Don't call em' pigs for nothing...



Disturbing footage of a young Brazilian man being tasered by Sydney police before his death has been released at the request of his family.

Roberto Laudisio Curti died on the morning of March 18 after police chased him through Sydney's CBD and tasered him 14 times (ONLY 14 times ?)

The 21-year-old man's family urged the coroner conducting the inquest into his death to release video of the incident to the public.

"This vision is incredibly distressing to the family," Mr Curti's family said in a statement.

"But we believe it is very important that the public see Beto's final moments and see how he was treated by the police after being tasered, handcuffed and sprayed with capsicum. Only through honesty and transparency will we get to the truth of what happened, why and who is responsible."

The inquest heard that Mr Curti was "twisting and writhing and yelling" as police tried to restrain him, a witness told Glebe Coroners Court today.

Mr Curti, originally from Sao Paolo, collapsed and died after four of the 11 police officers trying to capture him tasered him repeatedly.

The inquest has heard Mr Curti was suffering from an adverse reaction to a small amount of LSD he had taken with mates the night before to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

He stole two packets of biscuits from a convenience store and some police officers mistakenly believed they were dealing with an armed robber, the court was told.

Wendy Price was staying in a hotel on Pitt Street when she heard sounds of a commotion on the street below, she told the inquest.

She saw a bare-chested man lying on the ground while four police officers tried to restrain him.

"He was yelling and trying to get away, twisting and writhing and yelling," Ms Price said.

"He sounded like a wild animal, yelling."

Ms Price said she then saw a flash which she later recognised as a taser discharge.

"He twisted and seemed to convulse a little," Ms Price said.

She said the man then got to his feet and ran away, pursued by the officers.

Ms Price said she did not form the view police were acting inappropriately at the time.

"He was violently resisting arrest and they were trying to restrain him," she said.

"I guess that implies he had done something that required him to be arrested."

She agreed Mr Curti did not attempt to punch, kick or assault the officers in any way, and he appeared to be just trying to get away from them.

The inquest continues.

Source:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8545289/taser-footage-released-at-familys-request