EXCLUSIVE: Man beaten by City of Newburgh police speaks with News 12 about encounter caught on video
Marquis Freeman was arrested twice by police in the City of Newburgh in August. The tail end of one of the incidents, on Aug. 7, was caught on cellphone video and given to News 12.
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A man, who witnesses recorded being beaten to the ground while tased by City of Newburgh police last month, is speaking out for the first time in an exclusive interview with News 12.
“They broke two of my ribs. My jaw was loose. My teeth was loose,” says Marquis Freeman.
The 38-year-old was arrested twice by police in the City of Newburgh in August. The tail end of one of the incidents, on Aug. 7, was caught on cellphone video and given to News 12. It shows a male officer repeatedly punching Freeman to the ground and continuing to do so, even after he’s subdued by other officers and being tased.
“I seen a car pull up and I seen the officer and he’s like, ‘What’s up p***y?,’” recalls Freeman.
Freeman is accused of threatening to assault police during the incident, which officials say was initially a call for disorderly conduct, but he denies that.
“I ain’t got no problem with him. I told him, if he wants to fight, I’ll fight him one-on-one but don’t try to sneak on me,” Freeman says. “I was just walking, and he just jumped out of his car and started swinging on me.”
Officials say Freeman spit on a female officer several times after the arrest.
They say the officer seen throwing punches was suspended and that Freeman's encounters with police are under investigation by the city, the Attorney General’s office and an outside investigator hired by Newburgh.
Freeman is facing multiple misdemeanor charges and violations. He says a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear in court has been cleared.
Officials have not returned News 12’s calls to confirm that or for updated information on the case.
