DEMOCRAT GETS THE BOOT FROM NEVADA ASSEMBLY, LEADS POLICE ON HIGH-SPEED CHASE: The Las Vegas Review-Journal notes:
The video is disturbing, if not shocking.
Former Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks is thrown to the ground and a police officer jumps on him. The officer winds up for three powerful punches, although it’s unclear if he actually struck Brooks.
Jennifer Simpson was shocked by the footage her husband filmed outside their Victorville, Calif. apartment., but for different reasons. Although she was the person who posted the video to YouTube, she also thought it was slightly misleading.
From her angle away from her husband, she could clearly see the man kicking and fighting back against the officer, she said.
“In the video it shows the officer like he’s beating him without reason,” Simpson said Friday. “He was trying to kick the officers from him, and he was putting up a pretty good fight, too … I think they (police) were completely justified the way he was fighting.
Simpson thought a few friends might find the video interesting. She had no idea the man arrested was a lawmaker who was expelled from the Nevada Legislature earlier that day, and was being arrested for the third time in a few months.
Brooks was arrested after a police chase by Barstow Police about 7 p.m. Thursday on charges of evading and resisting arrest, throwing objects from his vehicle and harming a police dog.
Brooks is accused of hitting a police dog with a wrench. Officers used a Taser stun gun on Brooks during the arrest.
“Well, now that his political career is over, what’s next, a gig at MSNBC?” blogger JammieWearingFool quips. And note that the Las Vegas Review-Journal article that JWF links to waits until the 17th paragraph to name Brooks’ party.