Robert Liese was in jail for being unable to pay a $60 bar tab.
Orlando, FL — An Orlando cop has been arrested after surveillance video showed him violently kneeing a handcuffed man. But further investigation into the matter shows that his fellow officers were not only complicit in covering it up, but also sadistically laughed as the man lay bleeding internally in the cell.
Orlando police Officer Peter Delio was arrested in March and charged with felony battery after surveillance video showed him kneeing a handcuffed, Robert Liese, in the gut.
Several hours later Liese underwent emergency surgery to remove his spleen.
What happened between the initial blow to the stomach and the time the paramedics were notified is disturbing, to say the least.
Robert Liese was in jail after he says a friend left him with a $60 bar tab that he was unable to pay. Besides being drunk, not once did Liese ever pose a threat to officers. In fact, he peacefully offered Delio his hands to be brought to jail after knowing that he was not going to be able to pay.
But Liese says that Delio didn’t care that he was nice and then kicked the handcuffed man in the stomach as he was loading him into the squad car.
Once in jail, Liese headbutted the door because he was upset and injured, and he was trying to get the attention of someone besides the officers who were outside of the door ridiculing him.
Officer Delio, who apparently wanted to take out more frustrations on the restrained man, then walked into the cell and kneed him in the stomach so hard, that it ruptured his spleen.
The pain was so great that Liese was immobilized. Delio picks the man up like a ragdoll and laughably yells to Liese, “stop resisting.”
He could barely breathe, and he fell to the floor in agony. He was then picked up and dragged out of the cell to be placed in leg restraints.
During the two hours long video after Liese was struck by the officer, he begged for help.
Sgt. Michael Faulkner reported to internal affairs that Liese not only didn’t ask for medical attention, but that he refused it.
Unlike Sgt. Faulkner, however, the video does not lie. Not five, not ten, but at least twenty times Liese can be heard on video begging for medical attention.
“I need medical attention, please,” Liese said.
“What do you need medical attention for?” Faulkner asked.
“I have to lay down, please. I want to lay down,” Liese said. “My chest.”
“What’s wrong?” Faulkner asked Liese.
“I can’t breathe right,” Liese said.
But the sadistic Faulkner did not render aid, nor did he call paramedics; instead, he took cell phone pics of the injured man.
According to WFTV, Faulkner told internal affairs investigators that he was investigating Delio’s use of force. But the video shows Liese is the one who brought it up and Faulkner never asked about it.
“I got kicked in the chest in the backseat of the car,” Liese said.
Crucial minutes past that could have led to the death of Liese. During this time, the officers can be heard on the surveillance video laughing and joking about the man who lay dying just a few feet away.
“Somebody, please call the – paramedics,” Liese said suffering as the laughter continued.
Finally after nearly two hours, paramedics arrived, and Liese’s life was saved.
Once again, heroes are exposed for villains, thanks to the power of the camera lens. Luckily no lives were lost due to these criminal actions.
Related Stories
from AlterNet.org Main RSS Feed http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/cop-ruptures-mans-spleen-fellow-officers-take-pics-and-laugh
via
IFTTT
