Two police officers were filmed beating a 50-year-old man who surrendered after a high-speed car chase in New Hampshire this May.
Richard Simone could be seen on film exiting his truck, then kneeling down and laying on the asphalt in surrender. As soon as he had his hands flat on the asphalt, the officers grabbed him and began punching and kicking him forcefully. After the man was handcuffed, an officer remained kneeled on the man’s back.
The aggression followed an hour-long car chase that started in Massachusetts and led into New Hampshire on May 11th. Police in Holden said they tried to stop the car because it was in connection with a lookout advisory issue with another department. Once Simone refused to stop, the Holden police began a chase where Simone would abruptly change lanes to avoid them. He crossed the Tyngsboro Bridge and headed into Hudson, NH where the New Hampshire police joined in on the chase. The man had outstanding warrants for arrest and is now being charged for the pursuit.
In the video below, Channel 5 News interviews a group of kids who had been playing in the area and saw the man surrender. According to them, the officers “ran over to him and started hitting him”.
The officers have come under fire for the possible use of excessive force, and two of them have been relieved of duty during the investigation.
Joseph Foster, the New Hampshire attorney general, said that his office had begun a criminal investigation into the arrest. This review will “determine what force was used, by whom, and whether it was appropriate under the law.”
“The footage from yesterday raises serious concerns, and I have been in contact with the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Safety,” New Hampshire governor Maggie Hassan stated. “All New Hampshire public safety officials are held to the highest standards, and it is important and appropriate that the Attorney General’s office has opened an investigation into the incident.”
She added that state officials
“must treat this incident with the utmost seriousness without disparaging all of the hardworking police officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.”
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