Does the punishment fit the crime?

26-year-old Josh Williams was beaten to a pulp last week in Brooklyn’s 79th Police Precinct by officers who called him and his friends “fucking faggots”. The officers claimed that Williams had urinated on a public building and called him over to question him about the incident. When Williams approached the police vehicle, officers allegedly twisted his arm behind his back and slammed him into the police cruiser, pepper spraying him as well. Then a group of at least five other officers joined the fray, beating Williams and lacerating his face, bruising his ribs and scraping his torso. That’s quite a punishment for a man who is only accused of a non-violent crime.

More on the story from The Village Voice.

Photo credit: Caleb Ferguson