LA Deputies manhandle elderly woman, 76, who didn’t stand up fast enough

Cell phone video caught Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies forcibly removing a 76-year-old woman from a train station’s reserved seating area.

KCBS reported that the woman’s friend recorded the ordeal, which transpired at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The friend, only identified as Tina, claimed the elder often sits in the reserved area with no issues. She thought that she was allowed to because has a card from a Metro officer.

The scuffle occurred after officers told the woman to leave the area and she refused. However, the video shows the woman having trouble getting out of the seat and asking an officer for her cane.

“I will give you your cane once you stand up,” the officer is heard saying.

“No, hand me my cane so I can stand up,” the woman replied.

From there, an officer is seen pushing the 76-year-old’s head down as she screams, “Stop, stop!”

“They handcuffed her, and in the process of trying to handcuff her other arm, they slammed her head on the armrest of the wooden chair where we were sitting,” Tina told the station.

The senior citizen was arrested and released from jail. She is currently facing charges of resisting or obstructing an officer.

“It was past excessive in my opinion. She, I’m sure, weighs no more than 95 pounds wet. I was really shocked and traumatized witnessing this.”

A spokesperson for the police department told CBS News that they haven’t looked at the video in question but they are currently reviewing whether reasonable force was used. Authorities said they hope the footage assists them in their investigation and that they will be interviewing witnesses to the arrest.

[Featured Image: KCBS]