NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A man accused of attacking police officers in Newton Saturday night faced a judge on Monday.
Investigators said Juan Gonzalez knocked one officer unconscious in the incident.
Gonzalez’s friends, meanwhile, have provided cell phone video to his defense, saying the video shows officers getting rough during the arrest.
Police say Gonzalez, 34, violently resisted arrest while they responded to a 911 call from Gonzalez’s girlfriend claiming that he had punched her in the face.
According to prosecutors, Gonzalez forcefully grabbed for officers’ service weapons and punched two of them. Prosecutors said Gonzalez yelled “I am taking his gun” during the struggle.
The police report said police resorted to pepper spray to subdue Gonzalez. The report said one officer also “delivered two to three fist strikes to Juan’s face in an attempt to make him let go of my firearm.”
Gonzalez’s defense attorney, though, said in court that she believes there will be video footage in this case that challenges the police account of what happened.
The video is from Gonzalez’s roommate, Davio Pena. Pena said he doesn’t know who threw the first punch. But he said he started recording as the struggle escalated between police and Gonzalez.
Pena told reporters he doesn’t believe police are being entirely truthful. This incident, he continued, underscores the need for Newton Police to wear body cameras.
“When they’re saying he is handcuffed and they’re trying to walk him down the stairs and he is able to assault an officer and somehow try to reach for a gun as well while being handcuffed just seems far fetched to me,” Pena said.
The Newton Police Department does not have any body camera footage from the incident, as they are waiting for a body camera pilot program to launch this summer.
Prosecutors say Gonzalez has a lengthy record including a conviction for domestic violence. Prosecutors said Gonzalez has several restraining orders taken out against him. They said he is also on probation for stalking.
Gonzalez is currently being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.
Officials said two officers involved in this incident were taken to Newton Wellesley Hospital and later released.
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