'Get my f***ing face off the ground': Body cam footage shows police officer brutally shove suspected prostitute to the ground and then slam her face onto the hood of his car

  • WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 
  • Body cam video shows ex-Las Vegas police officer shove suspected prostitute to the ground and slamming her face onto the hood of his car during an arrest
  • The footage of the January 2015 incident was the key piece of evidence in the criminal case against the ex-officer, Richard Scavone
  • Scavone, 50, pleaded guilty earlier this week to using excessive force against the suspect, Amanda Vizcarrondo-Ortiz of Los Angeles
  • In the video, Scavone is seen taking Ortiz into custody on suspicion of littering and loitering 
  • He is then seen hitting her numerous times before slamming her head-first into the hood of his police cruiser 

Body cam video emerged Saturday showing a former Las Vegas police officer shove a suspected prostitute to the ground and slam her face onto the hood of his car during an arrest in January 2015.

The footage was the key piece of evidence in the criminal case against the ex-officer, Richard Scavone, who pleaded guilty earlier this week to using excessive force against the suspect, Amanda Vizcarrondo-Ortiz of Los Angeles.

In the video which was aired by KLAS-TV, Scavone is seen taking Ortiz into custody on suspicion of littering and loitering.

After Ortiz makes a remark to him, he reacts violently, pushing her to the ground.

He is then seen hitting her numerous times before slamming her head-first into the hood of his police cruiser. 

Body cam video emerged Saturday showing a former Las Vegas police officer shove a suspected prostitute to the ground and slamming her face onto the hood of his car during an arrest in January 2015

Body cam video emerged Saturday showing a former Las Vegas police officer shove a suspected prostitute to the ground and slamming her face onto the hood of his car during an arrest in January 2015

The footage was the key piece of evidence in the criminal case against the ex-officer, Richard Scavone, who pleaded guilty earlier this week to using excessive force against the suspect, Amanda Vizcarrondo-Ortiz of Los Angeles

The footage was the key piece of evidence in the criminal case against the ex-officer, Richard Scavone, who pleaded guilty earlier this week to using excessive force against the suspect, Amanda Vizcarrondo-Ortiz of Los Angeles

Scavone is seen above holding Ortiz's face to the ground during the arrest in Las Vegas in January 2015

Scavone is seen above holding Ortiz's face to the ground during the arrest in Las Vegas in January 2015

The video begins with Scavone pulling his car over to the side of a road and exiting the vehicle once he sees Ortiz.

'Hey, come on over, ma'am,' he is heard saying.

He then raises his voice: 'Hey, come over here!'

As he approaches Ortiz, he orders her to put her hands behind her back.

She is heard saying something inaudible, though she is clearly annoyed.

Scavone then threatens to use a taser if she didn't comply.

As he attempts to handcuff Ortiz, he orders her to 'put your palms together.'

Scavone is then seen reaching for Ortiz's necklace. When Ortiz turns her head, Scavone grabs her by the back of her hair and pushes her face-down onto the hood of the car

Scavone is then seen reaching for Ortiz's necklace. When Ortiz turns her head, Scavone grabs her by the back of her hair and pushes her face-down onto the hood of the car

At one point during the arrest, Scavone holds Ortiz against the hood of his police car and reaches into her blouse

At one point during the arrest, Scavone holds Ortiz against the hood of his police car and reaches into her blouse

The officer removes what appear to be keys and a smartphone from Ortiz's blouse

The officer removes what appear to be keys and a smartphone from Ortiz's blouse

'How am I supposed to put my palms together if you grab my f***ing hand?' she retorts.

Scavone begins to lose his temper, saying: 'That's it. That's it.'

'I'm going to dump you in the floor in a minute,' he says to Ortiz.

After placing cuffs on her wrists, Scavone says: 'Who the hell do you think you're talking to?'

As he grabs her arm to escort her to the police vehicle, he says to her: 'Who are you talking to? Who are you talking to?'

'Are you talking to me?' Scavone says to Ortiz. 'Spread your feet.'

'My feet are straight,' she answers back. 'Why do you have your hands on my f***ing neck?'

At this point, Scavone shoves Ortiz to the ground right in front of the police cruiser.

'What the f***?' she yells. 'Get the f*** off of me. I don't give a f***. You can take me to f***ing jail.'

Scavone is then seen striking Ortiz in the head as she lay handcuffed on the pavement.

The officer then orders Ortiz to get on her stomach.

