WSVN — A man said he was brutally beaten by police in 2002, but officers insisted that never happened — until now. A former member of the force is coming forward, claiming other officers tried to cover this up. Patrick Fraser has this Nightteam special assignment report: Moment of Truth.
It was Sept. 2002, nearly 4 a.m. when the call went out … an officer was in trouble.
Frank Adams, former police officer: “I was right around the corner … five seconds away.”
Miami-Dade officer Frank Adams quickly pulled up, according to the official report, this is what the suspect did next:
Frank Adams: “He picked the officer up on his shoulder, walked up a flight of stairs and threw the officer down the stairs injuring the officers hand.”
The report then says Officer Adams was attacked
Frank Adams: “The subject rushes me, punches me in the chest, knocks me to the ground. I injure my hand.”
The police report says the suspect was Henry Gaines.
Patrick Fraser: “What’s the truth?”
Adams says the truth is completely different. That he saw Gaines face down in the yard when he pulled up.
Reenactment
Frank Adams: “And the officer is next to him with his arm around the subject’s neck and he is punching him in the head and face.”
Adams says he told the officer to stop hitting Gaines…
The two officers then handcuffed Gaines and started to pick him up as more officers arrived.
Frank Adams: “An officer runs up, kicks him in the face. The force of the kick forces the officer to fall on my back and then we both fall on Mr. Gaines’ back. There is one officer on the left side, he is stomping and kicking Mr. Gaines.”
Then he says an officer stuck his knee in Gaines’ neck…
Frank Adams: “This is driving his face and head down into the dirt and rocks and ground, which is why he couldn’t breathe. All of a sudden, his body starts to convulse. He goes into convulsions.”
Frank Adams says he was the only officer who stayed with Gaines.
Frank Adams: “I will never forget as long as I live. When he came to… he said to me, ‘Why you let them do this to me?’ Wow. That’s what really happened.”
Frank Adams told his sergeant what had happened. Miami-Dade Police investigated and the other officers said they had no knowledge of anyone striking or kicking Gaines.
Frank Adams: “The blue code of silence … that’s real. Officers don’t tell on other officers.”
The State Attorney’s Office investigated, but closed the case because Gaines passed out and was unable to identify who struck him.
Frank Adams: “And for them to totally disregard what I had to say … that shows an intent to cover this up.”
Patrick Fraser: “Henry Gaines took a plea deal — no jail just probation. Officer Adams was in a bad car accident and had to retire, but he can’t forget what happened to Gaines that day, so we asked them to meet again.”
Henry Gaines: “Hey, how you doing?”
Frank Adams: “How you doing sir!”
Henry Gaines: “This the guy here man.”
Frank Adams hugging the man who thought he was going to die.
Henry Gaines: “They almost kicked this man’s head off. He was over me, covering me up and out came from the car running and vroom!”
Adams says he was just trying to help him. Gaines says it was more than that.
Henry Gaines: “It was scary, scary if it wasn’t for him they probably would have killed me.”
It was 14 years ago, but Gaines still thinks about that night. In fact he showed us the original police report he keeps … still amazed and amused by it.
Henry Gaines: “Where did I get the strength from to put these men up on my shoulders? It’s hard for me to push the lawnmower across the yard.”
Turns out, this isn’t the first time the two men have spoken. Gaines says Adams came to his house a few days after the beating.
Henry Gaines: “Yeah, he came back to apologize. He knows they were wrong for what they were doing.”
Adams complaints to his bosses about the beating of Gaines went nowhere. He can’t change that, but Adams hopes he can stop the beating of another Henry Gaines.
Frank Adams: “Me speaking up now … it will be able to bring about a change in policies, change in procedure. A change in the way things are being done.”
As the retired officer sat in Gaines’ living room, regretting he couldn’t have done more that night. Henry Gaines had something to tell him.
Henry Gaines: “Love him, for what he did for me.”
Why? It’s simple…
Henry Gaines: “He saved my life.”
Saved by an officer who stood up for him. Patrick Fraser, 7News.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.