A
YouTube video raises questions about what one family said is an act of police
brutality. The video was posted last week and depicts an incident between
Vestal native Robert Leone and Pennsylvania State Police in Towanda. Now the
family has filed a lawsuit. Our Melissa Kakareka sat down with the Leones to
find out more.
VESTAL, N.Y. -- Robert Leone
was driving his car on Route 6 in Bradford County on March 8, 2010 when
Pennsylvania State Police in Towanda received a call from a woman saying she
believed Leone had hit her car. Police pursued him, but Leone allegedly did not
stop when they attempted to pull him over.
What happened next was
recorded on camera and is the subject of a recent video posted on YouTube. Robert Leone's family said it
depicts a brutal assault against their son.
"They preceded to kick
him, to taser him and to beat him. You will hear them yell, scream, curse at
him. The hood of the car is bouncing up and down, that's how severe they were
beating him. The most chilling thing was him screaming for his life, the death
scream, that stays with me to this day," said Joan Leone, Robert's mother.
Leone was convicted of four
misdemeanors after the incident including resisting arrest and assault and is
currently serving his sentence in Bradford County.
The Leones believe their son
was unfairly prosecuted and contacted retired Pennsylvania policeman Larry
Hohol, who put the video on YouTube last week with his commentary included.
Since then, it has gained
almost 40,000 hits. A Facebook page supporting Robert also has more than 7,000
members.
"We are shocked that this
took on so quickly, that there is so much support for our son and our
family," said Joan Leone.
State Police said they cannot
comment. The Leones have filed a civil lawsuit claiming police brutality.
"I thought I lived in a
country that was complete justice for everyone and nobody should be treated the
way my son was treated," said Frank Leone, Robert's father.
They said they want to expose
the alleged injustice and bring Robert home from prison.