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Head of Detroit NAACP calls police corporal's repeated punches 'inexcusable'

Posted at 5:48 PM, Aug 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-03 17:48:03-04

"Once again, we find ourselves forced to denounce another inappropriate action on the part of a member of our police department," said Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, President of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP in a statement where he called a Detroit Police corporal's repeated punches on a woman "unacceptable" and "inexcusable."

Wednesday evening, someone witnessed the disturbing encounter between the woman with mental health issues and police officers, including the corporal who can be seen on cell phone video repeatedly punching the woman who is fighting officers. 

While Detroit Police Chief James Craig sees troubling elements of what was captured by a witness on cell phone video, he said the officers' body cameras tell a bit of a different story. 

The body cam footage has not been released. 

7 Action News tried to reach the corporal for comment, but he hung up and no one came to the door at his home in Oakland County. 

Chief Craig said the officer (corporal) was trying to calm the woman down, but she wasn't responding and she wasn't compliant, adding that she was biting and spitting. 

"It was like this officer was beating a wild, deranged animal. This is a human being," said Rev. Dr. Anthony who is hoping the corporal faces criminal charges.

"We call upon the Detroit Police Department to do its due diligence and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether criminal charges should be filed against this officer and others who may have aided and abetted in this tragic situation," said Anthony in his statement. "Detroit is better than this. The Detroit Police Department is better than this. Our community deserves better than this."

Click on the video to watch Kimberly Craig's report.