NOLA cop aquitted for assaulting a man

NEW ORLEANS - A former police officer accused in the videotaped beating of a man in the French Quarter after Hurricane Katrina was acquitted Tuesday by a judge who heard the case without a jury.

"I didn't even find this a close call," said District Judge Frank Marullo.

Robert Evangelist, 37, had been charged with beating Robert Davis, 66, during an arrest videotaped by an Associated Press Television News crew the night of Oct. 8, 2005, about six weeks after Katrina.

snip:

Dr. Frances Smith, who treated Davis at an emergency room, testified that he suffered facial fractures. Davis said he still feels lingering physical effects from the attack.

Zibilich said the videotape supports the defense's position that the officers acted appropriately.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This video screams and hollers two words, and those two words are 'not guilty,'" he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070725/ap_on_re_us/videotape_beating

The cop went with no-jury and had a judge rule on his case. I'm not one to believe that cops are inherently bad and I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I remember that video and I thought it went over the top. Makes me wonder how well this cop knows that judge.

I remember this story quite clearly.

Me too.

Even if you give the cops the benefit of the doubt, the case certainly doesn't "SCREAM" not guilty. Also, the other cops on-scene seemed to think there was a problem with their actions - as evidenced by the assault on the journalist AND the mounted cop actively working to block view of the assault with his horse.

Something stinks.

crooked as a $3.00 bill...don't be surpriesed folks...I sure as hell don't expect the DOJ to get involved since they gutted the Civil Rights division...another kick in the face of New Orleans residents..