Mann helmet cam
According to the Pima County Attorney’s office, when a Tucson Police Department officer clocked a coed as she was walking down the sidewalk during March Madness celebration at the University of Arizona, he didn’t mean to do it. Sgt. Joel Mann was simply overzealous.
The video of Mann, violently pushing Christina Gardilcic over a bench as she and two friends were peacefully passing him, went viral after the Arizona Daily Independent broke the story, and the cries of brutality came from all sectors.
The Arizona Daily Star obtained through a public records request, the letter Johnson issued in the matter. “However, it is clear from the evidence that Sergeant Mann lacked any criminal intent in using the force he did. Because the evidence does not demonstrate any criminal intent on the part of Sergeant Mann, the State would be unable to prove any criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Johnson claimed that Mann’s “sole intent in using the force was to protect the back of the (police) skirmish line and to keep people out of the riot area.” In the video, Gardilcic is seen on the sidewalk a distance from the partiers in the street.
Here is video from TPD Sgt. Joel Mann as the incident occurred,
Here is the original video showing the officer hitting Gardilcic:
Most damaging is the footage taken from Mann’s helmet cam. In that video, a young woman is hit by Mann and falls into a young man who is sitting at a table watching the partiers in the street.
On August 13, 2014 Stephen M. Weeks filed a notice of claim for Gardilcic. In the claim it states “Ms. Gardilcic is willing to settle all state and federal claims against all conceivable parties for $375,000.”
The damages claimed by Ms. Gardilcic include having a bruised arm, back spasms, mental anguish from the media coverage, and a breach of trust.
City of Tucson sources claim that Gardilcic was offered $20,000 for her troubles, but sources say that Gardilcic claims no such offer was made.
Tyler Charles who allegedly witnessed Gardilcic get hit told ADI reporter Matthew Perez, “The girl walked passed me and she had her drink in her hand. I don’t know if it had alcohol in it or not… But she literally walked pass me and the officer just rammed her and all of us guys around lost our shit.”
Christina Gardilcic graduated from the University of Arizona with bachelors in Psychology.
In this video, a young man simply walks a few steps up towards police and is immediately knocked down:
Related article: