Man makes police brutality claims; 2 officers get fired

LAUREL, Miss. (AP) – Two Mississippi police officers have been fired after a man said they repeatedly kicked him in the face when they arrested him.

WDAM-TV reported Monday that Laurel police Capt. Tommy Cox says it became apparent to supervisors on duty that there was a problem with the way the arrest occurred, and the officers were fired. Police say the department has been in contact with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to look into the possibility of criminal charges against the officers.

Thirty-six-year-old James Barnett tells WDAM-TV the officers pursued and arrested him after he turned around from a police checkpoint May 16. Barnett says he exited the vehicle, lay down on the ground and was continuously kicked. He was charged with resisting arrest. It’s unclear if he has a lawyer.

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