14 DAY TRIAL // This clip of a police officer assaulting a woman during the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Philadelphia has caused a lot of controversy.
The Philadelphia PD is defending the violent officer's reputation, NBC Philadelphia reports.
The footage was uploaded on YouTube on Sunday, and it has already received almost 700,000 views, sparking debates about whether or not the officer was entitled to use force during this arrest.
It seems as though the spark was lit when two people in the crowd threw a liquid substance on the police officers controlling the crowds. The woman that received the violent treatment was among those people, and it is possible she was made an example of by the officer in question.
However, it appears that what was thrown at the officers was nothing else but silly string. She was immediately punched by the officer, with no prior warning, knocked to the ground and handcuffed. As she is taken away, you can actually see blood dripping off her face as a result of the blow.
The woman was identified as Aida Guzman, and she was cited for her inappropriate use of, of all things, silly string.
Police department officials have identified the man as Lt. Jonathon Josey. According to Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, Josey has a good reputation in the police force.
The first time Josey made headlines, it was after he was stabbed while trying to break up a fight between two women and an off-duty officer, outside a pub. Josey was off duty himself, and was quick to intervene to stop the quarrel.
On a different occasion, in 2010, he shot a man that was attempting a robbery at a convenience store near a local university. When this incident happened, Josey was off duty once again. The officer was exonerated for the shooting, and his use of a fire arm was considered justified.
