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Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey will take "Commissioner's Direct Action" against Lt. Jonathan Josey, the Philadelphia police officer who was caught on tape hitting a woman during a public event on Sunday.
That means that effective on Thursday, Lt. Josey will be suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.
Yong Kim / Philadelphia Daily News
Aida Guzman's lower lip shows a wound she received during Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Josey was caught on video striking Aida Guzman during a traffic stop on Sunday.
Guzman was part of a crowd gathered for festivities after the Puerto Rican Parade, and Josey was the commanding officer on the scene.
Read the original report | More from NBCPhiladelphia
The video shows Josey right after she sprayed silly string near the officer. Josey was with several other officers involved at the time in a traffic stop. He turns around and hits Guzman, who falls to the ground.
Guzman was quickly handcuffed, led off with a bloody lip by other officers and later charged with disorderly conduct. Those charges were dropped on Wednesday, shortly before NBCPhiladelphia.com learned that Josey was being suspended and likely fired.
Guzman's attorney, Enrique Latoison, says his client never asked for the lieutenant to be fired, but what she does want is an apology.
"We want an apology, we want an official apology, a public apology, instead of a no-comment during this process," said Latoison.
Related: Cell phone video sows cop striking woman after Philadelphia parade
Jessica Griffin / Philadelphia Daily News
Lt. Jonathan Josey in 2006, when he was a Daily News Sexy Single sergeant.
Guzman and her attorney will meet with Internal Affairs on Thursday, which will be the first time she has talked to police.
Lt. Josey is a 19-year veteran of the department, whose career highlights include a commendation for shooting a would-be robber who was trying to hold up a convenience store clerk in 2010. Josey was off-duty when he walked in on the robbery. Earlier that same year he was stabbed by two women while breaking up a bar fight between them and another off-duty officer. In 2006, Josey was selected as one of the Sexiest Singles by The New York Daily News.
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Leave a Comment:
The recent video which I saw shows a man tossing a liquid in the direction of the police just as Ms. Guzman is passing the group of cops. Lt. Josey has anger issues, he needs anger management treatment and expulsion from the Philadelphia Police Department.
Can you give a link to the longer video? I've been trying to find it but can only find ones that begin with the cop hitting her.
IMO, this is a case where you have a very short video which shows the end of an incident. I don't think the officer should be terminated. Even the lady says she does not want him fired. An apology and some retraining and anger management classes seems appropriate.
@dirp
If you or I walked up to a women and hit her in the mouth, we would be on a long road through the legal system, jail, probation and a mark on our records... and all you want is " An apology and some retraining and anger management classes"
Perhaps you are the one who needs a good punch in the mouth. This bad cop needs jail time to think about his actions first. He can sit right next to all the people who feel he did nothing wrong and just deserves a slap on the wrist.
No one wins here. What the cop did was clearly the wrong way to handle the situation and was not remotely acceptable behavior for a police officer. BUT, his response didn't occur in a vacuum. Who goes around shooting silly string at police officers?? Punishment needs to be meted out to both police officer and civilian, both dumb and dumber. If this woman manages to walk away from this situation with no charges on her then that is truly screwed up.
When I originally watched the video, I didn't see the can of silly string in her hand. Once it was shown to me, I felt Ms. Guzman was less of a victim than originally portrayed.
I still don't believe officer Josey hit her due to silly string. I believe the guy behind Ms. Guzman throwing the water from his water bottle is what got Ofc. Josey angry. He incorrectly believed it was Ms. Guzman and took matters into his own hands, I mean fists.
I believe Ofc. Josey is probably a decent cop who made a very bad decision under stress. True, he can't work for the Philly PD anymore, but cops are all a band of brothers. Ofc. Josey will end up on some small PA township police force. He's not done as a cop.
Arturo so any man who punches a woman in the face should just go take anger management well then how come so many men are in jail for the same thing and Roger you are right these idiots do need a punch in the mouth
I honostly believe any man who hits a women is nothing but a coward except in certain situations were self defense is needed...
He needs to be charged with Assault.
The video clearly shows she did not deserve to be punched in the face.
