Miami-Dade police release body-camera video of disabled woman

Video shows confrontation between Mary Brown, officers at gas station

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. ā€“ Mary Brown was out of jail Thursday and said she is still recovering from her arrest by Miami-Dade police officers Saturday night.Ā 

"My fingers are all messed up, they had blisters on them from my wheelchair and then when they threw me down, they broke open the skin," Brown said.

Body camera video released from Miami-Dade police Thursday shows the exchange between Brown, a double amputee who uses a wheelchair, and two officers.

"I'm not panhandling," she said to the officers. "I'm not lying to you."

Police said officers have been called to a Chevron gas station on Southwest 268th Street several times for complaints of Brown trespassing, panhandling and bothering customers.

"I'm not getting in this car because I haven't done anything wrong," Brown said.

"Oh, you're going," an officer said.

Brown shuts the patrol car door several times. Then an officer bring out handcuffs and Brown ends up face down on the ground.

"When you get me up off this ground, I'm going to have both y'all in trouble," Brown said.

"No, you're not," an officer said.

"You slammed me down on this ground," Brown said.

"No, you did that," the officer said.

Eventually, an ambulance arrives and Brown is taken away on to a stretcher.

"I have taken a personal interest in the video regarding the arrest of a disabled woman in south Miami-Dade," Miami-Dade police Director Juan Perez said in a statement. "As a result, I've directed staff to contact organizations for disabled persons, to ensure our officers are utilizing current best practices when dealing with individuals requiring special assistance. Although this discretionary arrest was appropriate, it's important that we continue to work with our community and social service agencies in identifying alternatives to arrest that can provide meaningful assistance to those in need while addressing the quality of life concerns of our residents and businesses."