Beach bums
South Jersey cops put on desk duty after one violently beats mother, 20, during booze bust
A HOTHEADED New Jersey cop is under investigation after a viral video showed him pummeling a young mother on the beach in front of horrified Memorial Day weekend revelers.
What began as a day of fun in the sun Saturday turned into a beach-blanket beatdown after the Wildwood cop was caught slugging a 20-year-old woman in the head at least two times while trying to handcuff her, according to video of the encounter.
The disturbing clash was caught on a cell phone camera by a woman who had been napping nearby on the Jersey Shore beach. Her video showed the officer straddling the woman in the sand, and whaling away at her head as he ordered her to “stop resisting.”
The woman, who was arrested, and later identified by police as Emily Weinman, cried out, “You’re not allowed to hit me like that! I didn’t do anything wrong,” while struggling under the tight grip of two officers.
Weinman, in a Facebook post quoted by Newsweek, said her 18-month-old daughter was among those who witnessed the beatdown.
Neither the officer who hit Weinman, another cop who grabbed her legs nor a third who stood by has been identified. Two of the cops have been placed on desk duty, pending the results of the internal probe, officials said.
The arrest took place on a beach in the resort city about 30 miles south of Atlantic City.
Weinman, who lives in Philadelphia, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault by spitting bodily fluids at a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction and being a minor in possession of alcohol.
The footage, shared on Twitter Saturday night, has since gotten more than 2.3 million views.
Weinman, in a Facebook post that has since been removed, said she had been drinking a beer, according to NJ.com. The website said she was approached by officers on the beach around 4 p.m. Weinman said she passed a Breathalyzer test and cops followed her when she went to make a phone call.
“I asked them don’t they have something better to do as cops than to stop people for underage drinking on the beach,” the Facebook post said. That’s when Weinman claims an officer said, “I was gonna let you go but now I’ll write you up.”
Weinman said she refused to give the officer her name. She said she tripped and fell as she was backing away, and that’s when the officer tackled her.
Philadelphia’s KYW-TV said Weinman kicked an officer in the groin during the arrest, but the video does not appear to show it.
Weinman pleaded guilty to simple assault and reckless endangerment in November for a 2016 arrest, records show.
Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano told Philly.com that the officers were wearing body cameras that will show Weinman insulting and spitting at them. Wildwood Police Chief Robert Regalbuto found the video upsetting, authorities said.
“Chief Regalbuto stated that while he finds this video to be alarming, he does not want to rush to any judgment until having the final results of the investigation,” the department said in a statement posted on Facebook.
You’re not allowed to hit me like that! I didn’t do anything wrong
Emily Weinman