An ex-Miami Gardens police officer seen on video pressing his knee onto the neck of a woman is being charged with battery and official misconduct.
Jordy Martel, who was recently fired after less than two years on the job, is expected to surrender Thursday morning, according to the Miami Herald. A news conference is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. by the State Attorney's Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Martel’s arrest stems from his takedown of a woman outside a local strip club, Tootsie’s Cabaret, in January. Martel had been working off-duty security at the club when a manager complained that a woman was “being disorderly and disrespectful toward members of the staff,” according to his arrest report.
Martel, according to the Herald, confronted Safiya Satchell, 33, as she sat in a Mercedes SUV. He claimed Satchell refused to get out of the car so he could issue her a warning for trespassing. He said he tried opening the door and she closed the window on his hand, then began “striking me,” Martel said. Once Satchell got out of the SUV, he claimed she resisted by “tensing and kicking,” then punched him on the lip. He twice used a Taser stun gun.
Defense lawyers for Satchell turned over the video — taken by Satchell’s friend — to Miami-Dade prosecutors and FDLE. Investigators have reportedly determined the video showed Martel’s arrest report contained several false statements.
Martel and another officer, Javier Castano, were terminated by the department for undisclosed reasons. However, reports from WPLG show both officers had other complaints pending against them for misuse of force.
Satchell is Black. Martel is Hispanic.
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