Source: Asscciated Press
(07-03) 08:48 PDT LITTLE ROCK, (AP) —
A police officer who appeared to choke a skateboarder and put two others in a headlock in a video posted online used appropriate force when making his arrests, an internal police investigation found.The Hot Springs Police Department Internal Affairs Board found the use of force was within the police department’s policy on non-deadly force and recommended “no changes to this policy.” The decision was released Monday.
Officer Joey Williams confronted a situation that “would have overwhelmed any single officer” when he stopped those breaking a Hot Springs city ordinance by skateboarding on a downtown sidewalk June 21, the report said.
However, Williams was faulted for leaving a handcuffed suspect unattended while chasing another youth in the resort town’s historic Bathhouse Row.
Williams has been on administrative leave since the video hit YouTube on June 25. Police said he would return to active duty Thursday in the city’s downtown.
“I think it was fair,” City Manager Kent Myers said. Witnesses “consistently supported the actions of the officer and his efforts to control the situation.”
Video from a business’ security cameras shows 10 skateboarders rolling down the city sidewalk at a good clip, followed by Williams, who sprints past the last skater.
A video taken by skateboarders and later posted on YouTube shows Williams on top of one of the skaters, apparently choking him. The video also showed Williams putting another two skateboarders in a headlock, and the officer can later be heard threatening to use pepper spray on a skateboarder lying on the ground.
Police said they arrested Matthew Jon McCormack, 21, and Skylar Nalls, 19, both of Hot Springs, and four juveniles. McCormack faces a misdemeanor battery charge accusing him of pushing or striking a 67-year-old city employee during the melee. Nalls was cited for skateboarding and faces misdemeanor charges of fleeing and obstructing governmental operations.
McCormack has previously disputed many of the police allegations, especially his battery charge. He has said he pulled on the city employee’s arm after the man lifted a girl off her feet in a choke-hold.
Hot Springs is a resort town about 50 miles west of Little Rock.
59 comments
Paul
The officer was not choking that blond girl.
He had his arms around her breasts pulling her backside nto his body from what I could tell.
Kilwag
Oh no he didn’t!
Kilwag
DY – Hello Gary Glitter, is that you?
Looking through Gary Glitter’s Eyes!
enemy combatant
“I want to see the video of the little spoiled skater punks wiggling on the sidwalk.”
Do you have a large video collection of wiggling teenagers?
DaddyYo
Ha, ha. Good for the Cops, bad for the skater criminals.
I hope they arm those cops with tazers by the next illegal skate day. I want to see the video of the little spoiled skater punks wiggling on the sidwalk.
Estes
At least he confessed his cock is small.
officer joey williams (FAKE)
THATS RIGHT- I CHOKED THAT LITTLE BITCH, AND I LOVED EVER SECOND IF IT. THE HARDER I SQUEEZED, THE MORE BLOOD RUSHED INTO MY TINY LITTLE FACIST COCK, GIVING ME MY FIRST ERECTION IN OVER A DECADE. COME ON DOWN TO ARKANSAS, AND I’LL KICK YOUR ASS AND GET AWAY WITH IT TOO.
Rachel
Ok, to all of you retards that think that Officer Williams is innocent, listen up. And if you’re so retarded that you think you’re not a retard, listen up anyway. You’re missing the point. Your entire argument is based on “the kids were breaking the law”. Ok, so they might have done a few things wrong, but THAT IS NOT THE POINT. The point is that the guy used excessive force while he was doing his job. THAT is the point. THAT is why we want him fired.
Soularpat
“TTH Says:
September 8th, 2007 at 8:45 am
This horse is dead. Stop wasting your time.”
This is exactly what Joey Williams and the Hot Springs, AR “legal system” hoped everyone would do. This caused an uproar for a few weeks then simmered down and Joey gets to go about his business like nothing ever happened.
That’s the way it works. Those that work for the law are above the law while the rest of us are at their mercy.
That ends the level headed portion of my post.
Here’s the rest:
Fuck you Joey Williams you roided up psychopath piece of shit. I’m sorry that your glory days on the HS football team are long gone and that the only way that you have to release your boredom and aggression now is to beat the shit out of little kids. I hope this shit follows you around for the rest of your life and that since your buddies who conducted the investigation (damn, I bet you sucked a mean cock) let you slide on this one people continue to call and email the Hot Springs Police Dept. expressing their disgust with your actions daily.
