Bodycam video released of interactions between Jim Rogers, Pittsburgh police before, during tasing
By: New video shows the moments leading up to the death of Jim Rogers, who died after being repeatedly tazed by Pittsburgh police.
Todd Hollis, Rogers' attorney, obtained a court order to release the video showing, in graphic detail, the events leading up to Rogers' death. Hollis said he released the video in the interest of transparency.
Rogers: "No, I didn't take it away."
Pittsburgh Police Officer Keith Edmonds: "I didn't ask you that. I said, 'Did you go on someone's porch?'"
Rogers: "No sir."
This is Rogers, a homeless man accused of stealing a bicycle, in the last minutes of his life. In a video released on Monday by court order, we see for the first time police bodycam video showing the disturbing chain of events leading to his death, beginning with a tussle with Edmonds over the surrender of his wallet.
Edmonds: "Keep your hands up, it's the last time I'm going to say it. Is this your wallet or not?"
The takedown is followed by a stream of demands by the officer that Rogers put his hands behind his back, and Rogers repeatedly says, "I didn't do anything." Then, when he springs up and runs, he is tazed by the officer.
We've seen in the past a neighbor's video of Rogers being repeatedly tazed. In Edmonds' bodycam video, we see Rogers crawling in the street and the officer demanding he put his hands behind his back when a neighbor gets involved.
"Would you give him a minute to collect himself?" the neighbor said. "How is he supposed to do anything when you keep zapping him like that."
After a time, police put Rogers in the back of a police cruiser. He tells them he can't breathe and needs to go to a hospital.
"Oh, oh, I can't breathe," Rogers said.
The officers delay leaving until EMS arrives to treat some of their injuries. And even though West Penn Hospital is just two blocks away from where it happened, police take Rogers to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he arrives unconscious and is later pronounced dead.
The city settled with the family for $8 million. The officers' actions on that day have been questioned. Five officers were fired after Rogers' death, though two have returned to the force. Two others face arbitration, trying to get their jobs back. The fifth officer retired.
Pittsburgh Police are not commenting on the video right now.