A video of Phoenix police violently arresting a disabled Black man has sparked national outcry over both the officers’ actions and the fact that the man was charged with assault and resisting arrest.
But Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement on Thursday that those charges against Tyron McAlpin are being dropped.
“I promised I would personally review the case including a large volume of video recordings, police reports, and other materials that have been forwarded to my office,” the statement said. “I have now completed my review and have made the decision to dismiss all remaining charges against Mr. McAlpin.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: This video contains graphic content that some people may find disturbing.
McAlpin was arrested on Aug. 19 by officers who were acting on a tip from a man standing outside a convenience store.
McAlpin, who is deaf and has cerebral palsy, was immediately grabbed and repeatedly punched and shocked with a Taser by the two officers — one of whom can be heard in body cam footage complaining that he broke his hand throwing punches.
McAlpin was then charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault and one felony count of resisting arrest — he spent 24 days in jail because he could not afford the $7,500 bond.
This incident comes just months after the Department of Justice released its report finding that Phoenix police discriminate against minorities and routinely use excessive force — including unjustified deadly force.
Attorney Jesse Showalter says he's looking into how McAlpin was treated in jail and whether accommodations were provided for his deafness and cerebral palsy.
"I don't think a lot of people understand how overwhelming and stressful and frightening it can be to have criminal charges of any kind looming over a person's head, particularly when they're false charges," Showalter said.
The Phoenix Police Department is conducting an internal investigation into McAlpin’s arrest.