Body cam shows cop joking about punching man in head 12 times
Surveillance video, https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=e89_1519765176
Surveillance video showing Camden County Police Officer Nicholas Romantino punching a man 12 times in the head sparked outrage when it became public in February. Even the police chief said he was 'extremely disturbed' by it.
But Romantino and a few other officers apparently had a laugh about the violent arrest of Edward Minguela just a few minutes later, according to body camera footage from the night of the Feb. 22 arrest.
Obtained through a public records request, the video shows Romantino showing his swollen knuckles to an officer who says of Minguela, "That guy. He's always giving us a hard time, that guy."
"Not anymore," Romantino quipped, eliciting a few chuckles from his colleagues.
Minguela, 32, of Camden was arrested after officers responded to reports of a man with a gun. However, no gun was found on or near Minguela after he was taken into custody, authorities have said.
Minguela has threatened to sue police and the county prosecutor for alleged civil rights violations over the police stop on the street in the Fairview section of Camden, his attorney, Devon Jacob of Pennsylvania, has said.
Jacob has demanded the prosecutor's office drop Minguela's charges of resisting arrest and obstruction. Those charges, however, remain active in municipal court.
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