EXCLUSIVE: Video shows cops beating alleged pizza thief as he raises arms to surrender inside Brooklyn grocery store
An aspiring hip hop artist was beaten by NYPD cops throwing punches to his head and blows from a baton as he appeared to be meekly surrendering inside a Brooklyn grocery store, a shocking video shows.
Thomas Jennings, who suffered cuts above his eye, raised both hands in what appears to be a gesture of giving up just seconds before the onslaught began, the video shows.
“I didn’t ever know it was coming,” Jennings told the Daily News of the punches that required five stitches to close the wound.
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson’s office is investigating the cops’ use of force against him on July 7 in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is also reviewing the tape, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Jennings’ lawyer said there was no justification for the pummeling.
Thomas Jennings describes to the Daily News the beating he said cops gave him.
“It’s horrendous what they did to him,” said lawyer Amy Rameau. “He had his hands up. He didn’t pose a threat to anyone in that store. It was an absolute use of excessive force.”
The chain of events that led to the brutal confrontation on the video began shortly before inside New York Fried Chicken on Saratoga Ave., according to court papers.
Jennings, 24, and another unidentified man became embroiled in a dispute with an employee over the price of two slices of pizza.
Jennings told The News that the price was $3 and he was a dollar short, so he stepped outside and borrowed money from someone to cover the tab.
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN AUDIO
The criminal complaint alleges the unidentified man pulled out a switchblade knife, told the employee that he wasn’t paying and both men fled with the pizza and salt-and-pepper shakers. The employee called 911 and reported the food joint had been robbed.
Cops tracked Jennings several blocks away to the Roslin grocery store on Bainbridge St. where the video camera behind the counter picks up the action.
Police Officer Lenny Lutchman is the first cop inside, brandishing a baton in his right hand and pushing Jennings in the chest with his outstretched left hand. There is no sound in the video.
Jennings raises both hands up, apparently surrendering. That’s when Officer Pearce Martinez runs up to Jennings, immediately launching three haymaker punches to the man’s head.
While Martinez is handcuffing Jennings without any difficulty, Lutchman is striking him with his baton and then drives Jennings head down into the counter with his elbow.
The criminal complaint said that Jennings was flailing his arms and resisted arrest in the store.
This screen shot shows Jennings raising his hands as cops confront him.
A police source cautioned against drawing conclusions without knowing what was being said between Jennings and Lutchman.
Jennings was charged with robbery and held without bail until July 13 when he was released after the DA’s office did not present the case to a grand jury. Rameau said she expects prosecutors will move to dismiss the case because there was no robbery.
The D.A.’s spokesman said the “entire case,” from the purloined pizza to the alleged beatdown, is under investigation.
Lutchman has one prior federal lawsuit alleging excessive force, which was settled for a nuisance value of $12,500
JESSE WARD/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Jennings is seen after his eye socket was allegedly broken in 2014 during a different incident with police — the basis for his pending lawsuit — than the one in the July 7 video.
Jennings performs as “Sen’Tekk” with a fusion R&B-rap group called BeenFamily.
“He’s an artist, he’s a father, he’s a son but unfortunately the police see him as an object, something to pound on,” Rameau said.
He has a pending lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court against cops from the 81st Precinct who allegedly fractured his eye socket while responding to a dispute between Jennings and his estranged girlfriend.
Jennings has several prior arrests relating to domestic violence and violating an order of protection with the mother of his 4-year-old son.
Under his left eye he has a tattoo of a crown in honor of his son, Levi King Jennings which is actually the boy's name.
An aspiring hip hop artist was beaten by NYPD cops throwing punches to his head and blows from a baton as he appeared to be meekly surrendering inside a Brooklyn grocery store, a shocking video shows.
Thomas Jennings, who suffered cuts above his eye, raised both hands in what appears to be a gesture of giving up just seconds before the onslaught began, the video shows.
“I didn’t ever know it was coming,” Jennings told the Daily News of the punches that required five stitches to close the wound.
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson’s office is investigating the cops’ use of force against him on July 7 in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is also reviewing the tape, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Jennings’ lawyer said there was no justification for the pummeling.
Thomas Jennings describes to the Daily News the beating he said cops gave him.
“It’s horrendous what they did to him,” said lawyer Amy Rameau. “He had his hands up. He didn’t pose a threat to anyone in that store. It was an absolute use of excessive force.”
The chain of events that led to the brutal confrontation on the video began shortly before inside New York Fried Chicken on Saratoga Ave., according to court papers.
Jennings, 24, and another unidentified man became embroiled in a dispute with an employee over the price of two slices of pizza.
Jennings told The News that the price was $3 and he was a dollar short, so he stepped outside and borrowed money from someone to cover the tab.
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN AUDIO
The criminal complaint alleges the unidentified man pulled out a switchblade knife, told the employee that he wasn’t paying and both men fled with the pizza and salt-and-pepper shakers. The employee called 911 and reported the food joint had been robbed.
Cops tracked Jennings several blocks away to the Roslin grocery store on Bainbridge St. where the video camera behind the counter picks up the action.
Police Officer Lenny Lutchman is the first cop inside, brandishing a baton in his right hand and pushing Jennings in the chest with his outstretched left hand. There is no sound in the video.
Jennings raises both hands up, apparently surrendering. That’s when Officer Pearce Martinez runs up to Jennings, immediately launching three haymaker punches to the man’s head.
While Martinez is handcuffing Jennings without any difficulty, Lutchman is striking him with his baton and then drives Jennings head down into the counter with his elbow.
The criminal complaint said that Jennings was flailing his arms and resisted arrest in the store.
This screen shot shows Jennings raising his hands as cops confront him.
A police source cautioned against drawing conclusions without knowing what was being said between Jennings and Lutchman.
Jennings was charged with robbery and held without bail until July 13 when he was released after the DA’s office did not present the case to a grand jury. Rameau said she expects prosecutors will move to dismiss the case because there was no robbery.
The D.A.’s spokesman said the “entire case,” from the purloined pizza to the alleged beatdown, is under investigation.
Lutchman has one prior federal lawsuit alleging excessive force, which was settled for a nuisance value of $12,500
JESSE WARD/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Jennings is seen after his eye socket was allegedly broken in 2014 during a different incident with police — the basis for his pending lawsuit — than the one in the July 7 video.
Jennings performs as “Sen’Tekk” with a fusion R&B-rap group called BeenFamily.
“He’s an artist, he’s a father, he’s a son but unfortunately the police see him as an object, something to pound on,” Rameau said.
He has a pending lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court against cops from the 81st Precinct who allegedly fractured his eye socket while responding to a dispute between Jennings and his estranged girlfriend.
Jennings has several prior arrests relating to domestic violence and violating an order of protection with the mother of his 4-year-old son.
Under his left eye he has a tattoo of a crown in honor of his son, Levi King Jennings which is actually the boy's name.
