MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile officials weighed in on the viral video that shows a Mobile Police Officer beating a man who had already been placed in handcuffs.
A complaint filed by the officer involved, Paul Callegari Jr., states that the suspect, Beezer Dubose Jr., “grabbed officer Paul Callegari’s testicles and penis and twisted them, causing serious physical pain.”
The complaint, filed on Monday, said Dubose committed a second-degree assault on Callegari.
“If he did, that’s probably a reaction of trying to get you off me. I’m already helpless and you’re just beating me in my face and nobody’s stopping you,” Mario Yow, of Mobile, said. “The first law of nature is self-preservation.”
City Chief of Staff James Barber said officers are allowed to use their fists as a ‘less lethal’ weapon. It’s called the ‘hard hands technique.’
The Mobile Police Handbook says officers are permitted to use less than lethal force as follows:
- “To protect themselves or another from physical harm.
- To restrain or subdue a resistant individual.
- To bring an unlawful situation safely and effectively under control.”
Although the video seemed to show quite a bit of evidence, Barber said the viral video doesn’t show what may have led up to the situation.
“The video is a little bit deceiving in a way because it kind of takes place in the middle of the confrontation,” Barber said.
While Barber claimed the video may have lacked context, District 2 Councilman Willaim Carroll addressed the elephant in the room after Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
“We wear bodycams to not just protect the police officers, but to protect the person that’s being arrested,” Carroll said.
Body camera footage, according to Barber, will not be released — at least until the ongoing investigation is finished.
While Mobile NAACP President Robert Clopton said he hopes to see body camera footage, he says this video speaks for itself.
“Here we have a video of an incident and a situation that somewhat validates what (has) been kept from us,” Clopton said.
Callegari has been placed on administrative leave. Barber said he has been seen by a urologist to determine what injuries he may have sustained.
This is an ongoing investigation.
