Mr. Liese is kneed by Officer Delio, rupturing his spleen
The Orlando Police Department, like many other police departments, must now investigate one of their own because of
these damn cameras.
Officer Peter Delio was orally reprimanded and suspended for 40 hours without pay for his actions during the August 12 arrest. Robert Liese, the suspect who was injured, has filed a $75,000 federal lawsuit against Delio. His spleen had to be surgically removed.
According to the internal affairs investigative report, Liese was struck while inside a holding cell at a downtown police substation on Washington Street after he was arrested at a bar.
Liese was drunk, had bought a bunch of drinks at a bar, couldn't pay for them and was being belligerent when he was arrested. He thrashed about in the back of the police car and, as you can watch below on the video footage of the holding cell, head-butts the small glass window in his holding cell. Officer Delio comes into the room and as Liese is going to sit down (hands still cuffed behind his back), Delio knees him hard in his stomach. In Orlando's defense, they have arrested and charged Officer Delio with one count felony battery.
"Sgt. Michael Faulkner disapproved Officer Delio's response and stated that Liese did not present a level of resistance requiring the response that was provided," the internal investigation found.
Faulkner, who viewed surveillance video the night of the incident, filed the complaint that same night.
Well, Faulkner may have been reacting strictly to the footage. He could have been reacting to the fact that he had a drunk petty-thief suspect with a spleen removed after being involved with an Officer Delio, who is clearly much bigger than many other human beings.
Maybe Faulkner filed the complaint in order to protect himself from the heavy burden of responsibility he actually has in this affair. Orlando's Channel 9, upon reviewing recordings of the events of that night, have discovered some
glaring inconsistencies in Faulkner's account.
The recording shows Liese asked Faulkner for medical treatment after he was kneed in the abdomen by Officer Peter Delio in March. Liese had to have his spleen removed.
Liese: “Can I have medical attention please?”
Faulkner: “What do you need medical attention for?” [...]
The video shows Liese ask for paramedics for more than 20 times in more than 90 minutes.
But under oath, Faulkner told OPD’s internal affairs that Liese repeatedly refused medical treatment.
Delio
is still being paid.
[Police Chief] Mina said Delio will be assigned to desk work while his case of felony battery is prosecuted.
News 13 also inquired about Delio’s personnel file. Chief Mina said Delio has a history of disciplinary action in his seven years on the force, but nothing as serious as battery.
Considering their track record of truth-telling, I'm going to say that Chief Mina's characterization of Delio's
history is suspect to say the least.
Liese, for his part, is suing the department for around $75,000.
You can watch the footage of officer Delio brutalizing below the fold.