(Daily360.com) – In an era when cellular phone captured video can end careers, start riots or lead to arrests and public scandal, a recent video showing a man beating and then trying to shoot a police officer was not enough for a jury to jail him. The incident took place in San Bernadino, California, where Sheriff’s deputy Meagan McCarthy was responding to a call from a panicked mother who feared for her life due to the aggression from her own son. McCarthy exited her patrol car and hurried up the driveway when the man named Ari Young approached her from the other direction with clenched fists in a rage. Deputy McCarthy could see Young’s mother standing behind him with a knife in her hand. McCarthy surmised the situation was volatile and attempted to pat Ari Young down but before she knew it Young attacked her. A neighbor’s cell phone video shows Young pummeling the female officer; she fell to the ground where he straddled her and reined blows down on her. As they continued to tussle, Young was able to wrestle away the officer’s firearm. McCarthy said as he pulled the trigger but the gun jammed initially while aimed at her face. She was able to get away as he fired multiple shots at her just before other officers arrived and arrested Young.
At trail this seemingly slam dunk case went awry. Young’s lawyer maintained it was McCarthy who was at fault as she had no lawful reason to be on the property. The lawyer argued Young acted in self-dense when he attacked and tried to kill the deputy. He said his client is schizophrenic and the pat down was out of bounds. The lawyer, Raj Malin said if McCarthy’s detention was unwarranted then Young could “punch her 100 times” and it would be within his rights. The California jury agreed and set the schizophrenic Young free. McCarthy said she “loved her job” but has had to leave it do to PTSD following this incident. She said she was saddened and shocked by the verdict.
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