Gregory Brown

Less-than-lethal force

Believing a man behind a dumpster in an alley was "acting suspiciously," a Champaign police officer confronted him. Another officer arrived to assist, and both officers cornered the man as two separate eyewitnesses woke up to hear shouting and looked at the scene from their bedroom windows. When the man attempted to leave, police brandished batons and began a "vicious beating," according to the eyewitnesses. Neither eyewitness said they saw the man throw a punch or charge the officers. The two officers beat the man for nearly two minutes while he pleaded for mercy. A total of 15 officers arrived to the scene and watched as the two officers beat the man with batons. Eventually the man stopped talking and started coughing. Four officers cuffed the man's wrists and ankles and officers noticed the victim turned purple. By the time the ambulance arrived, the victim had stopped moving. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.