Cops shouldn't just beat the @!$%# out of folks just because water is flying around 8) get real it's harmless.
The beginning of the video has been carefully edited out. That shows a person throwing something underhanded toward the group of policemen. Whatever it is hits the girl and the police and she and the policemen respond by turning around to face the direction it came from.
She had a can of something in her left hand, but didn't appear to be using it. The policemen who responded get pretty near the camera, and there isn't any Silly String to be seen on them.
Suspended!!!!!! The SOB needed fired immediately. The fact that this goes on everyday and they get
paid while they are investigated and most of the time just moved to another location is absurd.
Affirmative Action "Lt.Josey" can not hide behind Politically correct procedure like how he was "promoted" to lieutenent. Now he ruined it and all it took was he revealing his true self. Give the dept your shield and your glock nine, You're FIRED Pal! no matter how much you whine..............Bye Bye moron. takes a LOT of Courage to beat up a Woman!! And his confederates who cuffed and collared her/ Can'Em too. False arrest; as "Charges" were dropped.
Phantom, you're an idiot to try to bring race into this. Josey was promoted based upon service and condemnation. Yes I believe he deserves to be fired, this action was unacceptable. I think he should get jail time for assault.
But his service record was not based on the color of skin, you racist piece of dirt.
The officer not only needs to lose his job, but also charged with assault, just as any other citizen.
Losing his job as his only punishment is sending the message that law enforcement is above the law. It's the wrong message. Law enforcement needs to be held accountable for their actions just as any other citizen or what good is the law?
Get rid of him.
Go take a hike...
John. Why? Cops are above the law!
Really....what if that liquid had been acid...they had no clue what it was. Not to mention Lt. Josey has been stabbed in the past breaking up a bar fight between two women. She should take some responsibility for not stepping out of the way and getting involved in the altercation the officers were dealing with.
Guess you didn't see the video Phil.
I am not for firing the officer based on just the video but obviously he needs to be suspended and get some help. The he can return to active duty.
What if what if , what if he didnt PUNCH HER IN THE MOUTH
Well Sieg Hei!l mein philip-1788
Give me a break, she is at fault because she didn't jump out of the way??? Another person caused the problem, tossing the water, and she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Quick use of force is what cops are supposed to be trained not to do. This guy is a loose cannon waiting to do harm to who ever crosses his ego. Police are being trained to maintain control no matter what. This is wrong and needs to be changed. They don't need to use deadly force for every situation. It is a dangerous job, but so is a lot of other jobs, I was exposed to situations in the USAF that could have done me in at any moment, but that didn't entitle me to lash out at anyone who ever got near me. They trained me well and the job I had was uneventful, thank goodness.
Tense situtation for the police and she stirred it up a bit. Got what she deserved. If its police buisness, leave them alone, you can always film it but tossing "stuff' at em aint gonna help.
Just exactly how did she "stirred it up a bit?"
From watching the video it looked like she didn't even know the police were there behind her. Or are you one of those people who believe that police are always justified in anything they do?
Did you watch it or READ all the news? Tossing silly string or water? Yeah real nasty situation there and she jumps right to them. real smart. And just because I say that what the cop did doesnt mean I beleive everything they do is ok..or are you one of those guys that its all or nothing, everytime or no time? No middle road? get a grip.
He sucker punched her. How can you sit there and justify that? People like you are worse than dirty cops like this.
NO MAN, OFFICER OR NOT, has the right to hit a woman like that. He over-reacted, which police are TRAINED not to do. He did not have the FACTS, but resorted to brutality instantly anyway. He is obviously not stable. HE SHOULD BE THROWN OFF THE FORCE. IF THAT WERE ME, I'D SUE THE PANTS OFF HIM.
s3usarmy, in my opinion, you need to go to attitude or common sense-readjustment classes. People who think like you are dangerous and police officers who think like you are even more dangerous. What if that was your Mother or your daughter that the cop sucker punched? How would you feel about it then? I wonder? Dismissed!!!
S3usarmyfromaugusta: Well, looks like the gestapo got to you also..........
