Another Bad Cop?

A King County sheriff's deputy Paul Schene, 31, has been charged with fourth-degree assault in connection with a Nov. 29 incident in a holding cell at SeaTac City Hall. He had been accused of shoving and kicking a 15-year-old girl in a holding cell after her arrest. Schene pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on his own recognizance. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

If the above incident was not captured on video, this may have turned out to be another "He said, she said" back and forth argument involving a suspect and the police. However, the video which was released under court order, shows just how brutally this 15-year-old girl was manhandled by an eight-year veteran of the King County Sherriff's Department.

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The entire incident began earlier when deputy Paul Schene and his partner stopped the car in which two 15-year-old girls were traveling. The car had been reported stolen. The two girls were arrested and taken to the holding facility at SeaTac City Hall for fingerprinting and other processing.

One of the teens was taken by Schene and his partner to a holding cell where she was told to remove her shoes. Complying with the order, the girl kicked off her left shoe which struck deputy Paul Schene. That was when the trouble began. What happened next was caught on video.

The deputy is seen rushing into the cell, kneeing the teen in her thigh and pushing her head-first into the opposite wall. He then grabs her by her hair and throws her to the ground and punches her twice before handcuffing her. As if that was not enough, he then grabs her by her hair again and pulls her up from the floor.

See the unedited video below:

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Both girls were booked into the Youth Center on auto theft charges. One of the girls (presumably, the one in the video) was also booked for assault for allegedly assaulting the deputy.

On Dec. 1, the detective assigned to the auto theft and assault case checked the security video as part of her follow-up investigation. She saw the holding cell video and immediately notified her supervisor. This prompted an investigation and Paul Schene, an 8-year veteran of the force, was placed on paid administrative leave the following day.

Sgt. John Urquhart said the surveillance video shows Schene "using more force that was necessary as far as the prosecutor's office is concerned. And as far as we're concerned, that rises up to the level of an assault."

During court proceedings, Paul Schene's attorney, Anne Bremmer, pleaded with Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer not to release the video to the public, fearing adverse public opinion would make it difficult for her client to receive a fair trial. Opposing the motion on behalf of the King County Sheriff's Office, Senior Deputy Prosecutor John Cobb argued that the state public records act requires the video be released. Judge Catherine Shaffer ruled that the video should be released.

"We had argued strenuously that the video tape released to the media this morning not be released because it does not tell the whole story of the incident. As we argued to the judge, it will inflame public opinion and will severely impact the deputy's right to a fair trial. We will defend this misdemeanor case in court. No story can be sliced so thin that it does not have two sides. We hope that judgment will be reserved until all the facts of this case are given fair consideration in court."

"No story can be sliced so thin that it does not have two sides. We hope that judgment will be reserved until all the facts of this case are given fair consideration in court," said Bremner.

During the investigation, the teen told detectives she had not meant to hit the deputy with her shoe, and said she never resisted arrest. She also said the incident left a bruise on her right hip, as well as scratches on her arm and neck. In fact moments after the attack, the girl complained about not being able to breathe properly. Medics were called and examined her but decided that she did not need hospitalization.

Now that the criminal investigation is complete, the sheriff's Internal Investigations Unit will launch its own probe. The result will determine discipline, which could include termination.