All charges have been dropped against Tyron McAlpin, a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy who was tased and punched by Phoenix police officers during an arrest in August. McAlpin was initially charged with assault and resisting arrest, along with a misdemeanor theft charge for allegedly stealing a cellphone, but all charges have been dismissed. The Maricopa County Attorney, Rachel Mitchell, reviewed the case and made the decision to drop the charges, citing concerns raised by the local NAACP chapter. New body cam footage released by the police department raised questions about the arrest, with McAlpin’s attorney stating that he could not comply with verbal commands due to his deafness. The officers allegedly used excessive force, with one officer repeatedly punching McAlpin and shocking him with a Taser. The arrest stemmed from an incident at a convenience store where McAlpin was accused of assault by a man who tried to stop a bike theft. The Justice Department had previously found that the Phoenix Police Department discriminates against minority communities and uses excessive force, further highlighting concerns about police conduct in the case. McAlpin’s attorney plans to file a lawsuit if additional footage and information from the arrest are not provided by November.
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Phoenix police drop charges against a deaf man with cerebral palsy who was tased and punched multiple times
