White Cop Caught on Camera Brutally Beating Laotian Man, Officer Walks Free

June 22, 2017

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is pushing for an investigation after dash cam footage showed a cop arresting Anthony Promvongsa in Worthington, Minnesota, and using excessive force on him.

The incident, which occurred in July 28, 2016, demonstrates racial profiling and police brutality in the Worthington Police Department, Nobles County Sheriff’s Office, and the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force, according to the ACLU.

The video released by the civil rights group on Thursday shows Officer Joe Joswiak punching and kneeing Promvongsa, a then 21-year-old Laotian American man.

“Get the f*ck out of the car, motherf*cker!” Joswiak yells before another officer helps him pull Promvongsa out of the vehicle, putting him face down in the street and handcuffing him.

“Promvongsa was not given proper time to obey the officer’s orders before excessive force was used against him,” Teresa Nelson, executive director of the ACLU, said, according to City Pages.

“Agent Joswiak’s use of force against Anthony Promvongsa is disturbing and completely unnecessary. We are calling for an investigation of Agent Joswiak’s behavior and for him to be held accountable for his brutal attack on Anthony Promvongsa, up to and including termination and prosecution.”

Joswiak has not received any disciplinary action, according to the ACLU.

Promvongsa is accused of several aggressive acts toward the car of an off-duty Worthington police officer, including tailgating, swerving, making hand gestures out the window and closing in at high speed, the Star Tribune reported.

Promvongsa pleaded not guilty.

“I had no idea what was going on when I was approached and attacked by this officer,” Promvongsa said in a statement. “I did not even have the opportunity to take off my seatbelt before I was literally blindsided with this unnecessary attack. I immediately pulled over for the Worthington squad car and before I knew what was happening I was beat and ripped from my vehicle.”

The ACLU said in its post about the case:

“The officer reports regarding the incident make no mention of any suspicion that Anthony was committing a drug offense.”

“The police have charged Anthony with various offenses, the most serious being fleeing in a motor vehicle and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon — his car.”

The group added: “Agent Joswiak claims Anthony refused his order to leave his car, but the video contradicts this assertion. Instead it shows a textbook case of excessive force.”

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