The dark spots in Matteo Falcinelli's story become more pronounced when we compare what was reported by the police officers who arrested him and the images immortalized by their body cameras. One of the few identical factual elements between the two versions are the injuries on the body of the 25-year-old Spoleto after his brutal arrest in Miami on the night of February 24-25. The police report, explains Corriere della Sera, included photos of the student showing abrasions on the cheekbone and left cheek, as well as a cut on the temple on the same side. And then the knuckles on his left hand were swollen and scratched. We can also see the traces of the straps with which his wrists were tightened and two obvious bruises on the left shoulder blade and at the base of the neck. Exactly when one of the officers kept him pinned to the ground by pressing with his knee and preventing him from breathing. After the violence that caused these injuries, Falcinelli remained in the cell for 18 hours. A major information blackout which prevented relatives and friends from being able to see him and really know how he was doing.
Agents serving the strip club
Officers Ruizi and Saint Amour, who intervened in front of the strip club in the suburbs of Miami, operate outside of their duty hours. In fact, they are paid by the venue to provide surveillance outside. In their report, the police explain that they intervened due to the attack on a member of the police. The two men write that they were “pushed repeatedly on the chest” and “voluntarily touched by the arrested person, without having given consent.” According to body camera videos, the only contact Falcinelli should not have made was the 25-year-old's finger on the police badge to read his name.
The discussion in the room
Formally, the police intervened because Falcinelli refused to leave the club, as he demanded the return of 500 dollars spent for half an hour of sex with a dancer. However, there is no trace of this amount on the boy's bank statement, Corriere recalls, nor does it appear that he had a lot of cash on him. The 25-year-old claimed his phones were missing, which he found. Then he refuses the company of another girl, drinks a Coke and offers another girl a drink. When he goes to the cash register to pay the bill, he is charged for an expense that was not agreed upon and the argument begins. From that point on he was kicked out of the club, still without a phone.
Lies about the arrest
As the officers' body camera footage also shows, Falcinelli continues to argue with police outside the club. In the report, police confirm that she repeatedly blocked him from entering the strip club. The 25-year-old young man reiterates to them that he wants his phones back. But in the report, police wrote that Falcinelli wanted them to refund the money they spent that evening. Detail that does not emerge from the videos. In fact, the student claims to have paid everything he owed and shouts to the bouncers: “I'm going to report you.” Then comes the arrest for “resistance, non-violence and aggression”. Falcinelli is immobilized, without any attempt on his part to free himself. But police wrote in the report that he tried to run away. While he is still on the ground held by a police officer, one of the bouncers brings him the phones. Agents are not commenting.
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