Video shows Georgia man Amor Ellison, 20, being taken down by three cops on Monday at parking lot, and one of them seems to punch him in the face twice while he was already down on the ground. That officer, Cpl. C.J. Meeks, has resigned, according to Carrollton Police Chief Joel Richards. Meeks had been under investigation by the department over this incident.
Cops said it all started when Ellison went to pick up a final paycheck from a restaurant. The manager called police. Meeks and at least two officers made it to the scene.
As seen on the video, Meeks throws his notepad to the ground, and the officers proceed to take Ellison down. The corporal apparently strikes the grounded 20-year-old in the face once, and then again when Ellison is on his stomach. Meanwhile, the other two officers are handcuffing Ellison’s hands behind his back.
“I tried to turn over,” Ellison told WSB-TV. “But the way all three of them handled me, I can barely get over in time, so he punched me. I get both hands behind my back. He punched me one more time.”
He said he was trying to be cooperative with officers.
The Carrollton Police Department told Law&Crime that he was arrested at the scene, and charged with obstruction.
Ellison and family is working with an attorney to sue over the incident with Meeks. Richards told the outlet his department started an investigation over this as soon as he saw the video.
“We do the right thing for the right reasons,” he said, speaking before the resignation. “The right thing will be done in this situation.”
Meeks could not be reached for comment as of press time.
Note: Added that Ellison had been arrested for obstruction, according to police.
[Image via WSB-TV screengrab]
