Controversial Video Of Officer Pushing Woman Down Stairs Gets National Attention
Citizen's Group Calls For Justice Department Involvement
POSTED: Thursday, April 3, 2008
UPDATED: 2:44 pm EDT April 3,
2008
 "He was rushing me out of the club," Asprilla said. "I was going down the stairs and the next thing I knew, he pushed me and I was on the floor." |
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Controversial video of a police officer pushing a woman down some stairs for no apparent reason is getting national attention after a citizen's group calls for the involvement of the Justice Department.
IMAGES:Woman Pushed Down Stairs
Local 6 originally showed video of Jessica Asprilla, 27, being pushed down some steps by Officer Fernando Trinidad, who was working off duty at the now-defunct Club Paris in downtown Orlando."He was rushing me out of the club," Asprilla said. "I was going down the stairs and the next thing I knew, he pushed me and I was on the floor."The incident resulted in a battery charge against the woman.When prosecutors saw the tape, they immediately dropped the charges.Now, Asprilla wants Trinidad charged with battery and perjury."I think it's important for people to know a police officer shouldn't be able to get someone who is innocent charged, arrested, (put) in jail and then get away with it," Asprilla said. "Police officers should not be able to get away with treating people that way. He should be held liable. I was arrested and I went to jail and I spent 15 hours in jail while he only had eight hours of suspension taken away from his vacation time."Police Chief Val Demings decided the punishment for Trinidad was appropriate after an internal investigation found, in part, that Trinidad submitted a false report, Local 6's Tony Pipitone reported.Officer Trinidad and Demings have refused to discuss the incident with Local 6.Video of the event and the Local 6 story will be featured on the nationally seen "Inside Edition" show Thursday.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
IMAGES:Woman Pushed Down Stairs Local 6 originally showed video of Jessica Asprilla, 27, being pushed down some steps by Officer Fernando Trinidad, who was working off duty at the now-defunct Club Paris in downtown Orlando."He was rushing me out of the club," Asprilla said. "I was going down the stairs and the next thing I knew, he pushed me and I was on the floor."The incident resulted in a battery charge against the woman.When prosecutors saw the tape, they immediately dropped the charges.Now, Asprilla wants Trinidad charged with battery and perjury."I think it's important for people to know a police officer shouldn't be able to get someone who is innocent charged, arrested, (put) in jail and then get away with it," Asprilla said. "Police officers should not be able to get away with treating people that way. He should be held liable. I was arrested and I went to jail and I spent 15 hours in jail while he only had eight hours of suspension taken away from his vacation time."Police Chief Val Demings decided the punishment for Trinidad was appropriate after an internal investigation found, in part, that Trinidad submitted a false report, Local 6's Tony Pipitone reported.Officer Trinidad and Demings have refused to discuss the incident with Local 6.Video of the event and the Local 6 story will be featured on the nationally seen "Inside Edition" show Thursday.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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