ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Rock Hill Police Department and NAACP are urging patience in the aftermath of the viral arrest of a man this week that prompted nightly protests. They warn the widely viewed Facebook video of the arrests doesn't show everything.
"My initial reaction is that we need more information," M. Quentin Williams, a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, told WCNC Charlotte Friday after we requested he watch the Facebook video. "We have to know how it escalated. What was the precipitating factor to get it to escalate."
Two nights of protests followed the posting of a Facebook video of the traffic stop on Willowbrook Avenue. In that video, a man identified as Ricky Price, is thrown to the ground and punched multiple times by officers.
On Thursday, an attorney representing the family said Price suffered a broken nose and was in a wheelchair. The police chief explained the reasoning behind the tactics Thursday as he announced two officers are on administrative leave amid an independent investigation.
Chief Chris Watts said he'll consider releasing body camera footage at some point. However, he said he first needs to ask the family's permission and give family members a chance to view it.
"After that, that will obviously be considered," he said.
Rock Hill NAACP President Dr. Norma Gray said police allowed her to watch body camera video the public has yet to see. She said that video will be critical in determining right from wrong.
"There was so much scuffling, and so much contortions, that was not seen. Let me repeat, it is not seen on the Facebook footage," Gray said. "What was happening to Ricky that caused them to bring him to ground was not captured and that is the footage that needs to be analyzed."
Gray said the best police footage came from the K-9 handler's body camera.
"It's very convoluted," she said. The scuffle is entwined. We've got three officers involved as well as the K-9 and so it's very involved and so I've asked for another opportunity next week to go through it frame-by-frame."
Much like in North Carolina, South Carolina's law does not consider body camera footage public. The South Carolina Press Association unsuccessfully tried to change the law in 2020. Advocates have argued the current law doesn't just hurt the public, but also hurts police.
"Some folks believe that 90% of the time, it exculpates the officers, so it actually helps the officers," Williams said, who is also the author of "How Not to Get Killed by the Police."
WCNC Charlotte requested the names of the officers involved in the arrest and any past disciplinary action against them. A Rock Hill Police Department spokesperson, citing the ongoing independent investigation, said the names will be released at "the appropriate time." He added WCNC Charlotte will need to request personnel information at that time.
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Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.