply longer than what had been previously been shown. The begining portion of the tape is still missing. See the tape here [more]
