Law enforcement officials in Gwinnett County, Georgia near Atlanta, have charged two police officers in connection with the brutal beating of an unarmed Black motorist earlier this month. Former Gwinnett County police officers Sgt. Michael Bongiovanni, 42, and Officer Robert McDonald, 25, were fired from their jobs after a video was posted to Facebook showing them punching and kicking motorist Demetrius Hollins who was stopped for a traffic violation.
When Hollins exited the car with his arms raised, he was punched in the face by Bongiovanni and when McDonald arrived at the scene to assist, he immediately kicks Hollins while he is laying on the ground in compliance with police commands. Bongiovanni wrote in his official police report, “… Hollins refused to place his hands behind his back, spun around and began to actively resist arrest by bending at the waist and trying to push me away,” Hollins was also tased by the officer before being placed into custody. However, the videos show an encounter that differed greatly from the police report.
Gwinnett County Police Chief A.A. “Butch” Ayers stated to media, “What I viewed on that video disturbed me, as it disturbed everyone that witnessed that video. The suspect, or the man in that video, was lying down, he was clearly handcuffed, he was clearly not resisting, and he was not a threat to anyone. What happened yesterday at the hands of one of my former officers was embarrassing not only to the Gwinnett County Police Department but to all law enforcement.”
Bongiovanni and McDonald were charged Wednesday with violation of oath of office, a felony, and misdemeanor battery. Both officers must run themselves into the Gwinnett County jail today, April 27, 2017, and could face up to five years in prison for their actions.
