MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A man was back on the stand to testify in the trial of a Miami Beach Police officer accused of beating him during an arrest in the lobby of a South Beach hotel.
Speaking in a Miami courtroom on Friday, an emotional Dalonta Crudup detailed the events that led up to his encounter with Miami Beach Police officers in July 2021.
“What did I do to deserve this? And I’m back here. I don’t get in trouble; we get out,” he said.
Miami Beach Police Officer Kevin Perez is one of five officers who were charged with felony battery in the incident next to the lobby elevators at the Royal Palm Hotel.
Police said Crudup, 24, hit an officer with a scooter that day.
As he rode through an alleyway on the scooter, Crudup said, an officer on a bicycle threw the bike at him.
“That’s where you describe a second officer throw a bike forward. Is that correct?” said a prosecutor.
“Yes, sir,” said Crudup.
Crudup ran into the hotel, located along the 1500 block of Collins Avenue.
Surveillance video captured an officer as he caught up with Crudup inside one of the elevators and pointed a gun at him.
Moments later, Crudup was placed in handcuffs.
“Put his knees on my back and grabbed both of my wrists, had them twisted, slapped the handcuffs on one hand, twisted the left arm,” said Crudup, “and then more officers came.”
Multiple officers appeared to punch and kick Crudup repeatedly as he lay on the ground.
“Every officer that came in that room, constantly punch, kick, punch. kick and laugh, giggle,” he said. “To help with one another, one officer pulled me, another officer [said], ‘Stop resisting arrest.’ I couldn’t move, obviously had their knees in my neck, my back, my arm. I couldn’t move my arm in one direction.”
At one point, Crudup said, an officer picked him up and slammed him to the ground while he was handcuffed.
Crudup broke down in tears as the jury watched surveillance video of the tough takedown.
“You want to take a break?” Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Alberto Milian asked Crudup.
“Yes, Your Honor,” said Crudup.
More than a dozen police officers responded to the incident.
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