Welcome to my Crime and Justice blog! I am a 19 year old criminal justice student at the University of Winnipeg. I advocate for prisoners' rights, human rights, equality and criminal justice/prison system reforms.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Man in controversial police brutality cop video, is in trouble with the law again


A 19-year-old man repeatedly struck by Winnipeg police officers during a videotaped arrest last year — leading to an investigation into the officers’ conduct — is allegedly in trouble with the law again.
Sources said city police officers arrested Cody Bousquet when he was allegedly caught driving a stolen van in the North End late Monday.
The arrest comes less than two months after Bousquet was sentenced for a stolen auto incident in February 2009, which ended with him being struck by the hands and knees of police officers and zapped twice with a Taser for allegedly resisting arrest.
This time, there was no pursuit or struggle — sources allege Bousquet pulled over for police and was taken into custody without incident.
The arrest occurred on Redwood Avenue near Powers Street about 10 p.m.
Bousquet, who is in custody, is accused of stealing three vehicles between Feb. 21 and Monday, sources said.
His lawyer, Daniel Manning, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Bousquet is charged with three counts of theft under $5,000, two counts of driving while disqualified, and four court-order breaches, according to court documents.
He is scheduled to appear in a Winnipeg courtroom Wednesday.
Bousquet gained notoriety in late January when surveillance video of last year’s arrest was obtained by the Winnipeg Sun. The video surfaced when Bousquet pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of assaulting a police officer and was sentenced to 11 months time served.
After it became public, Winnipeg police asked RCMP to investigate to determine whether the officers used excessive force. An independent Crown attorney from Ontario will decide whether criminal charges are warranted against the officers.
The night of the arrest, Bousquet was highly intoxicated when he led officers on a dangerous high-speed pursuit in a stolen pickup truck, crashing into a police car and civilian vehicle.
The officers argue the level of force was required to gain compliance of and handcuff a resisting subject, court heard at sentencing. Bousquet struggled so police couldn’t get control of his arms, swung, flailed around and tried to put his arms in his waistband, one officer claimed.
However, at sentencing, Judge Ray Wyant said he didn’t see “any evidence of overt resistance” when he watched the video.

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