Late last week, ABC, CBS and CNN gave attention to cell phone video in Miami which seemed to show a police officer kicking a car theft suspect in the head after he had surrendered. Now that more video has been released which reveals that the incident was not nearly as bad as it appeared because the officer was just pretending to kick him, only the CBS Evening News has taken the time to update viewers on this important twist in the story.
Between Thursday evening and Friday morning, ABC's World News Tonight and Good Morning America each ran a full report on the case, and CBS This Morning ran a brief. On Saturday morning, CNN caught up as New Day Saturday and CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield each ran a full report by correspondent Rosa Flores. And on Sunday evening, CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera ran the report again.
But, since more information was revealed that the cop's behavior was not nearly as bad as it first appeared, the same shows that were so eager to highlight it as a case of bad police behavior have not shown any interest in updating viewers.
But, on Tuesday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor read a brief: "There is a new twist tonight in the case of a Miami police officer suspended last week after a Facebook video appeared to show him kicking a car theft suspect in the head. Now, it seems he never made contact. In body cam video from the aftermath, the suspect taunts Mario Figueroa."
Then came a clip of the suspect, David Suazo, lying on a hospital floor in handcuffs after complaining about chest pains, taunting the officer: "You missed trying to kick. Learn how to aim, my boy."
Officer Figueroa could be heard responding: "If I wanted to kick you, you know I would have kicked you, right?"
Suazo added: "If you wanted to, you would have got your ass shot."
Figueroa replied: "Exactly, but I didn't kick you."
Glor continued: "Officer Figueroa was charged today with misdemeanor assault, not the more serious charge of battery."
The CBS Evening News had, ironically, not been one of the shows that initially aired the story last week.
