Videos of LAPD Beating Don't Back Claims About Wire Cutters

Sources say tapes fail to show police finding the item they say was in the suspect's pocket. Investigators scrutinizing television news footage of last month's police beating of Stanley Miller have found no evidence so far on the videotapes to back up police officers' claims that they recovered a pair of wire cutters in his pants pocket, Los Angeles Police Department sources said Thursday. Officer John Hatfield, who is seen on the videos hitting Miller 11 times with a flashlight, told investigators he took the action after another officer yelled that he felt a gun in Miller's pocket. No gun was found, but the officers said they recovered wire cutters from Miller's right front pants pocket. [more]