Three Florida police officers can be heard beating a young man with billy clubs as he screams in pain before they notice two witnesses approaching, one with a camera.
Although it was too dark to see anything, the officers can be heard ordering the witnesses away under threat of arrest.
“Go away or you’re going to be detained to,” the Cape Coral police officer can be heard saying. “You’re interfering with my investigation. Get away.”
When the man insists on standing there recording, the cop accuses him of smelling like marijuana, fishing for an excuse to arrest him.
“Put your phone down, put your phone down. Put your phone down,” he says.
The man put the phone in his shirt pocket where it continues recording as the cop places him in handcuffs.
The cop then gave him the usual spiel about safety, following it with the usual lie about recording being a felony, followed up still by an accusation of the man smelling like marijuana, just hoping to secure any time of reasonable suspicion that he was committing a crime.
> Cop: You stink of marijuana.
> Man: Sir, I do not smoke marijuana. I do not smell like marijuana.
A police lieutenant walks up and and says that recording is legal as long as you’re not physically interfering.
Meanwhile, the young man who was beaten in screaming in pain as they force him to walk on his broken leg, prompting sadistic mockery from the officers.
> “Why are you yelling?” the cop asks.
> “It hurts. You beat the fuck out me,” he cries.
> “Stand up,” one cop laughs.
> “You shouldn’t have resisted,” another cop sneers.
The cops order the witnesses across the street as the cops continue to torture the young man, whose name is Travis Robey. I’ve reached out to him so I’ll update this post with more information as it comes in.
One of the cops can be heard saying they receiving an anonymous call, it’s always an anonymous call with these jokers, about somebody passed out in his truck, which somehow lead to them to pepper spraying in the face, tasing him and beating him with batons where he ended up with a broken leg.
Then a cop tells the witnesses to “look away” while he continues to punch Robey.
The video was posted by Robey’s parents who are trying to raise awareness of the incident. All it takes is one viewing to wish for the cops to go through the same torture.
But they’ll probably get promoted and laugh about it.
That’s just the way it is these days.
Call the Cape Coral Police Department at (239) 574-3223 or leave a comment on their [__Facebook page.__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/CapePD)
**UPDATE:** I just got off the phone with Troy Robley, the father of Travis, the 20-year-old man beaten in the video. He said his son was not sleeping in the car when he was approached by cops in the parking lot of a bar where he was waiting for his girlfriend to get off work. He was just watching videos on his phone, waiting for his girlfriend to get off work.
He said they asked him to step out of the car, which he did. But when Travis pulled out his phone to begin recording the conversation, a cop told him it was illegal to record and they pounced on him. Travis managed to break free and run away, but they chased him down and tased him. At two points, he managed to pull out the taser wires, but he eventually ran into a tree and that is when the beating began.
He said there is surveillance video from the bar, which he is sending me soon. Robley said other witnesses recorded video and he is trying to track those witnesses down.
Meanwhile, the Cape Coral Police Department [__released a statement__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/routine-call-call-turns-into-officers-battered-suspect-arrested) in response to the attention the video is receiving. But Robley said the video contradicts their statement.
> What began as a suspicious vehicle call in the early morning hours of June 29th, turned into an arrest for drugs and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer.
> Travis Robey, W/M, DOB: 08-01-1993, of 1912 Tropicana Parkway W., Cape Coral was arrested on charges of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting With Violence, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
> At around 3:30 AM, Cape Coral Police responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of BA Hustlers, located at 2138 Santa Barbara Boulevard. Initially, officers were advised of a male sitting in the vehicle. However, while en route, Officers were advised that the male was standing outside of his vehicle, punching and hitting it.
> When officers arrived, they made contact with an intoxicated Robey, who was standing by the open driver’s side door of a white pickup. When asked why he was in the parking lot at this hour, Robey explained that his girlfriend is a waitress at Hustlers and he was waiting for her. As on of the responding officers went inside to confirm this, Robey stated, “Officer, I know I’m not 21, but nobody inside hustlers served me alcohol.” Officers confirmed that Robey was in fact the boyfriend of an employee, and she was aware that he was outside because he was too young to drink inside.
> At the truck, officers were able to smell the odor of raw cannabis coming from the vehicle. Looking inside, Officers were able to see, in plain view, a small amount of suspect cannabis. Robey was read his Miranda Warning from a pre-printed card. Robey initially agreed to speak with officers. However, once officers attempted to detain him for the purposes of the narcotics investigation, Robey began to verbally and physically resist.
> Robey shouted at Officers, “I’m not detained.” and pulled away from officers who were attempting to place him in handcuffs. Despite repeated verbal commands form officers, Robey continued pulling away from Officers attempts to handcuff him. An officer at the scene deployed their Taser, but it was ineffective and Robey managed to pull away and flee on foot.
> As the foot chase continued westbound toward SW Santa Barbara Place, Officers managed to take Robey to the ground. Robey then became aggressive toward officers, punching one Officer in the head above his ear. That officer attempted to deploy his Taser, but the probes did not connect, Robey then struck the officer again, knocking the Taser from the Officer’s hand. Another officer deployed their baton, striking Robey in the buttock, in an attempt to gain compliance, knocking him to the ground.
> Despite repeated verbal commands and attempts by officers to take Robey into custody, he still continued to resist, punching and fighting with officers. Robey head-butted an Officer and once again managed to break free and continue running, this time, northbound. A pursuing officer managed to get Robey back to the ground, but only briefly. Robey got up and began swinging at Officers. This time, Officers attempted to use OC spray to gain compliance, but it was ineffective and Robey continued to swing at officers. Finally, an officer was able to strike Robey in the leg with his baton, get Robey to the ground, and with the help of other officers, get Robey into handcuffs.
> Robey was searched, photographed, and secured in the rear of a patrol car. The suspect cannabis from his vehicle was seized and field tested positive for THC. Robey was transported to Cape Coral Hospital to be medically cleared, then later to Lee County Jail.
> ARRESTED: Travis Robey, W/M, DOB: 08-01-1993, of 1912 Tropicana Parkway W., Cape Coral.
> CHARGES: Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting With Violence, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
