Police Brutality Investigation

Louisiana Shreveport Warning: Graphic Video. New information is emerging about the police officer accused of beating up a woman giving her two black eyes breaking her nose and two teeth.

by CBS News

Published: Thu, February 21, 2008 - 2:54 pm CST

As the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office join the growing investigation, new information is emerging about the officer accused of brutality.
30-year-old Wiley Willis, who was fired February 5th, had two lawsuits filed against him in 2006. One by a mother who says Willis put a gun to her son's head and threatened to shoot him. Another by a woman who says she was arrested because she filed a complaint against Willis.
Most recently, Willis is seen on tape, recorded November 17th, with 42-year-old Angela Garbarino, who'd been arrested on DWI and hit and run charges. The pair appear to struggle, before Willis turns the camera off. When it comes back on, Garbarino is lying down, a pool of blood next to her.
She had a broken nose, two broken teeth and two black eyes. She says Willis beat her up. He says she fell.
Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn says he is outraged by the video, which is why he fired Willis. But still, he did not charge Willis with a crime, and he defended his department's policy of turning off cameras.
"Once officer willis determined she was not going to submit to the chemical test for intoxication, he decided to end the testing procedure which included videotaping" Whitehorn said. " Turning off the tape at this point was standard procedure."
The Shreveport Police Union, meanwhile, is coming to Willis' defense, saying the chief didn't follow protocol, and that Willis's officer's bill of rights was violated.
"We wondered why there was a firing if there is no criminal case," said Police Union President Michael Carter. "This investigation is rather unorthodox."
The union says they believe Willis' story that these frightening injuries were sustained when Garbarino fell down.

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Lindie Says:

Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 4:05 pm

STIGGIEV If you were truly an artist and studied the human body you would know that when you have a broken nose or are hit in the nose it is most definitely going to give you black eyes. Her hitting the floor is how she broke her nose thus also by hitting the floor she injured her mouth which is probably also what happened when she broke her nose.

A friend of mine a few weeks ago hit the 65/I-10 guard rail and she broke her nose due to the air bag hitting her in the face. She had two black eyes and they were swollen.

I wouldn’t want you to teach me the anatomy. lol.

STIGGIEV Says:

Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 1:05 pm

Hi I’m am a life artist and sculptor I have studied the human body’s shape for decades.
Lets point out something very obvious… it is impossible to give yourself 2 black eyes by falling on a flat floor. You would have to fall twice hitting your head each time at a 3 quarter angle. You can not smack both eyes on a flat surface in one go, the human face is not shaped that way. Also you would have to hit hard enough for your surrounding eye to get the blunt of force. Most faces are shaped in a way that this area is concaved inward and therefor hard to get a direct shot at, this is why most people only receive a black eye from being punched in the face or hitting non-flat objects. She would have had to not fall but throw herself at the floor at least 3 times (3 quarter right angle to get right eye, than 3 quarter left then center to get her nose and teeth). If this were truly the case the officer should have stopped her from hurting herself. How many times did the officer say she “fell”?

sweetnsour Says:

Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 1:53 am

the initial video showed her without any blemishes to the skin. If she was uncontrollable this officer would have called for back-up, not turned the video off. He should be arrested like anyone on the street, assault and battery, attempted murder. Of course the police union is on his side, he is a member. But, she is a member of the American public who is tired of bs from the police force. I guess when his machoism and adrenaline was pumping because he displaying his dumb brute side he did not quite think of that.

sjcmom365 Says:

Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 9:58 pm

Heck NO! I do not belive this woman, drunk or not, sustained that type and severe damage from just falling down. I have been around enough drunks and I do not believe for one minute that he wasnt physical with this woman. I hope she can win this case against that officer and the department!

lugnut Says:

Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 6:37 pm

So according to the last poster, a DUI justifies a criminal beat down of a tiny woman by a thug cop. The fact the cop isn’t rotting in prison now isn’t even the most relevant question because he is going to rot in prison. The better question is why haven’t the cops that did not arrest him for assault get charged with a crime for not doing their sworn duty. After this, I don’t for a minute believe the charges against the woman. Every cop on every arrest loads up the truck with every charge they can think of to try and make sure the DA has bargaining power. Please report when this cop’s new prison roommates open up a can of you know what on his sorry behind.

Lindie Says:

Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 4:20 pm

I never saw the camera turned off. It looked like he was going to retrieve something and then when he moved out of the way is when she was seen in the pool of blood. Her character says it all with the DUI and hit and run.