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Journalism of Courage
A white police officer videotaped punching a black teenager during an arrest has been indicted for assault, his lawyer said. The man hailed a hero by Los Angeles Black activists for making the videotape tried to get his criminal record erased before he would cooperate with authorities, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Inglewood officer Jeremy Morse would surrender on Thursday to face a charge of assault under colour of authority, said lawyer John D. Barnett. Morse has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of federal, state and local investigations. The videotape made by bystander Mitchell Crooks shows Morse lifting a handcuffed Jackson to his feet and slamming the teen’s face into a car.
Morse, who has a streak of blood next to his ear, strikes Jackson on the face with his fist. Morse said in a police report that Jackson was arrested after he struggled with officers, scratched Morse above his ear and grabbed the officer’s testicles after being handcuffed. Morse punched Jackson to make him let go, the report says.
Crooks meanwhile attempted to barter the tape and his testimony in exchange for having his record wiped clean was revealed in transcripts of phone calls released by prosecutors in response to criticism for arresting the 27-year-old disc jockey as a fugitive.
