The alleged victim of a police beating took the witness stand in the misdemeanor battery trial of a Hollywood officer Friday.
Raymond Schachner Jr. testified he was about to take a shower in August 2019 when Hollywood Police burst into his father’s Cleveland Street home.
Matthew Joseph Barbieri, 37, is accused of using excessive force for handcuffing the naked man and slapping him across the face at least twice before grabbing him by the throat.
Barbieri and partner Officer Dionte Roots responded to the 911 call from Schachner’s father who claimed his son had taken heroin and was acting erratically.
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A home surveillance camera that recorded the incident on video was played in court.
Schachner Jr. is heard yelling and rambling unintelligibly before police showed up.
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When Barbieri and Roots arrived, they handcuffed the naked Schachner Jr. with his hands behind his back and sat him on the floor.
When Barbieri entered the bathroom to search for drugs Schachner Jr. protested.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. Nobody gave you permission to search the house,” Schachner Jr. is heard on video. “There's no warrant, no nothing. There's no permission."
That’s when Barbieri is seen on video picking up Schachner Jr. off the floor, slapping him on the left side of his face and grabbing his neck as he slides down a wall to the floor.
Barbieri is then heard on video telling him to “shut up” before hitting Schachner Jr. on the side of his head and asking, “How about now? How about now? Do I have permission now?" the incident report stated.
Roots testified Barbieri did slap Schachner Jr. to subdue him but did not choke him.
“His hand is on his neck area, but he isn’t choking him,” Roots said while watching the video in court.
Schachner Jr. is also heard yelling and pleading with the officers to fetch him some pants before taking him outside to a patrol car.
He was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital for a wellness checkup before being taken to the Broward County Jail.
At the time of the arrest, Hollywood Police Chief Chris O'Brien issued a statement that said in part: “I was extremely disappointed, and immediately relieved the officer of all departmental duties.”
Barbieri faces up to a year in jail if convicted. The trial resumes Monday.
