JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A video going viral on social media shows a JSO officer punching a man while in handcuffs. JSO has cleared the officer of any wrongdoing, saying there was more to the story than the short clipped showed.
JSO says officers were called to the area of Bell Tower Court Monday in response to a domestic call between a woman and her boyfriend. When officers arrived they could see injuries to the woman.
Body camera footage shows Officer Marino putting handcuffs on 35-year-old Allen Curry for suspicion of a crime.
Curry resisted. Video taken by a bystander shows the officer searching Curry's pockets as he yells.
"I didn't do nothing," Curry yells.
JSO says Curry refused to be put in the back of the patrol car. The two fought and the officer's body camera was knocked off his uniform. Safeco Nine FoodStore owner Christian Zeidan says he saw the whole interaction.
"He was resisting like crazy. From kicking to pushing him back to not letting him close the door. Then eventually, when that headbutt happened, I think he got a little more aggressive," Foodstore Owner Christian Zeidan said.
That's when JSO says Officer Marino punched Curry in the face. JSO says Marino his Curry to gain control and allow him to get Curry back into the patrol car. More of a struggle continued until the officer was finally able to close the door. Curry is charged with resisting the officer and domestic battery. JSO says after review, there was no misconduct by the officer.
"The fact that nobody really knew that the guy was chasing the lady who he abused. I think you got to show both sides of story, especially what happened prior to that, and why he was getting arrested, and how aggressive he was," Zeidan said.
Police say the female victim refused medical treatment. Curry is behind bars in the Duval County Jail.