A video showing an Allentown, Pa., police officer using a stun gun on a 14-year-old girl has been released as part of evidence for a federal lawsuit that the girl's family has filed against the city and the police officer.
The incident, which occurred on Sept. 29, was caught on video. But close to two minutes of footage is missing from the tape, which both the prosecution and the defense call the most critical.
Keshana Wilson, 14, was shown walking toward a car on the street with two friends before turning to talk to a group of students. The video then abruptly cuts to a face-off between Wilson and the police officer, Jason Ammary, who is shown shoving Wilson against a car.
Wilson shoved her forearm in his face, and Ammary stepped back and used the Taser on her, causing her to collapse to the ground. Security officials then came to clear the scene.
The girl was charged with aggravated assault, among other offenses. The lawsuit that the girl's family filed says the cop used excessive force against the teen, while the Allentown Police Department claims that the girl was cursing, incited a riot and resisted arrest.
With close to two minutes missing from this video, who knows what really happened? But in this case, the video shows that the 14-year-old girl didn't look like enough of a threat for an officer to feel that he needed to use that level of force to subdue her. However this case goes, this cop should be reprimanded for using this weapon.
Read more at NBC Philadelphia.