Mesa Police Officers on Leave After Release of Disturbing Video
CABRERA: New body cam video of a teen's arrest has led to a second investigation of use of force by police in Mesa, Arizona. Days earlier, the police department was criticized over surveillance footage that showed officers punching and kneeing another man. And now there are two separate investigations with a total of six officers and one sergeant on administrative leave. Our Stephanie Elam reports the police chief there's determined to get to the bottom of this.</s>RAMON BATISTA, CHIEF, MESA POLICE DEPARTMENT: Let me be crystal clear, I'm angry and I'm deeply disappointed by what I saw in those videos. It's unacceptable, and it needs to stop immediately.</s>STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Videos of Mesa police officers making two separate arrests have put the department in hot water.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: All the way down. All the way down.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Dude, they told you to sit down.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Sit down.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: This is down, Bro. Down. This is down, Bro.</s>ELAM: The May 23rd arrest of Robert Johnson making national headlines as the video shows the unarmed 33 year old being kneed and punched repeatedly in the head until he is out cold. A police sergeant and four officers are on administrative leave while the incident is investigated. The department already changing policy in response to the video.</s>BATISTA: Henceforth, any strikes are only authorized in situations where a person is actively fighting with us, actively taking a swing with us.</s>ELAM: That's not enough for Johnson, who wants the charges against him dropped.</s>ROBERT JOHNSON, BEATEN BY MESA POLICE OFFICERS: I want Mesa to be held accountable for what they have done.</s>ELAM: Before Johnson, on May 17th, Mesa police arrested a 15-year-old male who was charged with multiple counts, including armed robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. After he is in handcuffs, you hear the teen wail.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Are you done talking?</s>UNIDENTIFEID TEENAGER: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED POLICE OFFICER: Are you done talking? Are you sure?</s>UNIDENTIFIED TEENAGER: Are you sure you're done talking? I'm trying to get ahold of my grandma. I'm trying to get ahold of my grandma. I'm trying to get ahold of my grandma.</s>ELAM: Two of these officers are now also on administrative leave.</s>BATISTA: The level of force used by our officers was brought to my attention, and as a result, an internal investigation was initiated by the department.</s>ELAM: Mesa Police Chief Ramon Batista taking action, announcing a trio of investigations, including one led by the Washington, D.C.- based Police Executive Research Forum, which will examine the department's use of force over the last three years. Former Maricopa County attorney, Rick Romley, will conduct an internal affairs review to determine if disciplinary action is need.</s>RICK ROMLEY, FORMER MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY: It's going to be hard inside the Mesa Police Department.</s>BATISTA: My team and I will work every single day to make these -- to make sure these situations don't happen again.</s>ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN.</s>CABRERA: Coming up, just days before President Trump and Kim Jong-Un meet face-to-face, the North Korean propaganda machine is ramping up, but with a surprising change of tone.