Chris Ballew Broke Leg Being Knocked to the Ground and Struck by Cops

**kellyhound** · #1 ● 12-17-2017, 11:08 AM

Pasadena officials on Friday released body and dashboard camera footage captured during the November arrest of a man whose leg was broken by officers.

City Manager Steve Mermell promised to release videos of the Nov. 9 incident earlier this week after a video of the arrested man being knocked to the ground and repeatedly struck by officers emerged.

Pasadena police arrested Chris Ballew, 21, of Altadena on suspicion of assault on a peace officer following a traffic stop.

The videos released by the city show Ballew walking toward the store at the Mobil gas station at Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road at about 7:49 p.m. Two officers exit the vehicle and attempt to make contact with him.

One officer walks him back to his vehicle, a white Mercedes sedan, holding Ballew by his arm, the videos show.

Ballew says something unintelligible — the officer says later that Ballew claimed he was not driving the car. The officer responds, “I just saw you get out of the car.”

“Yeah, get out of here, dude,” the second officer says.

The two then attempt to restrain Ballew against the Mercedes when a struggle ensues. The officers bring him to the ground next to the vehicle.

Ballew repeatedly asks, “where is your commanding officer,” as the second officer cuffs his left hand. The officer tries to wrestle his right hand into the cuffs, but Ballew breaks away.

The videos then show a brief tug of war between Ballew and one of the officers over a baton. The officer then recovers the baton and uses it to him Ballew in the back and in the leg, while a second officer throws several punches at the man while he’s on the ground.

Following the arrest, police took Ballew to the hospital. Pasadena city spokesman William Boyer said Ballew suffered a fractured fibula. He was later taken to the Inmate Reception Center, where he was held on $50,000 bail. He was released on bond the next day.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to file charges against Ballew. A use-of-force investigation is ongoing to determine whether officers acted appropriately.

This is the first time the Pasadena Police Department has released body camera footage since the city began the program in November 2016, according to Boyer.