Estes
Has Santa Claus ever got arrested for Trespassing on Christmas? I remember this going down on National Go Skate Day June 21st, A holiday the US Congress even understands……….majority of these “well thought out” posts are written by guys that skate one day a year. FU- go to E online and drool over your celebrities……you drama bates. Marek, you got my back on this right?
Jimmy
correct me if im wrong, but during the whole movie i didnt hear any of them become Marandized while they we’re being “arrested”. i can understand getting stopped for skateboarding, but where i live, we dont have a skatepark so what are we supposed to do? i say if you have a park skate the park, if not then im all up for hitting the streets. but its just my opinion
-Jimmy
JAKEFERRANTI
Im all for no B.S., defending the truth,etc. However the advocates of Joey(lil’ boys name,ei:Billy,Davey) on this blog seem to enamoured with honoring their own “intellect”. The reality of this argument is that actions clearly speak louder than words. If get in a position to abuse someones civil rights and assault them with immunity on my side, I would certainly go for the know it all’s that think they’re immune to injustice.
On a long enough timeline, anyone is suceptable to police brutality. How much is your precious articulation and quick wit gunna help you when blindsided by a beating? Consider my words and speculate on my backround(carefully) before answering.Thx.
squirrel
TTH
fuck you. there’s an uncut version on youtube that doesnt exclude anything. what the fucks the difference between riding a skateboard and riding fucking bike? there is no fuckin difference. yet they have cops on bikes. so fuck you and your well thought out answer and your vocabulary. it doesn’t mean your not a dumb piece of shit. i hope one day you get arrested and choked or put into a headlock for pursuing happiness. i hope you get it on video, post it on youtube, and then some dumbfuck comes and says the officer was doing everything lawfully, and that he can be a complete agressive asshole because hes above the law. or some dumb shit like you said. so fuck you and have fun takin it up the ass from your cop buddies tonight
dirk
yes i believe that what that officer did was wrong its our freedom to do what we want skateboarding or whatever that cop is a dick maybe i should come down there with friends and tear that place apart with skateboarding
Vicente
I thought this kind of police attitude would happens just in Brazil, where I live. It is increadible to see police officer using violence against peacefull people just because they want to. Support the police in this particular case is so stupid as the police officer
Miranda Robinson
i think that he should not get to be a cop anymore because no matter what he did not have any right to choke that poor litte boy. and if i was his parent i would sue the crap out of that guy. think of it this way, would it have made any difference if the boy choked the police officer to dead?
Juan
And by the way TTH… your intellect and vocab whoa! You shine like brilliant sun around which we dumbasses can only bask but will never truly achieve. Please lay it down someday the world will know,someday they’ll see.
Juan
what does “Blue collar” have to do with “nazi” cops.The breakdown of society into class is an illusion and the tension we feel between those “consumer sub-groups” is a tool used by those in power to control the public at large,if we dismiss another view by what the person who offers it up does we defeat the purpose of debate at best,at worst we buy into the theory that a truly egalitarian society is impossible simply based on where you are on the economic ladder, as for the incident the level of violence in my opinion was uncalled for and Kilwag is right on with the PROTECT AND SERVE, who was he protecting? it was business interests not people.
nweyesk8
your absolutely right Trew, the officer was obviously giving the youth a Shiatsu neck massage.
Kilwag
M-MUMBLER!
trew
Fmrarng, the officer did not choke the skater. Give it up.
TTH
This horse is dead. Stop wasting your time.
Hunter
Look, everyone can say that “He was doing his job.” But If my job was to pluck the feathers off a bird and I just ripped the skin off the damn thing, I guess i was doing my job right? No! None of this was right. I mean I gotta give some props to the 13 year old who got choked and just sat there and didnt attempt to flee or anything. I mean he ran up and headlocked a girl because she wouldnt sit down?!?!? I mean if a cop ran up to me and said ” Hey! Lick that pole! ” and I said no, or why, then would he have the right to choke me? Last time I checked the answer was no. And like everyone else is saying, there’s probably murderrers and drug dealers out in that same city but hes just gonna go ahead and take the skaters cause I bet that would be easier than REAL DANGER! I’m not trying to insult any of the supporters of Joey Williams, but in no way is this right. Necessary force!! Paha! If he walked up to the kids and just threatened to arrest them, Id bet you all the money in the world they woulda stopped! Go ahead and call me a stupid little bitch, because I don’t care what you think. This is my opinion.
fmrarng
Nalls and McCormack plead no contest in exchange for a plea bargain. Probably a good idea considering how the judges here in Hot Springs, as well as other elected officials, are controlled by the Downtown Merchants.
