Video of arrest leads to review of officers' actions

Louisville Metro Police officials are reviewing the way two officers handled an arrest after a video of the incident – alleging excessive use of force – has circulated on social media.

The video, titled "Police in Louisville ky beating my friend" showed two officers shouting for suspect Montez Williams to get out of his white Chevrolet Monte Carlo, pulling him out and onto the ground before one of the officers struck him three times.

The officer shouted, "Give me your hands now," but the angle of the camera, used by the other man in the car to record police actions, didn't show exactly where Williams was struck.

Williams shouted: "Oh my God. Somebody please help ... Somebody call 9-1-1. They're beating on me."

The man with the camera yelled, "Hey, hey, you don't have to hit him."

Williams shouted at the officer, "You just assaulted me ... I've been respectful and everything."

The video had nearly 10,000 views on Youtube as of Wednesday night, with some commenting that the officers weren't well trained, pointing out that the suspects weren't armed and questioning if the officer beat the suspect in the head. Others defended police, stressing the need to comply with officer requests.

Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell referred reporters to a post on the department's Facebook page Wednesday night which read, in part,  "While control is often achieved through de-escalation tactics there are times when the use of reasonable physical force may be necessary in situations that cannot be otherwise controlled because the suspect remains non-compliant and/or reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or would reasonably be ineffective under the particular circumstances."

According to the department's preliminary information, an officer saw Williams "commit traffic violations" at 3:05 p.m. Saturday and then stopped the vehicle. The arrest complaint, filed by Officer John Chenault, accused Williams of failing to properly use his turn signal and having an expired registration decal.

Police say Williams pulled into a parking lot in the 1300 block of Berry Boulevard and switched seats with his passenger.

The officer walked up to the car, smelling a strong odor of marijuana, according to the arrest complaint, while one of the men insisted they didn't have drugs. Police body camera footage released Wednesday night shows Williams providing an officer with his name but then refusing to give his birthdate.

A second officer soon arrived on the scene, the body camera video shows, and both repeatedly asked and then shouted for Williams to get out of the car. At least one of the officers eventually calls for backup.

Both the civilian and police video shows Williams does not move, leading one officer and then the other to pull on Williams, who had one of his arms behind his back.

Williams shouted, "They're putting my face on the ground. They're handcuffing me. I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't resisted."

Despite his protests, neither video clearly shows attempts by Williams to follow officers' orders. The videos also show Williams and the other man in the car remaining calm as officers slowly raised their voices. Williams is not seen attacking the officers even though one officer can be heard reporting that the suspect was "fighting."

Police wrote in the arrest complaint that Williams pulled back as they tried to pull him out, tightening his arms close to his body.

At one point, an officer is seen putting a bright yellow stun gun against Williams' body and threatening to use it.

"The officers utilized force they deemed to be reasonable and necessary to bring Williams into compliance," according to the statement by the department.

Officers found a clear plastic bag with marijuana in the center console of the suspect's car, the citation notes. Williams was charged with possession of marijuana, resisting arrest and minor traffic offenses. No attorney information was listed in online court records as of late Wednesday. He is next due in court Oct. 20.

"LMPD supervisors responded to the scene to initiate a review of the entire incident," according to the department's statement. "That review, including the use of force, will be fully documented in an Administrative Incident Review report."

The department hasn't named the officers who made the arrest, so it's unclear who struck Williams.

The final report will be forwarded to Chief Steve Conrad, who will make the call whether a Professional Standards Unit investigation is necessary.

The department encouraged residents to view the longer video recorded by one of the officer's body cameras and to review the department's use-of-force policy. It's unclear whether the other officer's body camera was recording, as the department hasn't released footage from his camera.

Reporter Beth Warren can be reached at (502) 582-7164 or bwarren@courier-journal.com. Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com.