After a routine site visitors cease took a stunning flip, one Michigan police officer has been uncovered for alleged use of extreme power on a number of events. Lt. Matthew Furman is now going through a civil lawsuit over a July incident, however this isn’t the primary time his policing has been referred to as into query.
Actually, some of the horrific allegations in opposition to him stem from a totally separate incident three months earlier. It started when Alica Cook dinner was parked in a faculty car parking zone together with her kids contained in the automobile. Furman approached her about an expired tag, after which all hell broke free.
“I’ve by no means been handled like that— ever,” Cook dinner stated in a current interview with WXYZ. The mom was utilizing a buddy’s automobile to drop off her 11-year-old daughter at cheerleading apply. Though the automobile wasn’t hers, by legislation, she assumed obligation as the driving force.
Physique digital camera footage from the altercation captured how rapidly issues escalated on April 13 when Furman accused her of not cooperating. “Additionally, once I ran your plate, the federal government reveals there’s no insurance coverage on the automobile,” the lieutenant informed Cook dinner in the course of the cease.
As Cook dinner started to elucidate the proprietor of the automobile was within the hospital, she answered a telephone name in entrance of the officer. “I had simply received dangerous information saying that the individual… the [owner of the car] simply had coronary heart surgical procedure,” Cook dinner recalled to WXYZ. “On the time, my thoughts was in a thousand locations.”
Furman requested Cook dinner for her driver’s license, however when the lady responded saying “Okay, one second,” issues took a flip. Based on the physique cam footage, that’s when Furman informed her “Don’t inform me one second! I’m supplying you with a lawful police order.”
“Maintain on, sir,” Cook dinner responded. “You pulled me over inside a faculty car parking zone!” Furman rapidly informed her he had “full jurisdiction” earlier than including “lose the angle and do as you’re instructed.” Earlier than lengthy, each Cook dinner and Furman’s voices have been raised, and certainly one of Cook dinner’s daughters may even be heard attempting to calm her mom down saying, “Mother, cease yelling again at him. He’s a cop!”
When Cook dinner did not adjust to orders to show off her automobile and current her ID, Furman tased her in entrance of her kids and tried to pull her out the automobile, telling her he feared for his security. “I received two kids within the automobile. I’m going through the varsity constructing. What are you in worry of?” Cook dinner requested WXYZ. “My palms are up.”
She was ultimately arrested and charged with a civil infraction and 4 misdemeanors, together with resisting arrest, interfering with a police officer and driving on a suspended license, in response to WXYZ. After reviewing the bodycam footage, town lawyer’s workplace dropped every thing. Furman by no means confronted any disciplinary actions afterwards.
Simply three months after Cook dinner’s arrest, the identical officer pulled over Drakkar Williams earlier than the state of affairs escalated, resulting in Furman tasing him on July 20, in response to WXYZ. Williams has since filed a civil lawsuit in opposition to the officer alleging he grabbed his hair whereas handcuffed and rammed his head into the again of a hearth truck. Furman is now on administrative go away citing an investigation into the matter.