Charges Dropped Against Deaf Black Man with Cerebral Palsy After Violent Arrest Sparks Outcry

In a decision announced Thursday, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office dropped all remaining charges against Tyron McAlpin, a Black man who is deaf and has cerebral palsy, following a controversial and violent arrest in Phoenix. McAlpin had been facing three felony charges for allegedly assaulting the arresting officers and resisting arrest. However, after reviewing police body camera footage showing McAlpin being repeatedly punched and tased, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell decided to dismiss the charges.

The August 19 arrest occurred after police responded to a report from a White man who claimed McAlpin had assaulted him and stolen his phone, though McAlpin was never charged for that incident. Bodycam footage showed Phoenix officers Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue using excessive force on McAlpin, who could not hear their commands. McAlpin’s attorney, Jesse Showalter, argued that his client was wrongfully accused and assaulted by the officers who failed to de-escalate the situation.

The video sparked outrage from civil rights groups, including the NAACP and ACLU, and came just months after a Department of Justice report condemned Phoenix police for a pattern of discrimination and excessive force. Mitchell stated that she had personally reviewed the case and convened a group of senior attorneys and community members before making her decision.

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