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CBS News: Arkansas police officer seen on video beating handcuffed inmate in back of patrol car fired

www.cbsnews.com Arkansas police officer seen on video beating handcuffed inmate in back of patrol car fired

Arkansas police officer Joseph Harris has been fired after being caught on video beating a handcuffed inmate in the back of his patrol car, and the police chief says he will refer the case to prosecutors.

Arkansas police officer seen on video beating handcuffed inmate in back of patrol car fired

Billy Lee Coram, the inmate in the back of the patrol car, is wearing a hospital gown and choking himself with a seatbelt wrapped his neck as the car is moving in the roughly 12-minute video. After the car pulls over, Harris opens the door and punches and elbows Coram several times in the face as he unwinds the belt.

Harris later slams the car door against Coram's head. Elliott said he didn't know what injuries Coram sustained from the beating.

Coram had been taken to the hospital after he told jail staff he had ingested fentanyl and had escaped the hospital. Harris had caught Coram and put him in his patrol car.

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