OCALA, Fla. – An Ocala police officer was punished after investigators said his body camera video shows him falsifying arrest records and charges.
Officials said Ocala police Sgt. Horace Freeman falsified an arrest report, lied, made an unlawful arrest and violated the use-of-force policy.
"I’m going bust your head wide open," Freeman is heard saying during the incident in August.
Freeman had gone to a bus stop where he arrested Harry Courtney on suspicion of resisting arrest with violence and disorderly intoxication.
Investigators reviewed the body camera video from the arrest and said this about the officer's report: "The way the events were described didn't appear to match up to the video."
In the video, Freeman can be heard telling the intoxicated Courtney he was being arrested on suspicion of "open lodging and disorderly intoxication."
Investigators said being at a bus stop didn’t meet the criteria for an open lodging arrest, which is why they believe Courtney was never charged with that.
According to an internal investigation, the incident began when the officer claims he asked for Courtney’s ID and Courtney, "began to mumble the words ‘cracker expletive.’”
Investigators said that was not true, the video shows the guy passed out when the officer walked up.
Freeman gave Courtney a choice of showing his ID or going to jail.
Courtney can then be heard saying, “Take me to jail.”
Seconds later it sounds like a then cuffed Courtney says “Get off me, cracker,” which the officer did not appreciate.
Freeman claims Courtney tried to fight him, so he slammed the cuffed man to the ground. But investigators said there was "No probable cause to use any force."
Officials said the charges were dropped and Courtney was released from jail.
The Ocala Police Department released a statement saying it was clear that Freeman violated police policy and has been suspended for 50 hours.
WFTV also learned that there is another case in which Freeman is being investigated for alleged use of excessive force.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
