Police Brutality Exposed: NJ Dashcam Shows Deadly Encounter with Police

The Bridgeton Police Department has a new blemish on its record now that dashcam as footage of the killing of Jerame Reid was aired on national news stations. The officers stopped a silver Jaguar on a run-of-the-mill traffic stop when one of the police noticed a gun in Reid’s glove compartment.

The officers immediately went to the passenger side of the car, removed the handgun and told the riders in the car not to move. Reid, who was the passenger, got out of the car and raised up his hands. Police immediately shot him. At no point during the video did Reid do anything that would warrant police to believe he was a threat.

After the disturbing video was aired, people once again began to question police in their use of deadly force to subdue people. Both policemen who were involved in the standoff have been placed on leave while the force investigates what really happened.

According to lawyer Conrad Benedetto, who was hired by Reid’s wife to investigate the shooting, there are many reasons that one would question the “legality and/or reasonableness of the officers’ actions that night” after looking at the footage. Reid raised his hands, a gesture that clearly showed he was not looking to hurt anyone.

The footage also shows the police threatening to shoot Reid if he “reaches for anything.” Both Roger Worley and Braheme Days, the police officers who were at the standoff, have had complaints for abuses of power and police brutality in the past.

Police are legally required to follow certain procedures when attempting to use lethal force. The question is, can the cops prove something suspicious occurred on scene that wasn’t captured on the dashcam?

Police brutality is a very serious offense, and it’s something that must be addressed in the court of law. If you or a friend have been arrested and believe you are victims of police brutality or misconduct, you may have a case. Contact South Jersey criminal defense lawyer John W. Tumelty for a free consultation about your charges.