TTH you are right that they may have started this incident. And for that they should have been arrested for disorderly conduct. The 13 yr. old child should not have been choked, though. This particular officer runs around attacking people because he has serious anger issues he needs to work on. This is not the first time he has done something like this. I have seen him beat a man in his 30’s or 40’s, while in handcuffs for several minutes before. The Hot Springs police department needs to fire him or send him to some sort of rehab so he can take care of whatever it is that’s bothering him before he winds up killing someone. I wonder what happens to his kids when they make him mad?
TTH
That all you got?
Kilwag
MUMBLER!
TTH
Hey, just thought I would ask…
If this was so unjust, why did Nalls and McCormack plead no constest? and why did the HS merchants association send a letter to the Democrat-Gazette stating the skateboarders started the incident and the police acted properly?
And that the YouTube video excludes “pertinent parts of what actually happened” ?
Anyone?
TTH
I would say cooperate with the police or take your chances.
Good advice.
Both correct. If they had done that they would be in proud posession of a ticket…or maybe nothing at all. Glad you came around.
Kilwag
Good advice.
brad
Wait, is Kilwag actually Randy!?
I would say cooperate with the police or take your chances…that would be my pragmatic advice to kids, etc.
Kilwag
Bullshit. Brad, errr… MDC, Whatever the kids may or may not have done off camera doesn’t excuse what the officer did on tape. Police officers are supposed to serve and protect ALL citizens, even the ones that get their goat. It’s not the policeman’s job to dole out physical punishment when the lawbreaker is already subdued.
TTH and Brad, (I mean MDC) , you guys are welcome to your world. I hope the next time you get pulled over you don’t find yourself offending a police officer and getting the wrong end of the stick, because after all, if you broke a law than the cop has a right to do whatever he wants. Hey, he’s a policeman, we all know they never abuse their power. Huge fan of MDC? Lip service. Hey, I’m a huge fan of Hitler, but I don’t support any of his beliefs.
mdc
TTH is right on this one and I’m even a huge MDC fan. Kilwag’s last comment is suprisingly half-baked and hence ironic. TTH’s comment was well thought out and clearly articulated, he is considering the entire event which takes commendable effort. Does Kilwag suffer from stubborn tunnel vision? Laziness? Fear of change? Probably all three.
This was a very simple and straight-forward event that really exposes people’s lack of reason and skepticism. People see “part” of a video which was a “part” of an overall event and then they quickly make huge conculsions based upon what they just saw. Joe Strummer taught me to have a better “bull-shit detector” than that. He dispised authority but he believed even stronger in personal responsibility and clear thinking.
For the most part people that frequent these sites are not intellectuals so I’m not surprised by the views expressed. Do you see anyone with any actual credibility still arguing against this officer? Considering our opportunistic society doesn’t that itself tell you something?
Marek
tth
bad law is a bad law. most likely you wont get over it.
and fuck your well thought out vocabulary.
TTH
My reply was well though out. Yours, judging by your vocabulary, was apparently not.
The news is full of ‘scrawny kids’ who shoot up schools and such. He had no way of knowing which he was dealing with, especially since they were not cooperating.
I ask you…who started the chain of events which led to this? The skateboarders did, by violating a city ordinance of which they were well aware. The officer had no duty to back off even if he realized the situation was going to escalate.
The law is not on your side here. Get over it.
Kilwag
TTH –
The police are supposed to protect ALL citizens, including the lawbreakers. Apparently part of his job involves being a physically abusive dick? This guy got pissed at some snotty teenagers and lost his temper, taking it out on some girls and scrawny kids. He’s supposed to above that. Restrain them, ticket them, but don’t physically punish them for your (the cop) lack of thick skin and self control.
