North Carolina Officer Receives 40-Hour Suspension for Repeatedly Striking Woman During Arrest
Following the release of new video footage providing a broader perspective on a North Carolina arrest incident, Officer Vincent Pistone has been suspended for 40 hours, announced Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.
The internal affairs investigation concluded that Pistone used excessive force during the Nov. 13 confrontation. The probe also found that six other officers involved were justified in their actions.
The newly revealed body camera and bystander videos present different angles, shedding light on the events leading to the confrontation at a Charlotte bus stop that had sparked public outrage.
The footage unveils that the woman involved struck an officer in the face, prompting his response by hitting her back and causing her to fall.
In the newly scrutinized video, Officer Vincent Pistone, not initially involved in the initial altercation, is captured repeatedly using a closed fist to strike a woman while four officers kneel and restrain her. Bystanders can be heard urging the officers to cease their actions. After a brief duration, the officers stand and guide the woman, her arms restrained, to a squad SUV.
Contrary to previous statements, the police now acknowledge that Pistone, who arrived as backup that day, delivered seven knee strikes and 10 punches to the woman’s thigh. Police Chief Johnny Jennings revealed on Tuesday that all strikes beyond the initial three were considered excessive.
Chief Jennings stated, “Fourteen strikes to the female’s leg came after her hands were behind her back. These strikes were not deemed justified. If the officer made an assessment after three leg strikes, he would have seen that they were effective, and the female’s hands were behind her back.”
Chief Johnny Jennings announced that Officer Vincent Pistone, suspended for 40 hours, will undergo additional training following an internal affairs investigation. Attempts to reach the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9 for comment on Pistone’s behalf were unsuccessful.
Before the internal probe, police contended that Pistone’s actions aligned with his training, aimed at gaining compliance by striking a nerve in the leg.
The races of the involved officers remain undisclosed. Responding to inquiries about the officer who punched the woman in the face, Chief Jennings defended the action, citing justification due to the officer being struck twice.
Police Chief Johnny Jennings acknowledged the imperfections of officers, stating, “We’re not robots. If there’s an expectation that we’ll always say and do the right things, then I think that’s something that’ll never happen.”
The newly released body camera footage reveals the initial encounter at a bus stop between officers and a man and woman. The officers claimed the smell of marijuana, and tensions escalated as the woman demanded an explanation.
One officer asked the man to put his hands behind his back, leading to a confrontation where the woman struck an officer during the struggle. The situation intensified, raising questions about police conduct and the appropriate use of force.
Bystander videos captured a tumultuous scene as a police officer engaged in a physical altercation with a woman during an arrest. The footage, taken from a distance, showed onlookers expressing concern over the level of force used by the officer. A crowd gathered, questioning the officer’s actions and the intense response to the arrest.
In the chaotic incident, additional videos depicted the woman being struck by an officer’s knee and fist while on the ground. The background noise escalated as more officers arrived, and bystanders voiced objections to the use of force. Amid the commotion, the woman and a male coworker were ultimately arrested and faced various charges, including resisting officers and marijuana possession, though all charges were later dropped.
