A Texas police officer was suspended over the weekend after video footage of him violently arresting a group of teenagers at a pool party surfaced. The girl who was seen being grabbed by her hair and thrown to the ground by the officer says his actions warrant a more severe punishment.
Dajerria Becton, 15, explained her encounter with McKinney Police Department Cpl. Eric Casebolt to Fox 4:
He grabbed me, twisted my arm on my back and shoved me in the grass and started pulling the back of my braids, Becton said. I was telling him to get off me because my back was hurting bad.
Becton tried to get up, but Casebolt pinned her to the ground holding her down with both knees. She was eventually released to her family, who weren't happy with how the teen was treated.
Although Casebolt was reprimanded, Becton told Fox 4 that Casebolt deserves worse. "Him getting fired is not enough," she said. In addition, McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller released a statement detailing how "disturbed and concerned" he was by the incident:
Our expectation as a City Council is that our police department and other departments will act professionally and with appropriate restraint relative to the situation they are faced with. Our City Management and Police Chief are investigating the situation as required, and I have faith that they will conclude the investigation expeditiously and take appropriate action. We will continue to monitor the situation through our City Manager’s office and will continue to work with community leaders as we follow this investigative process.
[via Fox 4]
