By Paloma Esquivel and Richard Winton
April 19, 2015
Before he found himself being beaten earlier this month by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies in view of a hovering news helicopter, Francis Pusok and law enforcement had clashed more than once.
The 30-year-old Apple Valley resident had been arrested at least six times in recent years and faced multiple counts of resisting arrest or being aggressive toward officers. Many of those charges were later dismissed or reduced through plea deals. His rap sheet also includes an attempted robbery conviction.
Pusok and his attorneys say the arrests show a pattern of misbehavior and aggression on the part of law enforcement that culminated in the April 9 beating.
In an interview Friday, Pusok said that after the beating, a deputy whispered in his ear: “This isn’t over.”
Whether deputies had it in for Pusok, as he contends, or Pusok had a history of aggression toward officers that affected how deputies responded to him may factor into investigations of the incident.
A news camera captured the end of a long chase from Apple Valley to rugged terrain near the San Bernardino National Forest. Pusok was thrown from a horse and was surrounded by deputies who kicked and punched him even as he appeared to have surrendered.
The Sheriff’s Department and FBI are investigating the incident, which came as several cases of alleged police brutality have drawn national attention.
Most of those cases involve white officers fatally shooting black victims. In this case, Pusok and most of the officers are white, and Pusok survived with mostly cuts and bruises. But the beating of an unarmed man who did not appear to be resisting has raised questions about whether deputies were acting punitively.
“Everyone keeps asking, ‘Why did he run?'” said Sharon Brunner, one of Pusok’s attorneys. “[He] saw the police and knew it was going to be bad, and it was.”
Ten deputies have been put on administrative leave. Brunner said her client “just wants to be left alone by the police.”
Cindy Bachman, a Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, said none of Pusok’s prior arrests “have anything to do with what happened.”
A federal official who declined to be named because of the ongoing investigation said examining deputies’ prior contact with Pusok will be part of their civil rights investigation.
Walter Katz, a police oversight lawyer in Los Angeles, said beatings can raise questions about officers’ motives.
Francis Pusok
Francis Pusok was arrested by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies. (San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)
He noted that many of the most notorious use-of-force incidents in Southern California have involved beatings. He cited the Rodney King case, the 2004 beating of Stanley Miller by an LAPD officer and last year’s beating on the freeway of Marlene Pinnock by a CHP officer, each of which was captured on camera.
Charles “Sid” Heal, a retired L.A. County sheriff’s commander and tactical expert, said “emotions like anger, outrage and frustration are more likely to be involved in physical confrontations,” rather than shootings, which often happen after split-second decisions.
“It is not a single, isolated incident of force but more prolonged. So I think there may be some feelings that the motives are more sinister,” he said.
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A Grand Jury investigation is in order.
A federal Grand Jury needs to be convened as soon as practicable.
A grand Jury convened under Mike Ramos?
Whatever, let just keep caring more about the criminals and see where that gets us.
“Pusok was stopped because he matched the description of a man WITH A GUN….Mr. Pusok got up and tried to fight with the SOLE OFFICER that was detaining him, and they had a very short struggle, and he was subdued and taken into custody,”
“WITH A GUN”
“SOLE OFFICER”
ONLY A J/AXX WOULD TRY TO FIGHT THE “SOLE” OFFICER RATHER THAN BE CIVIL AND COOPERATE- THAT “OFFICER” IS A HERO!:
[RED] Anonymous on September 28th, 2012 9:18 pm
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This raises another question,
… start looking at peoples background, patterns, and record.
Francis Pusok is a jerk. He shot a dog, pulled a burglary and has been a villege A.H.
However, does this mean that deputy sheriffs have a greenlight beat (torture) these people with a record simular to Pusok on a routine basis when the eyes of the public are dormant.
These sort of abuses of power under color of law are not isolated. This is why something must be done to control these cowboys that shamefully wear the S.B. badge. That is why I say a Grand Jury Investigation is in order — even though the FBI, ACLU and an internal investigation is underway. What is it going to take to clean-up the bad apples in the SBSD?
The sheriff deputys that particpated in the beating are rotten apples as is Pusok. Enough of enough of misconduct from the people paid to protect and uphold the law.
“Whatever, let just keep caring more about the criminals and see where that gets us.”
I agree, Who cares! We definitely need to do something about these cops!
Who cares about the criminals, Mikey u da man!
There’s an old saying that goes “you never want to see sausage being made”.
The same thing can be said about law enforcement.
I’m not saying that the deputies, especially the first two were 100% in the right. But law enforcement sometimes can be an ugly thing to the untrained eye.
@ Who cadres,
Pusok is the village idiot wow shot a dog, has a rap for burglary and an assortment of other crimes. However, the bigger criminal are the ones that beat (torture) those whom have gone bad. I guess Whocares doesn’t give a damn about the cruel and unsuual clause of the U.S. Constitution. We are a country of laws, not police thugs. I didn’t spend my time if the Marine Corps serving my country in order for rotton cops that have gone bad to torture criminals.
The department needs a good housecleaning.
Who cares unfortunately has missed the glaring facts that INNOCENT people have been screwed over by the judicial system in this county.
They had NO CRIMINAL background and had to endure much more than Pusok.
Pusok is a POS no question. Some dummies just made him wealthy more than those who beat him.
Pusoks background will mitigate little at the end of the day.
Anyone who fears they are going to get another ASS whoopin is likely to run.
Some of you haven’t figured out COPS FEAR doing the right thing.
Now those who will stand by and take an ass whoopin please POST your name and share your life experiences on that topic.
Let’s see what brave cop or elected official gets on the witness stand and say, ” Pusok got what he deserved and more than once”?
Let John McMahon give a jury a reality check on ass whoopins.
[RED] Anonymous on June 11th, 2012 9:26 am
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You guys can stick your heads in the sand all you want, It establishes a pattern of behavior … ///
that demonstrates his (PUSOK’S) willingness to undermine public welfare…..
This whole scandal is truly a deep rooted rott equivalent to finding out that the whole side of your home (SBSD) has decayed beneath the vanir of your stucco siding.
I love the attempt…. (not really)
“you never want to see sausage being made”. Therefore body cameras are bad….
Derp.
Denny you keep quoting a CONVICTED felon like its suppose to mean something.
Red don’t rate boy. He has been outed and disappeared like most rats do.
Find another hero. His head has been in the sand all his life. In his spare time up others asses trying to get ahead.