San Bernardino County officials launch criminal probe after numerous deputies seen beating suspect following Wild West-style chase (VIDEO)
BY
JASON MOLINET
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Friday, April 10, 2015, 3:01 AM
Updated: Friday, April 10, 2015, 11:36 AM
A criminal investigation has been launched after video emerged showing several sheriff’s deputies in California beating a suspect for more than a minute after the man was Tasered and appeared to surrender.
Francis Jared Pusok, a convicted felon who is a suspect in an identity theft case, fled from San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies first by car, then on foot, then on horseback on Thursday afternoon.
The video, filmed by a TV news crew in a helicopter, showed two deputies apprehending Pusok after he fell from the horse in rugged hills some 90 miles east of Los Angeles. The two deputies Tasered him at least once, authorities said, and at one point he threw up his arms, seemingly in an attempt to surrender. But the two deputies began to kick and punch him, landing shots to his head and groin. The beating continued for more than a minute, and several other law enforcement officers joined in, in some cases even pushing others away so they could get a lick in on the defenseless suspect.
“The video surrounding this arrest is disturbing, and I have ordered an internal investigation be conducted immediately,” San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner John McMahon
said in a statement. “In addition, members of the Specialized Investigations Detail are responding to conduct the criminal investigation.”
Pusok’s lawyer likened the beating to the infamous video of cops in Los Angeles pummeling the late Rodney King.
“What I saw on the television was thugs beating up my client,” the attorney, Jim Terrell,
told CBS Los Angeles. “That’s what I saw. And these questions about ‘What was he doing?’ What did they do? This is far worse than Rodney King.”
This image, taken from the NBC video, shows Pusok moments after he fell off his horse, as the two deputies closed in on him. His appears to be trying to hold his hands up in surrender.
The video also drew a response from the American Civil Liberties union, which said it was "deeply troubled" by the suspect's treatment.
Pusok, 30, lives in Apple Valley, Calif., a town in San Bernardino County. Shortly after noon, California time, on Thursday, sheriff’s deputies went to Pusok’s home to serve a search warrant related to an identity theft case, according to McMahon’s statement. Pusok fled in a vehicle.
Pusok drove south for about 15 miles into the town of Hesperia and then abandoned his car near Bowen Ranch and took off running. But he soon found a better mode of backcountry flight, commandeering a horse from a group of people near Deep Creek Hot Springs — and rode off into the hills like a Wild West bandit, according to the statement.
Deputies used off-road vehicles in their attempt to hunt him down, and also used a helicopter to land two deputies ahead of his route of escape.
A camera in an NBC News chopper hovering ahead
caught what happened next.
"The video surrounding this arrest is disturbing," said San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner John McMahon.
Pusok was thrown off the horse as the two deputies approached, and Tasered him at least once. McMahon’s statement said the attempt to Taser him was ineffective because Pusok was wearing loose clothing.
After the Tasering, the NBC video shows Pusok face-down in the dirt, in spread-eagle fashion. His arms were outstretched, as if surrendering.
The two deputies began to kick Pusok repeatedly before kneeling down to throw several punches. One focused on his head, the other landed at least one kick to Pusok’s groin area. One deputy clocked Pusok with the Taser.
Additional law enforcement officers began arriving, and several of them could be seen joining the beatdown, delivering body blows to Pusok. Up to 13 deputies were on hand during the incident, and NBC Los Angeles counted that Pusok was punched 37 times, kicked 17 times, and struck by a baton four times. The beating lasted for more than a minute.
Pusok was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries. He was lying on the ground for 45 minutes and did not appear to get medical attention from the officers present, NBC reported.
Francis Jared Pusok was a suspect in an ID theft investigation.
After viewing the video, McMahon said his office will investigate whether the officers used excessive force.
Pusok’s girlfriend was stunned by the video.
“I couldn't believe it. The first thing I said was: ‘They can’t do that,’” Jolene Bindner told CBS.
Terrell, Pusok’s lawyer, said he wants the deputies responsible to be fired and prosecuted. The family is weighing a civil suit.
A convicted felon, Pusok has a rap sheet that includes an arrest for shooting his girlfriend’s dog during a 2013 incident in which he also kicked out the window of a police cruiser,
according to Victor Valley News.
Deputies used off-road vehicles and a helicopter to follow Pusok after he stole a horse and rode off into the mountains.
Three deputies were injured during Thursday’s manhunt. One was kicked by a horse, and two others suffered dehydration, authorities said.
nobody's gonna talk about how the reporter got dumb quiet the moment the cops started assaulting homie on the floor. She was giving us a full play by play and then stopped when some shady shyt started going down. 
Here we go. Deputy chasing him." 
Suspect fell down. Oh he shot him with a taser? Here we go. Here we go. Suspect being tased. Suspect being tased. 
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