EUCLID, Ohio — The trial for Euclid police officer Michael Amiott continued in Euclid Municipal Court Monday with testimony from the witness who recorded the viral video, as well as Richard Hubbard, the man Amiott is seen on camera beating, and Hubbard's girlfriend, who also witnessed the 2017 traffic stop.
Amiott faces three misdemeanor charges, including two counts of assault and one count of interfering with civil rights.
On Monday, the prosecutor said Amiott “randomly targeted” Hubbard, saying his behavior was “aggressive, unprofessional, and unreasonable.”
Amiott’s attorney said “pain compliance” is an accepted practice; that police are “trained and required to hurt people” to “incentivize” them to comply.
His attorney said Hubbard escalated the incident; Amiott was following training, and the Euclid Police Department is “scapegoating” Amiott instead of reviewing its policies.
The witness who captured the incident on camera said at the trial Monday that she started recording because Amiott was “aggressive” towards Hubbard after pulling him over. She doesn’t know Hubbard.
The prosecutor played the witness cell phone video that made national headlines. In it, Amiott can be seen repeatedly punching Hubbard during the 2017 traffic stop in Euclid.
The witness said she posted the video of the traffic stop on social media because it was “disturbing.”
During cross-examination from Amoitt’s defense attorney, the witness said Hubbard’s girlfriend told him to “Stop fighting. Stop resisting,” and that she had a “better view” of the traffic stop.
The witness, a lifelong Euclid resident, said Amiott “grabbed him (Hubbard) and slammed him to the ground.” When asked about Hubbard appearing to be kicking Amiott in the video, the witness said that if she was in the same situation, she would do the same thing.
Following the witness testimony, Hubbard took the stand to testify. He said he was going to Dollar Bank with his girlfriend on Aug. 12, 2017 when Amiott pulled him over.
Hubbard said Amiott “was all over me” as soon as he got out of his girlfriend’s car.
The prosecutor then played Amiott’s dash cam video of Hubbard’s traffic stop, which showed Hubbard was immediately tasered and forced to the ground by Amiott after stepping out of his girlfriend’s car. Then, Amiott repeatedly punched him. Hubbard testified that he never swung back.
Amiott twice asked Hubbard if he had a warrant — he didn’t — then told him to hand over his keys. Hubbard handed the keys over. Amiott then asked Hubbard to get out of the car, which he also did.
The defense noted that Hubbard did not have a valid driver’s license when pulled over, adding that Hubbard “shouldered” Amiott as he turned around to face the car after getting out. Hubbard said he had no room to turn around.
Amiott’s defense continued to question Hubbard about whether he was resisting and his use of crude language during the incident toward officers and his girlfriend.
“I just thought the worst,” said Hubbard’s girlfriend, Yolimar Tirado, when testifying about how she feared Euclid police shot him when she heard the “pop” from the taser during the traffic stop.
Tirado teared up while talking about seeing video of the 2017 incident on social media.
“Not something you want to see over and over again,” she said.
The trial resumes Tuesday at Euclid Municipal Court.
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