Officer Says He Didn't Intend to Kick Suspect in Head

[Liberal_in_LA]

The officer told Latif Dickerson to get on the ground. Latif complied, but on his way to the ground, Officer Thomas Webster kicked him swiftly in the face, breaking his jaw

_______http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/06/delaware-cop-indicted-after-video-man-in-face/#

A white police officer charged with assault after breaking a black suspect's jaw with a kick said Thursday that he was aiming for the man's upper body, not his head.

Dover police officer Thomas Webster IV testified, as other witnesses have, that Lateef Dickerson was slow to comply with repeated police commands to get on the ground. He also said he was scared and feared for the safety of himself and others because officers were told that Dickerson was armed with a gun.

"I'm extremely, extremely concerned for my safety.... At no point did he give me the impression that he was complying," Webster said in his trial on a felony assault charge.

"I wasn't intending to kick him in the head," Webster explained under questioning from his defense attorney, James Liguori. "I was trying to connect with his upper body."

But prosecutor Danielle Brennan pointed out that Webster didn't mention in his use-of-force report or in a supplemental crime report that he did not intend to kick Dickerson in the head.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officer-intend-kick-suspect-head-35560058

[Egnever]

1. "I'm extremely, extremely concerned for my safety"

Going to have to call bullshit right there. If he was he wouldn't be a cop. That or he is too stupid to be one.

[uppityperson]

2. You didn't mean to break his jaw, just his ribs?

[merrily]

3. If the suspect was trying to lie down as told, why kick him anywhere?

[hobbit709]

4. Exactly!

[merrily]

5. In NYC, at one point I worked in a building protected by the NYPD.

I was one of many people they protected. At the time, I was very, very young and they kept a special eye out on me. If anyone threatened me, they walked me to the subway after work. I loved them!

In one area, a ruckus started between a man and his girlfriend over drugs. The two cops dove on the guy and got him down. He offered no resistance whatever. Both of them started kicking him in the head for no reason. I could not believe my eyes. I ran to the ladies and started vomiting.

[yellowcanine]

6. Sorry dude, your face got in the way of my foot.

I hate when that happens.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

7. So kicking people is part of their department approved policy for use of force? nt