Scavone initially arrests Ortiz on suspicion of littering and loitering. Those charges were later dismissed

Scavone initially arrests Ortiz on suspicion of littering and loitering. Those charges were later dismissed

In the video, her bare legs are seen as the mini-skirt she's wearing appears to ride up on her thighs. The footage is edited to distort any images of her bare buttocks

In the video, her bare legs are seen as the mini-skirt she's wearing appears to ride up on her thighs. The footage is edited to distort any images of her bare buttocks

Throughout the video, Ortiz is heard screaming at the officer to stop, using profanity. The officer and another law enforcement official are seen using excessive force

Throughout the video, Ortiz is heard screaming at the officer to stop, using profanity. The officer and another law enforcement official are seen using excessive force

As Ortiz continues to yell at the officer to get off of her, Scavone uses more force, pulling Ortiz by the hair and pressing down on her neck

As Ortiz continues to yell at the officer to get off of her, Scavone uses more force, pulling Ortiz by the hair and pressing down on her neck

Finally, Scavone and the corrections officer forcibly put Ortiz into the car

Finally, Scavone and the corrections officer forcibly put Ortiz into the car

'Had enough?' the officer says to Ortiz. 'Are you finished?'

'Get my f***ing face off the ground,' Ortiz yells toward Scavone.

In the video, her bare legs are seen as the mini-skirt she's wearing appears to ride up on her thighs.

The footage is edited to distort any images of her bare buttocks.

'Are you finished?' Scavone tells her.

A corrections officer who was doing a ride-along with Scavone appears in the video.

He and Scavone then lift Ortiz off the ground and haul her toward the hood of the police car.

As Ortiz stands in front of the hood, Scavone says to her: 'What else do you want to do, tough guy?'

'Go ahead and take me to jail, that's all I want you to do,' Ortiz says to him.

'You got it,' the officer answers back.

Scavone is then seen reaching for Ortiz's necklace. When Ortiz turns her head, Scavone grabs her by the back of her hair and pushes her face-down onto the hood of the car.

The officer is seen pressing Ortiz's head against the hood as she yells hysterically, though what it is she is saying is hard to discern.

Ortiz is then heard letting out a scream as Scavone reports the incident to his police radio.

Scavone is then seen reaching down Ortiz's blouse and removing what appears to be a smartphone and keys.

'Don't touch my breasts! What the f***?' Ortiz is heard screaming.

'What else do you got in there?' the officer says.

As Ortiz continues to yell at the officer to get off of her, Scavone uses more force, pulling Ortiz by the hair and pressing down on her neck.

Ortiz last year reached a settlement with the city of Las Vegas, which agreed to pay $200,000

Scavone, 50, was considered an officer with a good record of policing. He faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine

Scavone, 50, was considered an officer with a good record of policing. He faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine

Finally, Scavone and the corrections officer forcibly put Ortiz into the car. 

Before the incident, Scavone was considered an officer with a record of good police work. He was fired after his superiors reviewed the body cam footage.

Ortiz was arrested though she later filed a complaint and a lawsuit against the department.

The charges against her were dismissed. 

Scavone, 50, is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2018. He faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Las Vegas police agreed to pay $200,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Ortiz.

The case came to light when Scavone's body camera provided a differing account of the January 2015 arrest that led to his firing.

The police department did not acknowledge any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

Scavone reported that he stopped Ortiz because he suspected she was loitering and trying to solicit work as a prostitute. 

Scavone reported that he stopped Ortiz because he suspected she was loitering and trying to solicit work as a prostitute. The eight-year department veteran, who volunteered for a pilot body camera program, said Ortiz became combative and he felt his safety was threatened

Scavone reported that he stopped Ortiz because he suspected she was loitering and trying to solicit work as a prostitute. The eight-year department veteran, who volunteered for a pilot body camera program, said Ortiz became combative and he felt his safety was threatened

The eight-year department veteran, who volunteered for a pilot body camera program, said Ortiz became combative and he felt his safety was threatened.

A police report said it showed Ortiz's face bleeding after she was thrown to the ground, grabbed by the neck and slammed by her head on the hood of a patrol car.

In her lawsuit, Ortiz claimed she suffered permanent injuries to her face, teeth, neck and back.

Ortiz's lawyer has said he thinks Ortiz offended Scavone by throwing a cup of coffee on the ground and refusing to put her hands behind her back to be handcuffed.

The attorney said he believed there was no probable cause for the stop or the arrest, and called the case unusual because Scavone's body camera footage provided evidence of his conduct.

Lt. Daniel Zehnder, a supervisor in the department's body camera program, said that he knew of no other cases in which a Las Vegas police officer was dismissed for conduct revealed by body camera footage. 

The civil lawsuit also named as defendants the department and a former corrections officer who was with Scavone when Ortiz was arrested. 

It had sought damages greater than $225,000 and a declaration that the department's use of a law banning loitering for prostitution was unconstitutional.     

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