The teen whose rough arrest was caught on camera back in April testified in court Wednesday in the trial for one of the Broward Sheriff's deputies charged in the case.
Deputy Ralph Mackey, 49, has been charged with falsifying police records and conspiracy to falsify in the controversial arrest of 16-year-old Delucca Rolle.
Cellphone video from the April 18 incident shows Rolle on the ground outside of a McDonald's in Tamarac. Students are crowded around as two BSO deputies use pepper spray and repeatedly slam Rolle's face on the pavement.
"I went to pick up his phone, and a police officer pushed me, and I got up," Rolle said. "I said...I told him, 'don't touch me,' and then after that, he pepper-sprayed me. And then I walked away but I didn’t know what was going on, and he pulled me and slammed me on the floor and they arrested me."
Rolle told prosecutors that he did not resist the deputies.
Robert Buschel, Mackey's lawyer, said the deputy did not physically hurt anyone and denied any cover-up in the police report.
"Nothing in the report deceived, mislead or obstructed the investigation of Delucca Rolle or any other deputies, conduct," Buschel said.
Prosecutors argued Mackey's report diminished the deputies' actions.
"It will be clear to you that there was no justification and that what's written in his report is a false report and cover-up of what they really did," said prosecutor Justin McCormack.
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Sgt. Gregory LaCerra and Deputy Christopher Krickovich were the deputies in the viral video. They also face charges of falsifying records as well as battery charges.
All three deputies were suspended without pay.
