ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (April 23) - An attorney says he plans legal action against police officers who handcuffed an unruly 5-year-old girl after she acted up in her kindergarten class.
A video camera, which was rolling March 14 as part of a classroom self-improvement exercise, captured images of the girl tearing papers off a bulletin board, climbing on a table and punching an assistant principal before police were called to Fairmount Park Elementary.
Then it shows the child appearing to calm down before three officers approach, pin her arms behind her back and put on handcuffs as she screams, "No!''
Largo lawyer John Trevena, who provided the tape to the media this week after obtaining it from police, says the officers went too far.
"The image itself will be seared into people's minds when you have three police officers bending a child over a table and forcibly handcuffing her,'' said Trevena, who represents the girl's mother, Inga Akins.
"It's incomprehensible ... There was no need for that,'' he added.
ABC News
The tape shows the girl lashing out at a school employee.
Police declined to comment, citing an official complaint by Akins that has sparked an investigation by the supervisor of the four officers who were present. Two are new officers who were being trained that day.
Spokesman Bill Proffitt said the investigation would be complete in about two weeks and the findings would be made public.
The 30-minute tape shows assistant principal Nicole Dibenedetto trying repeatedly to calm down the girl, who ignores her commands and begins punching her.
The child's mother was called but wasn't able to immediately come to the school.
After being placed in the back of a police cruiser, police released the girl to her mother after prosecutors informed them they wouldn't bring charges against a 5-year-old.
Well my thing is...if I was her mom I woulda beat the sh*t outta her for acting out cause the girl was clearly bad as hell, but the police were way outta line for what they did and know good and well that if that was a white girl...they wouldnt did all that. I mean damn...she is only 5...what damage could she have really done without havin 3 cops holding her down to cuff her.
The girl threw a dayum temper tantrum...I have seen worse in Wal-mart ok. I live in Anchorage and so far JUST THIS YEAR 4 kids UNDER 8 have been found guilty of **** other kids their age. These little monsters are the ones that need to be arrested. But they dont..."cause little bobbys just going through 'a phase'"...yeah right...little bobby defintately needs to be taking some mug shots right about now...
YEP, ONLY IN ST.PETE. I LIVE IN ST.PETE, FL AND IT WAS NOT TOO SURPRISING TO US WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE POLICE HERE CAN SOMETIMES GO A LITTLE TOO FAR WHEN COMES TO BLACKS HERE.
Lol, I just seen this on Daybreak this morning.....and quite frankly.....i have seen worse, MUCH worse
anyways
It was funny when she was getting arrested tho, she was all cryin and s**T, hey, that may have taught her a lesson.
p.s. she should have asked for her lawyer :lol:
I saw that joint on Current Affair. Her lil bad **** deserved it
...no FIVE year old deserves to be handcuffed over a tantrum!....i doubt u'd feel that way if three men arrested your five year old
MissJazzyAKA wrote:
How come they don't do that to those kids on nanny 911?!
..i know thats right....some of those kids...if they were mine id give them up for adoption :???:
If you saw the tape u kno she deserved it.... She was breakin shyt. Knockin stuff off the wall. The teacher tried to stop her and she started hittin the teacher. She needed some type or punishment. Aint like they Rodney Kinged her. They just gently put on the cuffs. They aint arrest her like they do grown people.