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American Morning

Shocking Images of Arrest Caught On Tape

Aired July 09, 2002 - 07:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to the shocking images of an arrest caught on tape. A handcuffed 16-year-old was lifted off the ground, slammed on top of a cruiser by police officers from a Los Angeles suburb, and then later punched in the face. The boy, who was a passenger in the car, was later arrested for assaulting a police officer. Meanwhile, one officer has been suspended, and Inglewood's police department faces a public relations nightmare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. EVE IRVINE, INGLEWOOD POLICE DEPT.: What occurred in the video is extremely disturbing to the Inglewood Police Department, as well as the administrators of the city of Inglewood. The incident is being taken very seriously. After reviewing the tape, a formal internal affairs investigation was immediately initiated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: But police have also said on the record that Donovan Chavis lunged at a police officer and had to be subdued. But a bystander, who videotaped the arrest, said the boy was not resisting when he was punched.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITCH CROOKS, AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER: Actually, I was thinking that this is just another typical day by the L.A. Police Department, and that's what I was thinking. This stuff happens all of the time. It's just very rarely that it ever gets caught on video. I mean, maybe this will help them like realize that, you know, people are watching and people are equipped with cameras. So maybe they'll back off a little bit. And I understand that like not all police are bad, but certain cops, you know, need to be caught doing bad things, and I'm glad I caught this guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And a short time ago, I spoke with Chavis' attorney, Joe Hopkins. Chavis was also supposed to join us with his father, but was unable to at the last minute.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN (on camera): I'd like to start off this morning by having your client's father describe how his son has reacted to what he describes as a beating by the Inglewood Police -- let's listen.

KOBY CHAVIS, FATHER OF DONOVAN CHAVIS: At nighttime, he's scared to go to sleep by himself at night. He wakes up, like, screaming. He's scared of police now. He's scared to go outside by himself. He's frightened.

ZAHN: The Inglewood Police Department says it is taking the allegations very seriously. At the same time, your client was booked and charged with allegedly assaulting a police officer. What happened?

JOE HOPKINS, CHAVIS' ATTORNEY: Well, what happened at the scene is Donovan and his father essentially pulled in to get some gas. They were not stopped. While Donovan was going to the booth to pay for the gas, two L.A. County sheriffs drove by, took a look at Mr. Chavis, who was still sitting in the car, made a U-turn, came back.

By that time, Donovan was coming back from paying for the gas. He had some potato chips in his hand. He was told by the sheriff, who had now exited their car, "Drop the potato chips and step back from the car." And essentially from that point on, the police had created an emergency.

Donovan stepped back from the car. He was basically taken by the sheriff, sat in their car. But before he could hardly sit down, the Inglewood Police Department -- I don't know whether they had been called or what -- but four of their officers showed up. Donovan stood up, and as he stood up, the sheriff grabbed the kid by the neck and held him, essentially, while the Inglewood Police Department, four officers took turns beating him. That was the beginning.

It went from there to him being slammed onto the ground, onto the cement, drug by an 18-inch metal chain, which almost -- what -- five days later, the prints are still there as if they were -- or had attempted to hang him. The kid is essentially traumatized even today. That's one reason he's not with me this morning.

ZAHN: Well, what happened after he was arrested and -- or charged with allegedly assaulting a police officer? Are those charges -- does he still face those charges?

HOPKINS: He still faces those charges. We have court dates. I mean, this is the double sweep that cities like Inglewood do. They are sorry for what happened, or at least they are looking into it, and they indicate that they are concerned. But the kid is still charged.

And if you look at the record of these cities, you will find that time and time again, they find a reason to exonerate the officers, and it happens over and over again. It's my understanding that the officers that they relieved of duty temporarily, that this is the second event within a couple of months. And...

ZAHN: But, sir, if you would, come back to the key question. Are you denying that your client in any way lunged at police during this altercation? HOPKINS: I'm absolutely denying it. I believe the kid. I wasn't there, obviously. If you saw him on the tape and if you saw him in person, as some of the people did yesterday, he is basically a passive kid. I just cannot believe it happened, but even if it happened...

ZAHN: But what the tape does not capture, sir, is what happened prior to your client's head, as we have all seen, being slammed against that car.

HOPKINS: Right.

ZAHN: Are you saying that the Inglewood Police or that the sheriff's deputies made this up?

HOPKINS: They are very creative. Yes, I'm saying they made it up. I'm saying that Donovan took the worst beating before the tape ever began to run. And if you take a look at that tape again, you can see the kid is barely conscious. He's completely out of it by the time his head is slammed onto that car and by the time that officer punches him again. He's completely out by then, and that's because he had taken a severe beating by four adult officers, who had not only hit him repeatedly in the face, but slammed him to the ground and drug him with this chain.

ZAHN: Bur, sir, if you're saying...

HOPKINS: So, yes, I'm saying they are lying.

ZAHN: All right. If they are lying...

HOPKINS: I'm saying they are lying, and...

ZAHN: ... why did they attack him then?

HOPKINS: The second part of what I was going to say is it was totally unprovoked, just as the attack of this other kid that took place a few weeks earlier was unprovoked. Essentially, you've got a 5 foot 8 black male in an area where the police have license to do these things, because the city of Inglewood is apparently not stopping them. And they don't need provocation. What they need is visually seeing a black male, and they have had license to do what they want to do.

ZAHN: So there is no doubt in your mind, sir, that this was racially motivated.

HOPKINS: No doubt in my mind, corroborated by the statement that one of the officers made to the father -- excuse me -- at one point, where he told him: "Nigger, you're going to jail. We have beat your son's ass, and you're going to jail. And if I see you on the streets, you're definitely going to jail."

ZAHN: Joe Hopkins, we appreciate your time this morning. We know you didn't get much sleep last night. Again, thanks for dropping by.

HOPKINS: Thank you for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And Mr. Hopkins says he plans to sue the department if his client isn't satisfied with the police response -- with the city's response.

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