In a Chicago suburb, a police officer’s own camera caught him beating an unarmed motorist repeatedly with a metal baton. On March 28, Mandarino, a 15-year veteran of the police force, followed Ronald Bell in his car after he screeched his tires, authorities said.
The seven-minute video
,
captured by the squad car camera, shows Bell, 28, complying with the
officer’s orders as he kneels on the ground. Then, Mandarino unleashes
a series of blows, striking him 15 times with the baton until Bell
collapses, throwing his hands up to protect himself. The tape also
showed Mandarino using a Taser on the car’s passenger as he left the
vehicle.Officer James Mandarino was charged with official misconduct and aggravated battery, and was released on $50,000 bail. He is on administrative leave from the Streamwood Police Department.
But Ed Wanderling, Mandarino’s lawyer, said the silent video gives an incomplete version of the events and didn’t record the language Bell used toward the officer.
Bell was arrested that night and charged with resisting a police officer and reckless driving, but the charges have been dropped. The department became concerned after witnessing Bell’s extensive injuries in his mug shot, and reviewed the video from his arrest, the Chicago Tribune
reports. On the video, prosecutors say, Mandarino’s excessive use of force was blatant.More
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