She was probably smarting off, and talking crap to them anyways. Not the Officers fault, I stand behind him and the whole Force...
Gee, he should have just shot her, right?
Or maybe at least tried to confirm whether she was the one who'd done something. Oh, I forgot, to some people it doesn't matter who's punished, as long as someone is.
Steada, your and idiot and the cop is a bully.
From retired cop
She was probably out there acting like a fool. People of her kind tend to think they are "entitled" She shouldve kept her a$$ out of the way. She got what she deserved.
Luke-1030058 you're not a retired cop unless you've had a stroke. I never met a cop that didn't have enough education to write one sentence. I think what you're doing is dangerously close to breaking a law.
Luke, you're a good man. I've been lucky that everytime i've had dealings with the police that they thought like you and not like the accused police officer. Regards, Joe
6 deleted, BadBoy n USA applauding violence based on gender:
Garbage. You're suspended for a day for violating #5 of the Code of Honor.
It has occured to me that SooooMany of our Citizens accept a total police state Even when the Police Authorities themselves do NOT condone such behavior.
There is another possible element to this, that should be considered. Post traumatic stress syndrome. He shot a man , and , he was stabbed in the back previously. I think the fact that the women being behind him, with possible assault by liquid and silly string ( legally that can be viewed as assault) could have triggered this response. I mention this in passing in that we might see more of these incidents in the future. There has been a program established to place veterans into law enforcement positions. Veterans from the Afghan and Iraq war, due to repeated tours of duty, have had a high incidence of PT-SD. I am not providing a nanny, liberal analysis here, but a factual consideration of what could occur and why this incident happened . It is not an excuse, nor a free pass from taking personal responsibility for your actions. Food for thought,
Thank god nobody was white that was involved!
If it is PTS, he has no business being in a job that exposes the public to a cop with a gun with a problem. Also if it is PTS because of his job, the city owes him good medical help and plenty of TLC.
Hey Aida, next time try doing something else for fun besides spraying string at cops who are trying to control protesters. Get a hobby... another hobby!
Bill your a moron if thats all you have to say. Its silly string and they are at a public gathering and controlling the crowd. Your probably that guy thats gets pissed at people at a concert cause they are bumping into you, what do you expect. I would second the police officer if it wasnt silly string, maybe urine or feces or something like that. I would imagine this cop never acts out of anger after this episode.
It was a parade for goodness sakes, with a party type atmosphere. No one really just stands still with their hands at their sides watching and saying nothing. I've attended parades where the cops who were there for crowd control took part in some of the festivities and had a ball. Waayyyy too many uptight people in Philly, I guess.
Seewhat: Pretty harsh comment. "People of her kind"? Are you a racist troll or just a racist or just a troll?
Only a COWARD would stoop to hitting a woman. This POS needs to have some of his ego beat out of him.
Who's going to do it warren with 3 r's? You? That would be a great pay-per-view event. You would have the tar beat out of you and we would all laugh.
It is Warren. If you noticed, this psycho Is Suspended with intent to Dismissal. He gonna' get Fired and his ego Fried............
The article never mentioned if the woman was licensed to carry silly string. I know someone who almost laughed himself to death when he was coated in it. It's not a toy. I'm surprised the woman wasn't tazered.
Or shot.
How is an officer to know, in a split-second, in the middle of a full-on riot, what is contained within the aerosol can being pointed at his face?
Miss sarcasm much Vern?
This is nuts!! How can someone working on the job to protect and serve punch someone of the other sex in the face and not be terminated. Any other job or person would be fired in this instance and taken to jail for aggravated battery. The only thing is the cop is suspended probably with pay from our tax dollars. I just think its funny that we let cops get away with this crap repeatedly. this guy needs to be terminated immediatley. You know i understand that being a cop is tough butt whats tough about hitting a woman because a little bit of silly string got sprayed near you or maybe on you. Who cares wipe it off and get on with your job. Fire him!! If it were a "civilian" we would be fired and sued.
Wait, before we decide if he was guilty or not, we need one more question answered: Was he carrying Skittles and iced tea when he attacked her?
