Two men are claiming a gross case of police brutality and alleging that the cops doled out some outlaw justice on them. Rodney Lino and Patrick Menzies were leaving the Princess on Sunday morning between 3:30 and 4:00 - which is when Lino bumped into a female. He says he apologized, but one of the men accompanying her - who turned out to be a police officer in civilian clothes - didn't take too kindly to it.
He allegedly assaulted Lino and from there things went very quickly downhill - here's their side of the story:..
Rodney Lino, Claim Police Brutality
"He punch me in my mouth first, when he did that I draw backwards and I stand up right there and I tell the young lady sorry again because the young lady stand right there. So after he knock me in my mouth he walk across the street and when I look I see the other one coming across the street in civilian clothing, I did not know he was a police officer. When he came to me he was asking the same question about what happen here and the young lady said the same thing that nothing happen. It look like he didn't want to hear that either, so he just turn away like he was walking on the side and that is when he bump me with his elbow and that is where my chin got a big split."
Patrick Menzies, Claim Police Brutality
"I saw a big split in his chin and so I told him that I will take him to the hospital to deal with the chin. So we got in the car and we are leaving Princess now and he (Rodney) show me them up the street walking and so I told him that I will fake one of them. The same officer was on the street ( the one that elbow him) so I pull into him with my car and pull out back but he jump on the sidewalk and when the other officer saw what happen he step out in the street to try to stop me. But by that time I was already going down on my gas pedal because now I will not stop because I was frightened already. When he step out is when the car hit him, after that I heard repeated gunshots then felt a burning sensation and then I when I look down I saw a hole in my jeans pants and a little bit of blood. So I got grazed by one of the bullets. The shoot out the back glass and you could see plainly where they were aiming at my head. I told him (Rodney) that I will drop off the car at his house and I will call my uncle or my dad to come and take us to report this too the police station. I tried to call my uncle but it was going straight to voicemail, so I told him that as soon as daylight we will get somebody to take us there, however the GSU came before daylight and it was 2-3 truckloads of policemen and they brought back the same policeman that elbow Rodney in his chin to come and beat him again, still in civilian clothing in his yard. They repeatedly bang on the door and they say they are the police at this time, he look through his window and saw that they were policemen and he open the door. When he open the door that is when they push the door and he fell and I saw 4-5 policeman just kicking him. If you look at his face - those aren't punches - those are kicks. They told us to lie down and put our hands behind our back, one of the officers took a standing fan and broke that in my back and after that I felt kicking and punching. I just stuck my face down in the mattress so that my face doesn't get damage."
"They took out of the house in handcuffs and 3 of them pick me up - heist me up higher that the cover of the pickup pan and throw me down head-way in into the truck and one of them came to me and said that how is it my face is not bruise up like his (Rodney) face. The other officer said don't worry about that, when we reach Queen Street police station we will make his face match his (Rodney) one."
"Both of us have never been arrested and I don't know why they treat us like criminals. These officers were drinking and I would never think that they were cops because of the way they carry themselves - like street people - like gangs."
Rodney Lino, Claim Police Brutality
"Yes I am very angry because I mean they should have come better than this."
Patrick Menzies, Claim Police Brutality
"I want to see the officers who are responsible punish because to me it's unprofessional, it's like they don't have any training. They are like wild animals out here. Like they can do what they want."
Rodney Lino, Claim Police Brutality
"We have never been arrested before and it is the first time something like this happen to us in our life so we just want justice for it."
Attorney Darryl Bradley had appeared at the station shortly after 3:00 p.m. and had managed to free both men. The pair also allege that after police beat Lino in his house, they instructed him to take off his bloody clothes - which they used to wipe up the floor - and then put those clothes in a plastic bag and took it.
They say the team of police also took the bullet slug out of the car. Police issued a statement with their side of the story this evening. It says they are investigating a traffic accident that has left a Police Officer injured. One PC Casimiro reported that he was exiting The Princess along with other Police Officers and civilian friends, where they were approached by a female who alleged that she was being harassed by a male person who was in the compound. The Police approached the male person who was behaving in a boisterous manner, where an argument ensued. The statement - we note - does not say how the argument ended. It jumps ahead to - the Police crossing on Newtown Barracks in front of Princess Hotel, when a car came from behind and knocked him down.
The statement does not address any subsequent beatdown at a private residence and we were unable to reach the head of GSU Marco Vidal. The police say that the Commissioner has ordered an immediate investigation by the CIB, Traffic Branch and the Internal Affairs Office.
Menzies is first cousin to murdered deacon, Teddy Murillo and nephew to activist Donalyn Murillo.
