Bodycam video shows former Colorado officer punching handcuffed woman
DENVER (KDVR) — Just-released body camera video shows a now-former Colorado police officer punching an in-custody woman in the face after she spits on him.
Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran explained in a video released Friday why he fired Russell Maranto, 28, for unnecessary use of force.
He included a short clip of the body camera video showing the minutes before Maranto punched Angelia Hall, 59, in the face while she was in custody in a hospital ER room and after. She is using explicit language and yelling at the officers and nurses. She spits at Maranto and he immediately punches her in the face.
The other officer in the room grabbed Hall and separated her and Maranto.
The video below is an excerpt from the body camera footage released by the Loveland Police Department. The blurring seen in the clip was in the original video posted by LPD. Edits to the audio were made by FOX31. Viewer discretion is advised. The full video posted by Loveland police can be seen on their YouTube page.
"I am sharing this video in the spirit of transparency and on the promise to hold both my team and the citizens who break the law accountable for their actions," Doran said.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident but the district attorney's office has not yet filed criminal charges against Maranto, Doran said.
FOX31 has reached out to the DA's office for comment and is awaiting a response. That will be added when it is received.
After the use of force incident, Maranto was terminated May 23, according to the Loveland Police Department.
Woman taken into custody by Loveland police
LPD said officers responded around 8:30 p.m. on May 20 to a report of a woman wandering in and out of traffic and speaking incoherently in the area of North Garfield Avenue and East 29th Street. When officers arrived, they placed Hall into protective custody and took her to a local hospital for evaluation.
Doran encouraged the public to watch the entirety of the body camera video of the incident, which is an hour and 32 minutes long.
Hall was charged with third-degree assault for her actions toward Maranto.