I guess you are worrying about the other more important things in the world by trolling skateboarding sites and leaving half thought-out replies.
TTH
Right on! How DARE that cop do his job..why, those skateboarders were only violating the law, it’s not like they were doing anything WRONG! And resisting arrest and fleeing from the police
Jason C. Waite
SHAME ON YOU OFFICER JOEY WILLIAMS AND CHIEF SOUTHARD OF THE HOT SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT!
SHAME!
SHAME!
SHAME!
“YOU CAN’T CHOKE THE TRUTH!”
Jason C. Waite
Officer Joey Williams Petition yooooooo!!!!!1
Jason C. Waite
Did you see that msg above??? Theres a link to a great petition about Officer Joey Williams who was envolved with those 6 skateboard youths in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He’s that one in that vid that headlocked that little blong headed girl in pig tails and nabbed that boy and threw him to the ground. Not to mention the WHOLE thing started with his hands around the boys neck!!!!!!!!
Kilwag
Cops don’t even have to go to college in a lot of places.
bobcat
because going to college is a benchmark on how successful one should be in society: Especially in a pig-fucking bass-ackwards state such as “OurKansas”.
don’t be a dumbshit
mdc
what a waste of energy, sometime I really hate skaters…Jason did you even go to college??
Jason C. Waite
Heres the offical PETITION TO RE-INVESTIGATE Officer Joey Williams Onces Again!!!!!!!!!!!!
petitiononline.com/hspd123fowardslash)petition.html
visit myspace.com/unitedaid to see how you can help and even learn more about this incedent.
REPOST THIS EXACT MSG IF YOU SIGNED OR WILL SIGN THE PETITION! TAKES 30 SECONDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will also be doing our part by exercising our freedom of speech rights via phone calls, emails, and even faxes to you the Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department.
We understand these to be your contacts:
Chief of Police: Bobby Southard
email: bsouthard@cityhs.net
Public Information Cpl. Means
email: mmeans@cityhs.net
Phone: (501) 321-6789
Fax: (501) 321-6708
Hot Springs Police Department
Chief of Police, Bobby Southard
641 Malvern Avenue
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901
***COPY AND REPOST THIS MSG AND LINK TO THIS PETITION EVERYWHERE!!!
*** YOU CAN ALSO VISIT http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/UNITEDAID AND SOON TO BE http://WWW.UNITEDAID.ORG TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP OUT!!!
peter
i think that who ever supports this flying cunt should have every one of there limbs cut off then stabbed in the testicles and then get there asshole ripped out and jammed up thier rear end then get that stuck up there stagola and the cop should suffer even more than that
mark
absolute bull shit. i dont care what you assholes say, he has a right to stop the kid for skateboarding, even to tackle him, but not to fucking choke him. Alo arresting the kid was also inappropriate i could see a ticket with an aditional fee for fleeing. Also the kid was thirteen, how would you like to be strangled by a grown man when your at the fragile age of a young teen.Then putting a young femal and another young male into a headlocke just for talking to him is absolutly not textbook force.that is not gettting in the way of an arrest, this is america we can say whatever we want. dont for get your rights people, these kids were arrested and put into head lockes for trying to talk the cop out of it. and lets not forget the fact it was for skateboarding. Would all this have happened is was two kids playing basket ball? and also arnt there more serious crimes out there than skating were your not supposed to be. this asshole should be fired and possibly even sued. and to RORISON MEADOWS, anyone who supports this brutal asshole should die in the most painful way possible. all that for skateboarding, was it right??????????
Rorison Meadows
I support Officer Joey Williams!
MisterDolo
I say go die 🙂
Misty Lin
I support MisterDolo!
skatetheory
It’s official cops are above the law, they cleared Officer Joey Williams!
http://www.skatetheory.com/news/hot-springs-cop-cleared-of-choking-skateboarder/923
oldfatjeff
fah q u tub er
Conahan
Utuber, I get it, like a couch potato but watching crappy low resolution.
Estes
If your “personally” talking to Officer Joey Williams, tell him I’m waiting to hear from him PERSONALLY U-CrapTuberTalker! And look down at the soil your standing on you Nazi Blue Collar Dumbass…..its the GOOD OL’ USA. Happy 4th of July! Another day Joey Williams is off duty is a good day.