Mother Says Son Was Surrendering, Not Resisting During Bed-Stuy Bodega Arrest
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said it's well known that he doesn't comment on alleged brutality cases while they are being investigated.
The commissioner said the release of the video of the arrest of Thomas Jennings was timed so it would be a one-sided story, but Jennings' mother Deidra said the video speaks for itself.
She said her son's hands were up and he was surrendering to the police, not resisting.
"Once they handcuffed him, why'd they have to keep hitting him?" she told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria.
Jennings was allegedly armed with a switchblade when he was cornered by cops inside of a Brooklyn bodega, The New York Post reported.
Mother Says Son Was Surrendering, Not Resisting During Bed-Stuy Bodega Arrest
Jennings had allegedly stolen oregano and pizza from a nearby chicken restaurant before being caught at Raslin Grocery in Bed-Stuy.
As the Post reported, images show an officer trying to detain Jennings as a second officer arrives and begins hitting him. Jennings was allegedly resisting arrest.
Jennings began a lawsuit over another arrest in 2014. His attorney said in that case cops broke his nose and the charges were eventually dropped.
According to a source, Jennings has two open warrants and twenty prior arrests, the Post reported.
Jennings faces charges for robbery, weapons, and resisting arrest.
