Officers involved in deaf man's violent arrest in New Jersey won't face criminal charges
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Prosecutors in New Jersey say the Paterson police officers who maced a deaf man won't face criminal charges.
Video showing officers throwing 42-year-old Raasean Adams to the ground, pepper-spraying him, and hitting him outraged the community.
Prosecutors say an investigation revealed Adams approached officers, threw a lit cigarette at them, and resisted arrest.
After the officers handcuffed Adams and tried to transport him, he allegedly refused to enter the patrol vehicle and threw himself on the ground, authorities said.
The officers could still face disciplinary charges.
The police department is also reviewing its de-escalation training.
Adams was taken into custody, and this was not his first brush with the law.
He's been booked into Passaic County Jail at least 14 times, according to recent records. He also has an arrest record in Essex County, showing three assault cases, one of them with the use of a deadly weapon. With heightened concerns of the community, though, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said he welcomed a closer look into the matter.
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