Like I've said before.....
..... It is very likely that this kid DID in fact assault at least one officer, because the Co. Sherriffs made the traffic stop, then called for backup from Inglewood because the kid was unruly and allegedly attempted to assault a deputy. That much is documented. Since Inglewood cops were second on scene, odds are they walked into the fight, which more than likely is where that one cop got the gash on his head.
IMO, once the kid was restrained, (in cuffs, and no longer fighting), the cop was wrong to hit him (by LAW). Did the kid DESERVE a smack in the mouth??? Probably, but as I've said MANY times, justice and the law are sometimes two very different animals. Bottom line, this cop was stupid at best for doing it in broad daylight in a gas station parking lot...
Also, someone said that the cops would be fired. That is incorrect. There is only one cop on the hot seat here, and that's the one that hit him. If you watch the video, you can clearly see the other cops trying to stop him from doing further damage to the kid. So, IF anyone is fired, it'll only be that one cop. Now, because of the mayor's statements, the police union already has enough evidence to go to arbitration IF the officer is fired, because the mayor is trying him in the court of public opinion. At absolute worst, he has a case against the city for slandering him before being officialy charged with or convicted of anything.
Odds are, he'll end up in an anger management class, possibly one year's departmental probation, and spend 6 months behind a desk, but I'll be VERY surprised if he's fired. However, if I were him, once the case is over and done with, I'd move away from the area and go to another department, because the mayor WILL be looking for a reason to pork him if he sticks around.
One thing society has to understand is that these people (cops) in general, are human, and they experience all of the same emotional ticks as we do. Rage, sorrow, etc. This is a pretty clear case of a cop who very visibly upset, probably a little damaged ego-wise, because from the looks of the cut on his head, took a pretty good shot from this kid, and he freaked out and gave the kid a smack. Nothing more, nothing less. Likening this incident to the Rodney King incident, like the attorney for this kid is trying to do, is laffable at best. Should the cop be punished for his behavior??? Yes, but not to the extent that some say, and certianly not to the extent that the mayor says.
When I was about 15, I got caught smoking weed by this cop who was well-known as the biggest prick around. He gave me and my friend a choice, arrest us and call our parents and send us through the system, or take a beating, and tell our parents that we got in a fight with some other kids. Needless to say , we chose the beating, and he gave it to us pretty good... I'm not saying it was right, but we understood the lesson, without having the court to teach it to us.
I'll end with this, when a cop pulls you over, don't talk shit, don't be a smart ass, be cordial, call him sir, be decent, don't try to run away, and most of all, DON'T SWING ON THEM!!!!! People are crybabies nowadays, and as I stated previously, that's why I left law enforcement behind, because I think that if you swing on a cop, you should expect a beating, or at least a smack in the chops.....