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Wildwood police release bodycam video of violent arrest
By Nicole Darrah
Published May 30, 2018
Police in Wildwood, New Jersey on Wednesday released bodycamera footage of the violent and controversial arrest of a 20-year-old woman suspected of underage drinking.
Emily Weinman, of Philadelphia, was on the beach with her 18-month-old daughter, boyfriend and a friend on Saturday when she was approached by police officers who believed she was drinking alcohol.
In the footage, Weinman takes a breathalyzer test and the officer says he's going to have her pour the alcohol out. But the situation escalates when Weinman refuses to give the officers her last name. One officer is heard saying saying he's "done with" her and works with another cop to try to arrest the woman.
She runs away, shouting profanities and telling the officers not to handcuff her. "You're about to get dropped," the officer responds.
NJ OFFICER SEEN PUNCHING WOMAN IN THE HEAD DURING ARREST AT POPULAR BEACH; POLICE INVESTIGATE
Weinman resists arrest and as the officer continues to approach, she "forcibly struck" him in the torso, Police Chief Robert Regalbuto said — an action he claimed turned the officer's body camera off. It was apparently reactivated as the two struggled in the sand.
The officer punches the woman twice — as voices in the background could be heard shouting "stop resisting" — before Weinman spits in the direction of one of the officers.
Wildwood mayor reacts to video of officer punching beachgoer
Ernie Troiano admits he was stunned by the footage of police in Wildwood, New Jersey punching a woman twice and putting her in a chokehold, but says the officers were 'understanding of what they did.'
The officers involved in the incident were identified by the Wildwood Police Department as Patrolmen Thomas Cannon, John Hillman and Robert Jordan.
Weinman's arrest and the way the officers handled the situation remains under investigation. The incident drew national media attention after a bystander posted video of Weinman getting punched to Twitter.
The police chief told NJ.com that from watching the video, he thinks the officers "did a decent job."
"I think we could have done a better job at trying to explain to her, but it didn't appear Ms. Weinman wanted to hear what we had to say," Regalbuto said. "She tried to tell us it was okay for her to possess alcohol and that doesn't make any sense."
Weinman's lawyer, Stephen Dicht, said the bodycamera footage doesn't change anything and "shows the police overreacted and used excessive force."
The officers involved have since been reassigned to administration duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/wildwood-police-release-bodycam-video-of-violent-arrest