Pinellas County Judge Blasts Gulfport Police

What should have been a routine call about a request for a trespass warrant issued against a neighbor escalated into what a Pinellas County Circuit judge called disgusting and horrible.  Fred Bramich's neighbor had called the police in 2007 about alleged threats he had made to the neighbor.  When the police arrived they interrogated Bramich who apparently walked aways from the Gulfport police officers.  For some inexplicable reason they decided to employ their batons on him as well as taser him numerous times.  Bramich, trying to flee the attacks, ran to his mother's house screaming for them to stop. 

Bramich was arrested and charged with two counts of resisting arrest  with violence, two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of resisting arrest without violence.  One 50,000 volt taser jolt lasted 20 seconds and left burns on Bramich's body. 

On Sept. 17, Bramich was acquitted on all but the misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest without violence.  However, the prosecutor in the case, Robert Bruce pressed forward asking the judge to make Bramich pay for the medical attention he received as a result of the police actions.  The judge refused and told Bruce he had a blind spot regarding the police actions.

I commend Judge Cynthia Newton for her actions in this case.  Most police officers are dedicated to upholding the law and perform their duties with skill and efficiency.  However, this incident in Gulfport shows that at times they do overreact and take the law into their own hands.  This is how the criminal justice system should work.