Houston : A white police officer in the US state of Texas who was seen manhandling a group of black children, including a minor girl, at a party has been suspended. Corporal Eric Casebolt was seen pulling the 14-year-old girl’s hair and pinning her down for several minutes, shouting ‘On your face’ as he shoved her head into the grass.
“Call my mama, oh God!” she shouts. He forcefully swings her by her arm to the ground. “On your face!” he orders and presses his open hand to the back of her head and slams her face-first into the grass.
He also pulled his gun and pointed it at two black teenage boys before other officers intervened and the youngsters ran away.
The officer also swore and appeared to handcuff at random several black youngsters who protested they had just arrived at the pool party.
The case comes amid growing unease across America over the use of violence by police officers, especially against black people. Casebolt, an officer of 10 years with experience in martial arts, was named Patrolman of the Year in 2008 in McKinney, a city of 150,000 people.
