On Wednesday, New Jersey police released bodycam video which sheds light on the viral beating of a young girl by a beach officer.
Wednesdays footage of a cop punching a young girl in the head as he holds her face-down at the beach and the confrontation which preceded the sandy grappling serves as a compliment to the video which made headlines over the last few days.
In the nine minutes of additional context, Wildwood police are seen engaging 20-year-old Emily Weinman as she soaks up sun with her 18-month-old daughter, a friend, and her daughters father.
After discovering alcohol near her beach blankets, an officer orders her to take a Breathalizer test. I know that didnt come up positive. I didnt take a drink of anything, she says.
One of the cops states shes going to have to pour out her alcohol.
Off-camera, either she or her friend explains, We didnt even drink alcohol. Youre allowed to carry alcohol if youre under age. You are. Youre not allowed to drink it. And were not drinking it.
The officers tell the girls theyre guilty of possession/consumption. Open display you can see [the alcohol].
Okay, you can see it, one of the girls admits. And were not drinking it.
The video goes silent for several seconds, seemingly muting more than just names.
Emily states what she clearly believes are her rights:
I didnt do anything to disrespect you. You cant lock me up. I didnt disrespect you. I didnt do anything to you. Youre mad because you thought we were drinking.
Then more exchange between Weinman and the cop:
Wheres your aunt?
Shes on her way. You can wait here.
Whats your last name?
You dont need my last name.
The boys in blue arent particularly impressed:
Okay, thats it. Im done with you. (to the other officer) Do you have cuffs on you?
Dont touch me!
Youre about to get dropped.
She backs away.
Dont f***ing touch me! What are you doing?
She appears to push at the officers chest as he closes in on her.
The video then cuts to the maybe-100-pound-girl girl screaming as the cop mounts her and is holding her by the hair. She yells, Theyre choking me!
After more struggle, the cop warns, Thats it, and begins fist-smashing her in the head.
Both the puncher and the punched are cursing.
Weinman now faces multiple charges, including two counts of assault on a police officer.
I can only imagine people are going to have very different opinions of the video. So much so, that I dont want to even give mine. Id prefer to simply read your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Ill share my view, nonetheless, as a catalyst:
Firstly, in my opinion, the girl comes across as a self-entitled brat who could probably use being taken down a few notches. Secondly, the cop appears happy to abuse his power and beat a young girl in the head.
This is not the job of law enforcement. It is not their charge, place, right, or job to teach people a lesson. Their job is only to enforce the law. With as little force as possible. In this case, at issue was a citation. Nothing more. Emily Weinman may be obnoxious. But that is not the business of a public servant who is paid to bring only his best to his position.
The longer this went on, the more I was hoping someone would accidentally kick her in the head two or three times or just light her up with a Taser for a half-hour or so.
I would never have the patience to be a cop and deal with these assholes constantly.
Off-camera, either she or her friend explains, We didnt even drink alcohol. Youre allowed to carry alcohol if youre under age. You are. Youre not allowed to drink it. And were not drinking it.
And that will be not less than $500 for disorderly stupid.
NJ Rev Stat § 2C:33-15 (2013)
2C:33-15 Possession, consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under legal age; penalty.
1. a. Any person under the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages who knowingly possesses without legal authority or who knowingly consumes any alcoholic beverage in any school, public conveyance, public place, or place of public assembly, or motor vehicle, is guilty of a disorderly persons offense, and shall be fined not less than $500.00.
What makes you so sure she didn't have legal authority to possess it? Maybe she was carrying it for her adult friends,or just watching it for them?
She was UNDERAGE. It was ILLEGAL and IMPOSSIBLE for her to lawfully POSSESS an alcoholic beverage. It was a not less than $500 offense. I posted the New Jersey statute.
She was UNDERAGE. It was ILLEGAL and IMPOSSIBLE for her to lawfully POSSESS an alcoholic beverage. It was a not less than $500 offense. I posted the New Jersey statute.
Define "possess". Sounds to me like you think it is illegal for her to be on a beach,or maybe even in a state,where alcoholic beverages exist.
Was she not a part of a family group,at least one of whom was an adult,who at that particular moment was in the water with her child?
Was she not a part of a family group,at least one of whom was an adult,who at that particular moment was in the water with her child?
Nope the "aunt" she claimed was on the way never showed. The baby daddy was playing in the water some distance away. You may have noticed she screamed for him a half-dozen times and it took him a minute or so to show up (seen in the tape by the cops yelling at him to back off).
The baby daddy was playing in the water some distance away. You may have noticed she screamed for him a half-dozen times and it took him a minute or so to show up (seen in the tape by the cops yelling at him to back off).
Well,he was probably foolish enough to think there was no danger of his wife being attacked on a public beach in broad daylight.