Redwood Curtain CopWatch, based in the north coast of California, is part of a larger movement of self organized CopWatch groups throughout the US. Our local efforts seek to intervene in the drastic rise of the presence, militarization, and violence of the police, and build support networks based on self-determination, caring, and concrete needs.
Man Severely Injured by Arcata Cop
Submitted by copwatch on Sun, 04/05/2009 - 5:22pm
MAN SEVERELY INJURED BY ARCATA COP
[We are using the name "Joe" here because we are unable to contact the victim to ask permission to use his name]
A couple of days ago, Arcata Police Officer BRIAN HOFFMAN brutalized a young black man, Joe, whom we believe lives outside. We have been told that Officer Hoffman, near the Co-op in Arcata, slammed Joe's face into the cop car and ground his face into the cement. We were told that skin on Joe's cheek ripped off, and there was a puddle of blood on the sidewalk (about a foot wide in diameter) where the cop had attacked. Although the cops tried to wipe up the blood, a civilian later took a photo of the large stain on the sidewalk.
A witness complained to the Arcata Police Department about the abuse he saw Officer Hoffman inflict. The cop at APD told the witness that in the past, Joe had SPAT BLOOD ON AN OFFICER. Spat blood? Does that mean a cop had beat Joe until he had blood in his mouth?!! Does that mean Officer Brian Hoffman was retaliating for something from the past?!!!
When several folks on the street heard of Joe being beat so bad, they immediately guessed that OFFICER BRIAN HOFFMAN had done it. Hoffman has been described as "a big, white guy with a bald head," and according to these folks, "Hoffman has it out for Joe."
Moments after we learned of this incident, a fellow CopWatcher called in to say that she had just encountered a woman who had gone to court as support for her friend, Joe. The woman was quite upset, explaining that she saw Joe, and he has a broken arm and broken leg- JAILED IN A WHEELCHAIR WITH A SLING ON HIS ARM!
A few days prior to the incident, we shared food and sunshine with Joe at the PEOPLE PROJECT Grub-n-Grab.
If anyone knows more about what happened to Joe [again, not his real name] please email or call CopWatch. Please get involved. We need more folks WATCHING.
copwatchrwc@riseup.net
(707) 633-4493
