Baltimore City release bodycam of an officer placing gun against the suspects' temple during arrest
By: A Baltimore man is alleging excessive force against several Baltimore City police officers.
It comes after the court case against him was dismissed. The police department said its Public Integrity Bureau's Special Investigations Response Team began investigating immediately after the incident, and the internal investigation is ongoing.
The arrest happened in the 1900 block of East Oliver Street. Detectives said they were looking for an armed robbery suspect. Jaemaun Joyner said he was filming a video for a memorial of a friend.
A video shows police arriving to the scene in East Baltimore as one officer attempts to hold 24-year-old Joyner and place him in custody. Police body-worn cameras captured the May 23 incident, but the body-worn camera video does not show anything prior to Joyner's arrest.
"This is straight excessive force beyond any means necessary," said Jessica Rubin, a defense attorney.
Joyner's attorneys allege excessive force because of the takedown and the way officers pinned Joyner to the sidewalk.
"These officers went over the top. This was unnecessary, unprovoked and in the end, unacceptable," said Tony Garcia, a defense attorney.
In the video, the officers yelled at Joyner as they attempted to put him in handcuffs. Viewers can also hear him yell several times about an officer allegedly putting something in his pocket. The attorneys said they are alarmed to see what happened to their client, especially the alleged actions taken by Officer Conner Johnson.
"The statement of probable cause never mentions Detective Johnson or Officer Johnson pulls out that gun and presses his head and his temple and holds his head down with the service weapon while he has his other hand around his neck," said Hunter Pruette, a defense attorney.
According to a court charging document, "(Officers) were attempting to place Mr. Joyner in handcuffs. He was able to get away and attempted to flee on foot. This detective (PHIL POLANCO) was able to grab Mr. Joyner with both hands as he tried to run by me and conducted a forcible takedown."
"My son will not be a victim. If I can save any other parent from going through this, that's the goal," said Rhonda McCain, Joyner's mother.
The court record indicates officers recovered a handgun, eight live 22 caliber rounds, a magazine and a powder substance which they suspect is heroin.
"The Maryland State Police Gun Center advised that Mr. Joyner does not have any prohibiting factors which disqualify them from possessing a firearm... The investigation for the armed robbery is still ongoing," the charging document read
Prosecutors dismissed the case against Joyner on Monday. 11 News did check with the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, and was told that the case was dismissed for further investigation.