ORLANDO, Fla. — An officer who has been criminally charged with using excessive force during an arrest last year has been fired, Orlando Police Chief John Mina announced Wednesday.
Channel 9's Kathi Belich was the first to obtain video from a confrontation in March 2014 that shows Officer William Escobar punching and kicking handcuffed suspect Refus Holloway.
“I absolutely do not condone the behavior of Officer Escobar,” Mina said. “William Escobar was terminated from the Orlando Police Department.”
Escobar was later charged with battery and perjury after video of the incident shot by Holloway's sister surfaced.
Documents obtained by Channel 9 earlier this month show that eight people from the city signed off on the determination that Escobar's use of force was acceptable and justifiable.
Mina said an internal investigation revealed that Escobar violated multiple department policies, including excessive force and filing false reports.
Escobar's report said he struck Holloway for resisting before Holloway was handcuffed, but video shot by Holloway's sister shows Escobar striking Holloway after he was handcuffed behind his back and face down on the ground, and there is no indication that he was resisting.
Officer Donald Lacentra was wearing a body camera, but he stayed in his car, and OPD said the video is mainly of others at the scene.
Felony charges against Holloway of resisting arrest and assaulting police were later dropped.
Holloway could not speak to Channel 9 because his lawyers filed a federal lawsuit after the city refused to settle.
His lawyers did release a statement that read, “No remedy offered by the courts will be able to restore his confidence in law enforcement.”
Other officers were present at the scene when Holloway was beaten. They filed reports backing up Escobar’s account, but Mina said no other officers will be punished.