Video shows St. Paul cop kicking man in the throat

This five-minute video shows a man, identified in a police report as Eric R. Hightower, 30, on his stomach on the sidewalk as an officer stands over him. Hightower yells that he didn’t do anything. At one point, he starts to cough and the officer appears to kick him near his neck. That officer has been identified as St. Paul PD Officer, Jesse Zilge.

From the StarTribune:
Hightower had an order issued for his arrest because he made a threat about possibly injuring or killing someone he had a relationship with, Smith said.

The report lists the reasons for his arrest as felony assault, including terroristic threats, obstructing the legal process and criminal damage to property.

Hightower has not been charged, but Ramsey County attorney’s office spokesman Dennis Gerhardstein said that the office expects to issue charges Thursday.

Zilge’s personnel record was not immediately available. Smith said he didn’t know whether the officer had any disciplinary actions in his record and promised answers soon.

I think we need to hear why the officer kicked him, but it’s apparent there’s no good excuse for it. This kind of thing is begin captured on camera more and more and that is a good thing. The camera doesn’t lie, and protects both the public and the police.

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