Police Probe Arrest Of Rutgers Student
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP/CBSNewYork) -- Authorities have launched an investigation after a video was posted online showing a police officer punching a Rutgers University student during an arrest.
Elliot Marx, 20, was arrested after a large fight involving about 50 people outside an off-campus house party on Stone and Prosper Streets in New Brunswick around 1 a.m. Saturday.
1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg with an attorney for Marx who says his clients posed no threat to officers
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The video, which appears to have been recorded on a cell phone from a balcony overlooking the scene, shows a New Brunswick police officer punching the Lindenhurst, N.Y., resident. Another officer is heard shouting: "Stop resisting! Give me your hand."
WCBS 880 Reporter Levon Putney with New Brunswick PD on the video that is "part of the investigation."
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Police Lt. J.T. Miller tells The Home News Tribune of East Brunswick Marx had jumped on an officer's back. He did admit to WCBS 880's Levon Putney "the video does show an officer punching the individual," adding "the video is a small part of the incident."
"The video was brought to our attention and we are reviewing it and investigating it to see if there is any wrongdoing or excessive force or something that shouldn't have been done," Miller told 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg.
Marx was charged with resisting arrest, aggravated assault on a police officer and obstruction. Attorney John Koufos said his client posed no threat to the officers as he was pinned to the ground by at least five police officers and struck several times in the head and face.
"My client's position is he didn't even know they were police officers until they started yelling stop resisting," Koufos said.
A second man was charged with disorderly conduct.
Internal Affairs investigators are interviewing witnesses and examining footage from a police car video camera to determine if the use of force was justified.
Koufos applauded the police department for investigating the incident and has said he does not want the public prejudging his client or police.
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
