It’s not uncommon for cops to use excessive force on a civilian for the most minor of infractions, but an old man from Mansfield, Ohio, likely didn’t expect to receive life-changing injuries from a cop for merely jaywalking. Sadly, the damage has been done, and the Ohio senior citizen is now in pain after five cops body-slammed and restrained him. For this, the old man plans to sue the whole police department. Here’s the clip of the arrest:
67-year-old Charles Roberts is the senior citizen in question, and back on April 22, he was walking around in Mansfield at 1 AM and got thirsty. Upon seeing a vending machine in front of the New Millennium Carwash in Bowman across the street, he crossed the road to buy a drink (but not on a crosswalk). Unfortunately, a nearby patrolling cop saw him and rushed in for an arrest.
The cop, identified as Officer Michael Nelson, 27, immediately overwhelmed the old man only a few seconds after Roberts argued just how petty the infraction was and implied that an arrest wasn’t necessary for jaywalking. Officer Nelson also called for backup, and four other cops rushed, helping him body-slam Roberts to the concrete to restrain him. Because of the excessive force, seven of Roberts’ ribs were fractured, he had several bruises, and blood in his lungs due to the physical trauma.
“I’ve never experienced such pain… Seven. Broken and fractured. Just smashed. It cost more money for what happened to me; being hospitalized, now I’m in counseling, medications, than $25,” Roberts said in an interview with Cleveland19 News
Roberts was fined $25 for jaywalking in Ohio. However, the hospital bills that accumulated because of his injuries set him back a lot more. Moreover, the 67-year-old is still suffering the effects of his injuries, such as numbness and vertigo, even months later. With that said, Roberts plans to sue and has filed a complaint already, with authorities now placing the Mansfield Police Department under investigation.
People Online are Shocked by the Excessive Arrests
So far, the Mansfield Police Department and Officer Nelson have been seemingly making themselves scarce for public dialogue regarding the incident and have only sent out statements and reports. Regardless, what happened in the bodycam footage was clear as day, and people are now condemning the excessive use of force for arresting an old man. A ticket or maybe even just a warning could’ve served its purpose well enough.
“5 v 1…for jaywalking…at 1am. I guess they don’t have a lot of people to beat up in Mansfield and they get bored,” points out one Reddit user
“Man was 67 also. Imagine being so power tripped you literally cripple a man that could be your dad”
“That cop escalated before he even got there. He wanted to hurt someone that night. Notice how the other cops kind of got stuttery when they saw who it was and they knew him. They knew that shit shouldn’t have happened.”
“Those nazis are sooooo brave. Hope they lose big time.”
What Roberts suffered at the hands of Mansfield police wasn’t exactly new or even the most alarming case of police incompetence or brutality; however, for many, it placed law enforcement in a more negative light. Some have even assumed that the Officer who spearheaded the unnecessary body slam was a problem cop in the department and needs to be dealt with.
