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15 Philly officers taken off street after videotaped beating

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By The Associated Press | Wednesday, May 7, 2008 10:26 AM CDT | () comments

This image made from television and released by WTXF-TV Fox Philadelphia shows police officers kicking and beating suspects pulled from a car during a traffic stop on Monday in Philadelphia. A TV helicopter taped the confrontation, and the city's police commissioner said "it certainly does not look good." (AP Photo)

UPDATED: PHILADELPHIA — Fifteen police officers were taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing three suspects being kicked, punched and beaten after they were pulled out of a car during a traffic stop.

   ``At a glance it does appear to be a bit beyond the pale,'' Doug Oliver, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter, said today. ``Officers are not allowed to operate outside of the law.''

   The police department identified the 15 officers who were involved in Monday night's arrests in the city's Hunting Park section, where police had been investigating a triple shooting, Oliver said.

   The three suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment, according to court officials.

   The video, shot by a WTXF-TV helicopter, shows three police cars stopping a car on the side of a road. About a dozen officers gather around the vehicle and pull three men out. About a half-dozen officers hold two of the men on the ground on the driver's side. Both are kicked repeatedly, while one is seen being punched; one also appears to be struck with a baton.

   On the other side of the car, another group of officers can be seen kicking a third man who ends up on the ground.

   Oliver said that, while the use of force appeared excessive, the public should withhold judgment until all the facts are known.

   ``We are not going to prejudge the situation based on the video,'' he said. ``We all saw the video, but none of us was there.''

   The beating happened two days after the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia policeman, the third city officer slain on duty in two years.

   Officer Stephen Liczbinski was shot with an assault rifle after a robbery in the city's Port Richmond section on Saturday. One man was fatally shot by police after the shooting, another was arrested Sunday and a third remains on the lam.



EARLIER STORY: PHILADELPHIA — Fifteen Philadelphia police officers have been taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing three suspects being kicked and beaten by city police.

A spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter says the mayor stands behind the police department but his first glance of the video does appear to show the officers overstepping their authority.

The video was shot Monday night by WTXF-TV. It shows three police cars stopping a car on the side of a road.

The tape shows about a dozen officers gathering around the vehicle and pulling three men out. About a half-dozen officers hold two of the men on the ground. Both are kicked repeatedly, with one of the two apparently struck with a baton. Punches were also thrown.

The third man is also kicked and ends up on the ground.