By Steve Levy
A Suffolk man, Craig Manning, appeared at a press conference with his attorney, Frederick Brewington, in a prelude to a lawsuit Manning will bring against the Suffolk County Police Department because he was punched several times by Officer Robert Rufrano after a traffic stop in Medford.
If you just look at an isolated freeze frame of the video, it is obvious that he was punched. But a look at the entire video shows that it was Manning who was at fault.
The officers pulled him over for an illegal left-hand turn. When asked for his license and registration, Manning refused to submit them. He immediately became uncooperative and demanded to talk to the officer’s manager.
The video shows the officer seeking to handcuff Manning for not cooperating, and, thereafter, Manning pushing off against the officers. At one point, he is even seen lunging his head toward Rufrano. The officer responds with a number of quick blows to try to bring Manning under control.
Manning and his attorney are claiming that this is police brutality. But we have to ask: What are police officers supposed to do when a six-foot, six-inch individual resists arrest? If they are prohibited from using physical force to arrest someone, who doesn’t want to be detained? Suspects will just walk away without paying a price. The fabric of our society would disintegrate.
Do we want people who were stopped by police to be able to tell the police that they will not provide their license and registration after being involved in traffic violations?
Do we want them to be able to physically oppose being placed in handcuffs when they’re told they’re under arrest?
Manning had a legitimate course of action he could have taken. He could’ve simply complied with the police officers’ request for his license and brought a lawsuit later if he thought he was being wrongfully targeted.
He could even decide against providing them with any information, but it would make him subject to arrest. He could’ve allowed himself to be cuffed, rather than resist, and bring a lawsuit later.
But that’s not what happened. Manning was wrong, first in refusing to provide information to the police, and then again when he refused to be handcuffed when he was going to be arrested.
His hostile attitude toward the Suffolk County Police Department should not be rewarded with a big payday.
Manning wants to send a message that it’s perfectly OK to refuse to cooperate with police, resist arrest, and thereafter sue for monetary damages when a physical confrontation ensues.
The authorities should send a message to people like Manning that they will not profit from their hostility toward police officers, who are simply trying to do their job.