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Man Says Dashcam Shows Officer Choking Him

Investigation Under Way In 'Vascular Restraint' Incident

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a traffic stop involving a Mount Juliet police officer accused of performing "vascular restraint" on a man suspected of trying to swallow drugs.

In the April 4 incident, which was captured on police dashcam, Cpl. William Cosby stopped a vehicle driven by James Lawrence Anders Jr. The video shows Cosby putting his hands around Anders' neck until Anders appears to go limp.

Gary Vandever, Anders' attorney, said his client lost consciousness.

"My first impression was anger. This is something that should not happen," he told WSMV-TV in Nashville.

General Sessions Judge Barry Tatum agreed. In a letter to incoming Mount Juliet Police Chief Andy Garrett, Tatum called Cosby's actions inexcusable and said he is dismissing all cases that Cosby currently has pending and all future cases that he tries to bring to the court.

This isn't the first time Cosby has been accused of wrongdoing. He resigned from the Lebanon, Tenn., Police Department in 2003 while an excessive force lawsuit was pending. The city settled with the accuser for $200,000.

Cosby is still on the job while the investigation is ongoing.

Garrett, who was sworn in as chief on Monday, said Cosby did get a reprimand in his file but said that his office will wait to see what the TBI finds.

Vandever said he thinks the video speaks for itself.

"I would be terrified to have that officer on the road. If he lays hands on anybody after this, I can foresee bad things happening to the city of Mount Juliet," he said.

Vandever said he is preparing to file lawsuits against both officers in the video and the city.

Lebanon Police Department spokesperson said its officers can only use it in the case of deadly force. They said a drug case like this one would not have risen to that standard.

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