Special prosecutor appointed to investigate Buffalo police officers who arrested Quentin Suttles

Special prosecutor appointed to investigate Buffalo police officers who arrested Quentin Suttles.

Hannah Buehler reports.

ALSO TONIGHT -- DUETO A CONFLICT OFINTEREST -- A SPECIALPROSECUTOR WILLNOW BE HANDLING ANINVESTIGATION INTOTHE ACTIONS OF TWOBUFFALO POLICEOFFICERS.THE OFFICERS WEREINVOLVED IN THEVIOLENT ARREST OFQUENTIN SUTTLESBACK ON MOTHER'SDAY.THE INCIDENT WAS ALLCAUGHT ON CAMERA.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER HANNAHBUEHLER ISFOLLOWING THE NEWDEVELOPMENTS FORUS.A TWIST LATE TODAYSURROUNDING THEQUENTIN SUTTLESINVESTIGATION.THE ERIE COUNTYDA'S OFFICE WILL NOTBE INVESTIGATING THEUSE OF FORCE USEDBY TWO BUFFALOPOLICE OFFICERSDURING A MAYTRAFFIC STOP INBUFFALO DUE TO ACONFLICT OFINTEREST.VO:INSTEAD THE CASEWILL GO TO MONROECOUNTY.THE DA'S OFFICE ALSOSAYS THE ASSISTANTDA IS A POTENTIALWITNESS TO THISCASE.DURING THAT TRAFFICSTOP ON MOTHER'SDAY OFFICERSRONALD AMMERMANAND MICHAEL SHUEARE ACCUSED OFUSING EXCESSIVEFORCE AGAINSTSUTTLES.SUTTLES, ALSOCLAIMS HE WASSEXUALLY ASSAULTEDDURING THE PATDOWN AND SAYS HEWAS RACIALLYPROFILED BY THEOFFICERS.ACCORDING TOPOLICE, SUTTLESWENT THE WRONGWAY DOWN A ONE WAYSTREET AND WHENTHEY PULLED HIMOVER THERE WAS AMARIJUANA SMELLCOMING FROM THEVEHICLE.

POLICEALLEGE DURING THEPAT DOWN SUTTLESBECAME COMBATIVEAND IGNOREDOFFICERS REQUESTSTO PUT HIS HANDSBEHIND HIS BACK ANDCONTINUED TO REACHIN HIS POCKET.SUTTLES WASEVENTUALLYARRESTEDAND CHARGED WITHRESISTING ARRESTOBSTRUCTION OFGOVERNMENTALADMINISTRATION THETRAFFIC OFFENSES ASWELL AS TAMPERINGWITH EVIDENCSOT:THE DA'S OFFICE ALSOIS INVESTIGATINGOTHER CRIMINALMATTERS INVOLVINGSUTTLES INCLUDINGILLEGAL GUNCHARGES, CRIMINALPOSSESSION OF AWEAPON,HARASSMENT,VIOLATING AN ORDEROF PROTECTION -AND HE SAYS THOSECHARGES ARE NOTGOING ANYWHERE.AGAIN THE CASE WILLNOW HEAD TOMONROE COUNTY TOTHE SPECIALPROSECUTOR TO SEEIF THESE OFFICERSVIOLATED USE OFEXCESSIVE FORCE.HB 7EWN