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Baltimore cop charged in bus stop beating that was caught on camera

Officer Vincent Cosum Jr. charged with assault, faces perjury accusation for lying on police report, police say.

By Scott Smith

BALTIMORE, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A Baltimore police officer faces misdemeanor assault and perjury charges after an incident with a suspect was caught on video.

Officer Vincent Cosum Jr. was captured on a city surveillance camera on June 15, repeatedly punching Kollin Truss in the face with other officers present. He faces perjury because in his police report he said Truss assaulted him first, a claim not supported by the video evidence.

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Truss is now represented by attorneys, who say charging Cosum alone is not adequate.

"The other officers participated," Truss attorney Tony Garcia told CBS Baltimore. "They held his arms back. Our client was knocked unconscious on his feet."

Truss's attorneys have filed a $70 million lawsuit against the city.

The beating prompted a call from city officials and the public to look into complaints against the city's police department. The mayor has asked the Department of Justice to investigate.

Baltimore's police commissioner says Cosum remained on the job for three months after the incident due to a miscommunication.Commissioner Anthony Batts claims he didn't know of the assault video until Truss's attorneys filed their suit and released the video to the public in September.

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