RFP Staff
♦This morning in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, during the Kareem Puranda civil rights trial, the prosecution presented two in-car videos of the former Salisbury Police Officer making arrests. Utilizing the testimony of another Salisbury Police officer who claimed one of the videos demonstrated what he consider the inappropriate use of force, U.S. Attorney Graham Green built a case for the use of excessive force by then officer Puranda. Mr. Puranda, charged with violating two mens constitutional rights by employing excessive force, is on trial today for two arrests he made back in 2009 where the individuals arrested sustained injuries. These injuries landed them in the hospital.
During the morning session 6 witnesses took the stand including Robin Otto Worth, Eric Williams, and Wayne Partee. The three prosecution witnesses testified about traffic stops and other meetings with Mr. Puranda that caused their hospitalization. The prosecutor Graham T. Green played the videos of the two traffic stop incidents. The first video showed Puranda lifting Wayne Partee, unlisted as victim on the federal indictment, over the officer’s head and driving him to ground. The stop involved a drug seizure. The second video showed Puranda punching Eric Williams in the face. Puranda’s defense attorney, Chris Fialko quickly countered that Puranda believed Eric Williams was attempting to flee and that the suspects in both videos were resisting arrest.
During the opening statement, defense attorney Chris Fialko pointed out that Policemen have a dangerous job and one of the more dangerous situations is when a suspect runs. “These are uncertain moments.”
Several current and former Salisbury Police officers were brought to the stand by prosecutor Green. They included Salisbury officers: Ronald Foster, Lt. Andy Efird, and veteran officer Mark Shue. These officers were employed by the prosecution to demonstrate the problematic nature of Puranda stint with the Salisbury Police department. Officer Foster, after observing the punch to Eric Williams face, said “It’s not something I would’ve done.”
Foster, who watched the video of Williams’ blow to the face, told the court he thought the use of force was inappropriate.
Robin Otto Worth, who took off from officers during his June 2009 stop and was shortly apprehended, spoke on the stand, saying, “Puranda had his way with me.” Worth later described being tasered and forcefully restrained. Prosecutor Green then held up photo of Worth’s bloodied face taken after the incident and asked Worth: “Can you describe this to me?” Worth replied: “Looks like somebody got beat with an ugly stick.”
According to Rowan County civil court documents filed last October, Robin Otto Worth accepted a $40,000 settlement from the City of Salisbury and dismissed complaints against former Salisbury Police officer Kareem Puranda and recently deceased Salisbury Police Sgt. Mark Hunter. According to the complaint, Hunter and Puranda were involved in a 2009 traffic stop where Worth fled the scene and the two officers pursued him. The complaint stated that Puranda struck Worth in the head with his pistol, and punched, kicked, pepper sprayed and tasered him.
Various civil rights activist groups, in Salisbury and across the state, are watching this case closely. Mr. Puranda is charged with a crime whose penalties range from a fine and court costs to up to 10 years in a federal penitentiary.
Civil Rights abuses, explained by the FBI:
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/color_of_law
More Civil Rights crimes explained by the FBI:
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/federal-statutes
