Man Beaten By Police On YouTube Is Charged
MIAMI (CBS4) - Last week CBS4 first aired video from YouTube which showed Miami police officers punching an unarmed man as he laid on the ground in Coconut Grove on Halloween night. The Miami police department has launched an internal investigation into the officer's actions.
Now a South Florida attorney who represents the man being punched by police in the video is speaking out. Ricardo Martinez-Cid said 22-year old Gilberto Matamoros was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"These police officers picked Gilbert out of the crowd and they decided to take out their frustrations on him for what happened that night," said Martinez-Cid.
Martinez-Cid said during the arraignment hearing he was taken by surprise by the prosecutor.
"We were told by the prosecutors that they were going to drop all the charges and not move forward at all," said Martinez-Cid. "(But) As I understand it, as of 8 o'clock this morning (Wednesday) the state was going to file a no action. But I understand they may have changed their mind."
Matamoros has been formally charged with resisting arrest without violence.
"All he tried to do is cover his head, until he passed out. They beat him until he was unconscious, and they had to take him to Jackson," said Martinez-Cid.
Martinez-Cid said he did nothing wrong and shouldn't be penalized for being in an unruly.
"Gilbert is a good kid, he actually mentors kids, he's worked for the police athletic league," said Martinez-Cid.
Matamoros' friends said he never wanted this kind of attention, but since he's been charged he wants to clear his name.
The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for January 10th.
