From the Huffington Post
Authorities are looking into a complaint of police brutality after video of 17-year-old Frank W. Harrington being lifted from his seat in the school cafeteria and slammed face-first into a table surfaced on the website CopBlock.org.
“Today I got assaulted by a cop,” Harrington says as he began telling his story on camera."I took my sister's purse, I was messing around," he continued. "She said she didn't want it back, I was going to give it back after lunch. The teachers involved themselves, said I stole it. She said it's no big deal, I'll get it back later."
From there, according to Harrington, the principal tried to take the purse from him. After stating he'd give it back to his sister himself, the principal got school resource officer Darren Murphy involved. Murphy and the principal allegedly grabbed the purse from Harrington and told the student he was suspended.
After protesting, as the video shows, Murphy then lifted Harrington off his seat, spun him around, forced him onto the table and arrested him. The high schooler's parents have filed a complaint with the police about the incident, and Police Capt. Robert Kunha plans to lead an investigation into the complaint, the New Hampshire Union Leader reports
“We're going to be interviewing everyone who was a witness,” Kunha told the paper.My Fox Boston reported that Harrington has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, as well as being suspended for 12 days -- one day for stealing the purse and 11 days for possession of a utility knife.The arrest was filmed by Harrington's friend, Michael Proulx, 17, who resisted teachers' attempts to make him stop filming.
Proulx said teachers approached him, demanding that he delete anything he had recorded. Proulx lied, saying he had only taken photos, and pretended to delete them.Whether you agree or disagree, call the Manchester, NH police department and let them know your thoughts:
351 Chestnut Street
Manchester, NH 03101-2294
(603) 668-8711
West High School
9 Notre Dame Ave
Manchester, NH 03102
(603) 624-6384
Cop Block happened to run into Officer Murphy on the street 2 days after his incident. We tried to get comments from him regarding his assault but he did not want to speak with us. Video HERE