Charges dropped against Black Deaf man Tyron McAlpin

CNN reported that the charges against Tyron McAlpin, the Black Deaf man who was punched and tased by two Phoenix police officers on August 19, were dropped.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (in the Phoenix area) said McAlpin’s charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest were dropped after reviewing the case and getting the advice of a “large gathering of senior attorneys and members of the community.” This came from the office’s top official, Rachel Mitchell.

I did a news report about this case last week. Videos showed that two Phoenix officers, who were investigating a trespassing/theft case, took a focus on McAlpin after another man said they were in some kind of scuffle earlier at a Circle K store. The officers quickly approached McAlpin as he was walking in a parking lot and tackled him before punching and tasing him.

McAlpin, who is Deaf and has cerebral palsy, clearly didn’t have any chance to understand why the officers were there. CNN said the bodycam footage showed that one officer shouted, “Hey buddy, stop where you’re at” before lunging at him. McAlpin was looking at his phone and the moment he looked up, he was tackled.

The officers accused McAlpin of trying to fight them during the arrest and charged him. McAlpin spent 24 days in jail because he was unable to pay his bond. It was his first time behind bars.

McAlpin’s attorney, Jesse Showalter, said they are “overjoyed” that the “unjust charges” were dropped. The attorney said he is representing him in a potential civil rights lawsuit against the city of Phoenix.

There is a GoFundMe organized by McAlpin’s wife, Jessica Ulaszek, to help with legal costs. She posted yesterday that “all charges have been dropped!!... I’m happy people seen and did the right thing!” The GoFundMe is still up to help with legal costs and the link is in the bottom of the transcript.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/16/us/phoenix-police-tyron-mcalpin-bodycam/index.html

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4940942-phoenix-police-deaf-black-man-charges-dropped/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/10/17/tyron-mcalpin-phoenix-police-charges-dropped/

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Help-my-disabled-husband-get-justice

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