A North Carolina-based police officer captured on camera striking a woman more than a dozen times has been given a 40-hour suspension, officials said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings made the announcement on Tuesday regarding the Nov. 13 incident. Bystander video shows multiple officers surrounding the woman, a Bojangles employee later identified as Christina Pierre, who authorities alleged was resisting arrest. One of the officers appeared to hit her repeatedly while people in the area urged him to stop. The video caused massive outrage on social media.
The disciplinary action against Officer Vincent Pistone resulted from a CMPD internal affairs investigation. The other cops involved were cleared of wrongdoing in this case.
“The Internal Affairs hearing on the seven officers involved has concluded and ruled that six officers were exonerated [justified] and one officer was sustained [not justified],” Jennings said in a statement. “Fourteen strikes to the female’s leg came after her hands were behind her back. These strikes were not deemed justified. If the officer made an assessment after three leg strikes, he would have seen that they were effective, and the female’s hands were behind her back.”
