Advertisement Baltimore police officer caught on video beating man suspended Attorneys file seven-county lawsuit against Officer Vincent Cosom Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Attorneys representing a Baltimore man said their client was viciously beaten by a police officer for no apparent reason and the incident was caught on video by the Baltimore City Police Department.Mobile users, tap here to watch the latest videoAttorneys for Kollin Truss, 32, said their client exchanged words with Baltimore police Officer Vincent Cosom moments before the officer is seen on video punching him over and over around 1:30 a.m. on June 15.Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said Tuesday, "This will not be tolerated." Batts said Cosom has since been placed on paid administrative leave."Much like the public, I was shocked, I'm outraged, I'm disgusted by what I saw by an employee of the Baltimore Police Department," Batts said. "Nothing that I saw on that video is defensible, nor should it be defensible, and most importantly, it's unacceptable and will not be tolerated within this organization."Attorneys Ivan Bates and Tony Garcia announced Monday a seven-count lawsuit against Cosom."It was a very vicious attack that was uncalled for and was unwarranted," Bates said.Bates and Garcia claimed Truss is the victim of police brutality and that he's suffering from emotional stress.According to charging documents, Cosom said he saw an intoxicated Truss loitering in front of a liquor store at Greenmount and North avenues. The officer said he told Truss to move, the two exchanged words and Truss went into the liquor store.When Truss came out, a female friend of his is seen on the video pushing him away from officers as more words are exchanged. Eventually Truss is backed into a nearby bus stop and, according to Truss' attorneys, Cosom came out of nowhere and hit Truss several times.According to the statement of probable cause, the officer said he saw Truss arguing, and pushing his friend and that Truss got into a fighting stance with closed fists when the officer went to make an arrest. The statement indicates Truss kicked several officers as they tried to get him into a police car.Truss was eventually arrested and charged with assaulting an officer."There's a pattern here. First, these officers are stripping our clients of their dignity, their rights, then charging them with an assault that they themselves have perpetrated. It's the same pattern -- they stripped (him of his) rights and forced him to submit. This is not Baltimore justice, it's Baltimore horror," Garcia said.Truss' attorneys said their client is the victim and that Cosom lied on his police report about fearing for his life when it was their client who was in danger. They also claim a police cover-up, saying charges were immediately dropped once the state's attorney's office saw the video."There was a video from the CitiWatch camera, meaning a Baltimore City police officer was manning the camera, watched the vicious assault on our client and then said absolutely nothing at all," Bates said.Truss' attorneys said they are hoping for a settlement in the case and a full police investigation."There are a number of good Baltimore police officers; however, the ones that are vicious, and violent and are terrorizing the community -- they need to go," Bates said.Batts talks breakdown, accountabilityThe commissioner said there was also a breakdown in the response."There was a communications breakdown within my organization. I had a middle manager that did not do the thing that they should have done. This officer should have been removed from the field immediately. I should have been notified immediately. We will also address that," Batts said.According to Batts, that middle manager works in Internal Affairs, and the State's Attorney's Office contacted that person about the video months ago."It appears that while we in Internal Affairs moved quickly to conduct the investigation, there was possibly a breakdown in the communication flow upward to make sure that all of command was aware of this incident," said Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez.Along with Cosom, the department said officers at the scene may also be held accountable.On Wednesday, police released the names of two other officers seen in the video. They are Dominic Gerber, who has served five years on the force, and Christopher Dunlap, who has served two years on the force."Anyone who had identification and witnessed this -- either took part in and either acted inappropriately or in not taking any action was neglectful -- is a part of this investigation," Rodriguez said.Truss' attorneys were asked Tuesday about the comments made by Batts and Rodriguez. "This is a classic example of damage control. Now that you know and the public knows what has actually happened, let me go back and fix it," Bates said Tuesday."They had this video. A police officer took the video. From the beginning, we're getting that from the Police Department. So, again, to suspend him only after it's on the news shows that this investigation has no credibility," Garcia said Tuesday.Rodriguez said the officer who reviewed the footage entered it into the Internal Affairs system the night of the incident. Truss' lawsuit specifically names Cosom, but the attorneys said other officers will likely be added to it. Truss was not present when 11 News spoke to his attorneys.Cosom has been a member of the department for more than six years and is assigned to the Neighborhood Patrol Bureau.In a statement, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she is deeply disgusted by what she saw in the video, calling the officer's conduct shameful and "not worthy of the sworn obligation every officer takes to serve and protect city residents."Batts said Tuesday that he is working with the mayor to look into equipping police officers with body cameras.WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter Barry Simms and reporter Kai Reed contributed to this report