"Suspended"?
Shouldn't he be ARRESTED?
There are two investigations going on right now- his employer's internal investigation, and the criminal investigation. He has been suspended as part of his employer's INTERNAL investigation. The criminal investigation will take longer.
If anyone of us assaulted another person, you bet we would go straight to jail. And they would "investigate" after the fact.
Why does he get better treatment?
Why is he NOT in JAIL ?!?!?!?!?!?! Arrest this woman beater NOW !!!!!! DO NOT let him get out of prison time, this is disgusting !!!!! Arrest him NOW !!!!!!!
Maybe you should sit down and breathe into a paper bag so you don't tip over or something.
Why does it matter that she was a woman?
I don't think it does - she is much more diminutive than the cop, add to the fact she doesn't speak English. If it were a guy who was smaller than the cop and the circumstances were the same, the consequences would be the same.
Some WOMEN please - start an online and fb demand for the ARREST of this woman beater !
Let's not lose sight of the fact that she IS a criminal. The issue here, is whether his use of force was appropriate or not.
Why is she a criminal? For having a can of silly string at a parade? Do you know how many folks wearing green would have to be locked up on St. Patty's Day if that were a crime? Not to mention children at the Halloween parades!
The ONLY criminal is the pig who hit a woman. He had zero business being there, let alone trying to put his hands on anyone. The crowd should have ripped his limbs off.
For her to have approached him and pointed something at his face, he would have been completely justified to have shot her. After she turned to run, not so much- but she still would have been arrestable. Who knows, maybe he was trying to hook her by the neck to take her down- with her being armed with an unknown item in her hand, that would have been completely justified too. And in the heat of the moment, stuff happens, and that's completely justified too- if he miscalculated the speed of her retreat and his hook was a few inches off (or her movement put her into the path of his arm as it came around), it would have resulted in EXACTLY what happened. And that is well within the realm of "the cost of doing business" within the chosen profession of CRIMINAL.
Vern, go away
Verns a pathetic troll, nobody would really think that unless they are also a woman beater.
I'll bet Adolf Sharpton is really conflicted on this one, lol.
There are so many corrupt law enforcement officers. I see it all the time in LA and OC and have been "privileged" enough to have been harassed by a number our fine men in blue. I'm rather excited people are getting video evidence of these creeps who think they are above the law just because they wear a badge. They ruin the amount of respect and appreciation we should all have for the good cops and leave a bad taste in my mouth because I know the majority of them are definitely not good... Hooray he's going to jail!
Got caught speeding, eh?
Sierra of CA your SO right, the largest street gang in the USA, is your criminals with badges.
Bo, that's you opinion. There's bad apples in every bunch but that doesn't mean all cops are bad. Be thankful we have the police there when we need them to protect us from criminals and other lowlifes. If you don't agree then just don't call the cops the next time you need them.
Obviously the cop over reacted. She will end up getting a bundle of cash, and she deserves it...
People involved in any behavior that is cruel to animals or children don't have souls. They are a waste of life on our earth
If it was a white cop you could sure bet that everyone would want him brought up on charges and thrown in prison.
This is a Blog and you are not allowed to say the truth or they will collapse your statement. Please follow the rules
If they outlaw silly string, only criminals will have silly string.
$10 says she's black and racist enough to vote for Obama because he is black. Sad woman.
meansteak, as a retired police officer, I can only assume your an idiot. we had officers like that on the force, they didn't last long. But, we did have a professional force that got the job done right.
Ok, I am gay and even I don't think this guy is sexy. Must be a really small dating pool in his neighborhood. This lovely little scandal only adds insult (rightly so) to injury, and I doubt any woman in the world with half a brain would go out with this douchebag after seeing this video!
Commissioner's Direct Action looks like a good tool for situations like this. "Suspend with intent to fire" is a lot simpler than in other jurisdictions. The officer can still be sued by victims for any tort.
BS, he is a rogue cop who should be charged and prosecuted for assault and battery. If she was a black woman and the cop was white we would have riots in Philadelphia today. Look at the complete video and you will see he hit her from behind for no reason.