Dashboard video out of a Medford Police car from December 2012 shows a scuffle between 27-year-old Chad Ray Paxton and two officers, Corporal Tom Venables and Officer Jennifer Newell. Paxton claims he’s a victim of police brutality.
According to police, Paxton was pulled over in a parking lot at the intersection of West Main and Lozier in Medford, for driving under the influence. When an officer tried to cuff him, police said Paxton assaulted them.
According to police reports Paxton provided to NBC 5, Officer Newell wrote “The suspect threw a punch at Corporal Venables.”
She went on, “The suspect delivered what felt like a closed fist punch to the back of my head causing me intense pain.”
Newell wrote that she did not know if Venables was hurt. She said she was concerned about Paxton getting a hold of weapons on her belt and she feared for her life.
“You can hear the officer requesting code 13. It’s a code we use for help. And you can hear “expedite” which means I need it right now,” explained Sgt. Brent Mak of the Medford Police Department.
Pictures taken on the night Paxton was arrested, show him bloody and bruised. Photos of the officers who responded show less severe injuries.
Both Paxton and the Medford Police Department said the video speaks for itself. However, both parties have very different views of what happened that night.
A taser was used, but police said Paxton was able to run away. While police tracked him down, authorities said his girlfriend was thwarted from stealing a police car by a citizen ride-along.
“You can hear the ride-along passenger yelling at her and then he runs around and pulls her out of the car,” said Sgt. Mak.
NBC 5 spoke with Paxton on the phone who says there are inconsistencies between the police report and video. He said the officers are lying and he denies assaulting the police officers.
Paxton is charged with two counts of assaulting a public safety officer, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence among other charges. His trial date is set for May 21st.
Medford Police said in 2012, they physically arrested more than 11,000 people. They used force on about one-percent of them.
RAW VIDEO: Man Disputes Assault Charges & Claims Police Brutality
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