Alabama Police Video Shows Officers Beating Unconscious Man After Rollover Crash

After a year under wraps, Alabama cops hand over tape showing officers beating accident victim who gave chase.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Police in Hoover, Alabama, near Birmingham, have released a videotape showing five officers beating an unconscious man who crashed his vehicle while being chased by police.

The pursuit, beating and arrest of suspect, 38-year old Anthony Shannon Warren in March 2008, actually led to the firing of four white officers and one black officer; the ones shown in the video.

The officers who attacked the man were from Birmingham Police. A police officer who Warren struck with his vehicle during the chase, is from Hoover Police.

The chase in March 2008 from everything I know, was the type of event that places a cop at maximum stress level. The fact that the man appears to run down a Hoover officer who was setting up spike strips, in the line of duty, is the kind of thing that takes law enforcement right to the edge with human anger and rage, understandably.

What happened with regard to the officers' lack of restraint was clearly something that is unacceptable to this society; crook or not the guy they beat wasn't even awake. But it is clear that they are "in the moment" and probably have their hearts racing at maximum speed.

The incident stands in stark contrast to the recent beating of an Arizona preacher at a Border Patrol checkpoint. In that event the man was repeatedly tased, then drug from his car and had his face scrubbed with broken glass. He also appears to receive a general, overall beating.

The Alabama officers in Birmingham, as bad as their actions appear to be, were dealing with one of the most serious situations they may experience in their careers.

The Arizona DPS officers and Border Patrol agents who attacked the Baptist minister were merely peeved and "getting some" as police often say. There was no obvious threat, just a Civil Rights crusader who believes his 4th Amendment Right protects him from illegal search and seizure inside his country's borders.

Yet an endless number of people claiming to be law enforcement, have contacted Salem-News.com to state that the officers and agents at the checkpoint believed they were in danger. I don't believe that they felt they were in danger. They didn't act like people who believed their lives were in danger, based on the video tape.

I don't know how to process that, but I would clearly say that the Hoover, Alabama officer struck by a fleeing vehicle, shown on the tape, does know what it is like to have his life in danger, and he would probably not appreciate that reality of "danger" being used as a constant excuse for bad or even illegal behavior by police.

The problem in Alabama with both departments, is that they weren't forthright; and the video was not brought into the light until Hoover Police made their case against the suspect, Warren. What they provided to the DA was the footage with the officer being struck by the car, but the police beating hit the editing room floor.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis admitted this week that the video turned over to the Jefferson County prosecutors, was indeed the edited version that left out the shots of five Birmingham police officers beating Warren as he lay unconscious on the ground.

Brandon Falls with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, says Hoover's Police Department did fail to disclose that the video was edited.

Derzis however, says one of his detectives was up front with prosecutors before Warren's trial date, that the original tape had more footage that was left off, according to The AP.

The five Birmingham officers were fired by their police chief, A.G. Roper, on Tuesday. Now the case is in the hands of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. They are investigating the beating and the agency's story surrounding the edited video.

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Keely Espanet July 18, 2009 1:36 pm (Pacific time)

I don't know if any of you are from Birmingham, AL, but just to let everyone in on a little secret, it's not the first time a cop has beaten someone like that. We are protected from beatings like that in the constitution. Cruel and unusual punishment is wrong no matter what the criminal did. Those police officers were wrong for beating an unconscious man who was not putting up a fight at that moment. That is what due process is for. The police do not and have never had the right to inflict punishment other than arresting someone. The criminal was wrong, but did not deserve that, especially from our police force. That makes Alabama look real bad. I'm in school for Criminal Justice and this goes against everything that the police stand for. To serve and protect, not to beat and maim. But that is just my opinion.

Brian June 2, 2009 11:10 am (Pacific time)

The criminal got what he deserved. End of story.

Daniel May 27, 2009 4:13 pm (Pacific time)

A clockwork orange comes to America !

Richard Childress May 24, 2009 5:53 pm (Pacific time)

I have seen this kind of beating before. Gangbangers call it a "rat pack". See the officer in tan, using both fists to beat the mans head? Typical gang style beating.

antonio de la capacha May 24, 2009 3:36 pm (Pacific time)

"It wasn't just an innocent bystander, it was an actual police officer trying to stop the car". WHAT, DOES IT MATTER? Do you imply that a policeman life should be noted as twice the value. These five cops are just as guilty as the suspected criminal there were trying to apprehend. Dumba**** were just a huge liability to their department. Law enforcement means just that...enforce the law and let the court system take care of the rest. Soon after watching the "Alabama beating" I honestly can't differentiate who is more dangerous. In Fact, it gets even scarier to see someone who allegedly swear to uphold the law, run back to his squad car and shut down the video camera......I can't wait to hear their explanation for such a imbecile behavior.

JS May 24, 2009 9:36 am (Pacific time)

cvdl: I think you missed my point. I was trying to make the point that the cops have no right to go beyond their authority and break the law the way they did.

cvdl May 23, 2009 10:09 pm (Pacific time)

JS : we really don't care to be good Americans when we witness such a coward violence from men supposed to apply the law. At the opposite, it gives the idea to rebel against authority. Most of cops are just people like you are : unable of self restraint and, above all, drunk by the power that wearing a gun gives them.

JS May 23, 2009 12:29 pm (Pacific time)

Couple of things: First to the author. Don't use the word "drug" as the past tense of "drag." It makes you look very badly educated. There's no such word. The past tense of "drag" is "dragged." Second to Anonymous. Do you not believe in the rule of law? Do you not believe in trial by jury? Perhaps you believe that cops should be prosecutor, defense, judge, jury, and executioner. I don't. I don't think good Americans do.

jimmy May 23, 2009 11:32 am (Pacific time)

Thats what you get in the new police state for hitting one of their own, a post-accident smackdown by some punk with a badge. Too bad he is probaly getting hired by some other department as I write this.

Daniel May 22, 2009 7:25 pm (Pacific time)

When will these guys realize , with the cameras its no longer business as usual ! How long has this kind of behavior been going on pre camera ? I do not think it was the first time they beat the crap out of the suspect , it was too much a natural unrestrained reaction . The crash is also a good case for wearing a seat harness . More than likely the perpetrator , of the chase that almost killed the officer , will get off plus receive a large settlement payed for by the taxpayers . The police have to learn they are enforcement not judge and jury . There actions made everyone losers , even the perpetrator who will have lifetime problems from the injuries .

Adam May 22, 2009 4:45 pm (Pacific time)

good they are fired they are cops and should act like one

Anonymous May 22, 2009 2:55 pm (Pacific time)

He just nailed that innocent bystander. An eye for an eye. He was unconscious so that little 'beating' they gave him was somewhat deserved in my opinion. It's not like they had their nightsticks out or anything. If I was the pedestrian that got swiped by that van I would have wanted the same thing for him. Sorry if it seems rude to say that.

Editor: It wasn't just an innocent bystander, it was an actual police officer trying to stop the car. What the guy did was terrible, but I disagree that it automatically allows the police to act as criminals, no way.

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Alabama Police Video Shows Officers Beating Unconscious Man After Rollover Crash

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