It was only two days ago that video surfaced showing a West Covina police officer pouncing on a woman for recording him during a traffic stop – claiming her phone could be used as a weapon – forcing her out of the car and handcuffing her, even though she was not suspected of committing a crime.
Now another video has surfaced showing cops from the same Southern California police agency attacking a man in an apparent case of mistaken identity while trying to intimidate his friend from recording.
The video was posted to a YouTube channel under the username Jason Walters on March 3, nine days before the other incident where the woman told the cop she needed to record because they had made a bad name for themselves.
According to the YouTube description:
Kevin Howard Jr., who stopped at a store with a friend after going to a baby shower and bowling alley, was assaulted by officers after asking why he was being detained. Police say that he matched the description of a suspect.
There is no other information at this time on this incident but it does further confirm that the West Covina Police Department does not respect the rights of citizens to record them.
“Why are you punching him in the face for?” the man with the camera demands as three cops struggle with Howard who is demanding to know what probable cause they have to detain him.
One cop turns at tells him to “get the fuck back,” calling him a “motherfucker” while getting into his face with his baton in his hand.
“You’re going to hit me?” the man with the camera asks as the cop walks back.
The cop then pulls out a flashlight to keep him from recording, which is a common tactic that should result in immediate termination, but will probably lead to a promotion.