The Beaver Countian gave KDKA’s Amy Wadas the dash cam video from the incident which took place in August of last year. In the video, James Cicco, 34, is visibly getting attacked by a K-9 with Beaver Police (Pa.) Department. During the traffic stop, you can see Beaver Patrolman Jeffrey Wijnen-Riems walk over to Cicco’s car, open the door and attempt to pull him out.
“The video does depict Mr. Cicco getting out of his vehicle with both hands palms out and raised and then he only retreats into his vehicle as officer releases the K-9,” Attorney for James Cicco Geraldo Benyo said.
As a result, Cicco suffered various injuries including a gash under his right armpit. His attorney Gerald Benyo says he spent three days recovering at UPMC Presbyterian.
“This entire incident resulted over an aggressive police officer who was upset because on the way to non-emergency call Mr. Cicco didn’t get out of way fast enough,” Benyo said.
Reading the trial transcripts, and evidence, it is a WTF moment as to why this case was even brought to trial. This one is going to end in mistrial or aquital. The arrest was bad to begin with. According to Penn. law, a motorist us authorized to drive to a reasonably safe location, which he did. Second, the officer, with 20 years experience, claimed he was unaware of such law in jurisdiction and State in which he served. Tough one beleive. Likely a lie. Second, the K9 assault. Ofc. claimed that his K9 is trained to continue to bite and hold as long as suspect is struggling. The K9 bit through man’s chest cavity, inflicting gracious harm and extreme pain. No person, no live animal can hold still in face of such primal assault. Afterwards, instead of rendering aid, ofc. is joking with dispatch , while laughing, that he could see the meat of the mauld suspect. When probed, the officer claimed he was trying to lighten the mood. This is sadistic behavior which is more and more common with American LEO.
Evidence at trial. In his report officer States he found unlabeled bottles with pills. No such evidence was presented at trial, and such evidence exists as it turns out. Officer claimed that he saw a power drill that he mistook for a firearm, as justification for UOF. No such drill is on the video, and no drill was presented at trial.
Officer claimed that he went on a call and forgot his vest, to which body microphone was attached, which is why there is no audio recording of incident. Is that even plausible, for a 20 year veteran LEO to make so many errors on one call, and not even have evidence at trial . Really the suspect was guilty of driving with suspended licence. That is not a felony, it is not even a misdemeanor, an infraction at best.
Even the trial judge turned against the officer, by citing his incompetence and lack of candor.
I guess the DA and this agency are really tight, to bring this suspect to trial. The arresting officer is the one who needs to be on trial. Use of unwarranted deadly force, K9. Filing false police report. PERJURY !
This is what Thin Blue Line means to us, citizen nonLEO. Abuse of authority, assault under color of the law, excessive sadistic brutality, lies, obfuscation, perjury, lack of honor, absence of integrity, pain, and suffering. This is why I hold the proffesion and it’s members in utter complete contempt.