Suspect In Aggressive South Side Arrest Appears In Court
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- During Wednesday's hearing, a judge ordered that all charges be held for court against Nathan Stanley III.
Back in May, a passerby caught cell phone video showing Stanley being repeatedly kicked and punched by Pittsburgh Police Officer Raymond Toomey while being held down on the sidewalk outside the Flats Bar on East Carson Street in the South Side.
Stanley appeared in court for his preliminary hearing Wednesday. Toomey was also there to testify.
"I think today went extraordinarily well. I think the hearing lasted over an hour. That's an hour's worth of evidence we can use moving forward at trial. We didn't have to produce any evidence whatsoever. It's outstanding," Stanley's attorney Blaine Jones said.
Toomey said Stanley threatened to shoot up the bar and believed he was reaching for his waistband at one point, and even put his hands on his collar. He said he resisted arrest several times.
"There was never a gun found. There were many allegations of a gun, but this man thoroughly searched, the area around him was thoroughly searched. No officer, there were at least two or three on scene, none of them ever found a gun, none of them ever found any type of ammunition, none of them ever found a holster, none of them ever found any type of weapon whatsoever," Jones said. "At no point in time does Mr. Stanley pose any type of threat to anyone. But you can see, at the end, Mr. Stanley being kicked and kneed in the head."
Two witnesses were also called to the stand to testify, the bouncer at the bar and a customer.
The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office says Officer Toomey's actions from the night of the incident are still under review.
Stanley's formal arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 7.