A man arrested by Huntsville Police last week has hired a civil rights attorney after a video of the arrest went viral.
Lundon Dewayne Harkey, 37, was charged with resisting arrest, attempting to elude and tampering with physical evidence.
Police attempted to pull over Harkey, who was out on bond for a fentanyl trafficking charge. According to police, Harkey refused to stop and led them on a chase. The chase ended in a crash, but officers said Harkey continued to run on foot.
The video shows the moments when Harkey was apprehended. It shows the officer on top of Harkey and striking him.
Investigators believe Harkey swallowed what appeared to be illegal narcotics during the arrest. His attorneys said he lost consciousness while in the back of the police cruiser. He was transported to the hospital before being booked into the Madison County Jail. He has since posted a $3,100 bond and has been released.
Huntsville Police placed the officer involved on administrative duty and are reviewing the use of force and body-cam footage. Harkey hired Harry Daniels.
"How many times do we have to see this kind of reckless and needless brutality before we start taking it seriously?" Daniels said in a press release. "Lundon Harkey was subdued and defenseless but that didn't stop this officer from repeatedly slamming his head into the pavement. That didn't stop him from clubbing him with a flashlight and that didn't stop his fellow officers from spraying him with pepper spray and covering his face so it burned and smothered him."
Hundreds of people shared videos of the arrest, and the hashtag #JusticeforLundonHarkey is trending on social media.
The name of the officer involved has not been released.
Harkey has a criminal history dating back to 2008, including charges of trafficking fentanyl, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drugs with intent to distribute, attempting to elude, persons forbidden to carry a pistol, DUI and receiving stolen property.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every day, or become a member to gain access to exclusive content and 1819 News merch.
