Florida policeman has fired and charged after punching handcuffed woman in the face and chest

Saturday, April 30, 2016

26-year-old Akinyemi Borishade, a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been fired and charged with battery after he repeatedly punched a woman in the chest while she was in handcuffs. In a video released by the police department, Borishade is seen attacking a bar worker, 31-year-old Mayra Martinez who was charged with trespassing and resisting police.

According to a police report, Martinez was drunk and belligerent when two officers, including Borisade, attempted to remove her from the bar where she worked after she quit on her first day. She kicked out at them and tried to bite them.

Sheriff Mike Williams said in a press conference: 

'There are ways that this could have been dealt with without striking her. He could have turned her around and held her in a transporting position that they are trained in.'

The shocking video begins with a handcuffed Martinez walking towards towards Borisade who pushes her back against a wall.

Martinez then lifts her leg and appears to kick the officer and he launches into an attack of at least three punches to her stomach and chest.

Borisade, who was hired by the force in March 2015, holds the woman against the wall until another officer puts his arm on the officer's shoulder.

The woman is released and slumps to the floor.

At least two other officers and other bystanders witness the attack but do nothing to intervene or help the woman.

In the rest of the video Martinez is left alone on her knees.

Corrections officers who witnessed the incident reported it to their supervisors, and it was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Integrity Unit. 

The National Sheriff's Association wrote on social media: 'We give much credit to [the Jackson Sheriff's Office] for their transparency in releasing this video.'